*This is part of a series about iWork, click the following links to read about Pages and Numbers!
One of the most popular questions I get on my tech-based YouTube channel regarding Macs goes something like this: ”What software can I use for Office Productivity?” The answer is pretty simple, and cheap, compared to similar software on Microsoft Windows.
To me, the clearcut answer is iWork: Apple’s answer to the Microsoft Office suite. Of course, there are other options, including Open Office and Microsoft Office for Mac. This article will go over the basics and functions of Pages, if you’re considering kicking Microsoft Office for it.
I switched to a Mac in January of 2010, and for the first few months, attempted to use Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac. I soon realized there had to be something better, easier, and easier on the eyes. I then learned that Apple had some software of their own: iWork. For only $80 dollars, you get the Mac equivalent of Microsoft Work, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Keynote is a super easy, good looking, quick, and compatible replacement for PowerPoint. Opening Keynote brings up the template window, where you can choose between 44 different templates for what ever kind of presentation theme you wish to use. There are basic black and white templates as well. Templates include all kinds of colors, textures, and layouts. Of course, you can edit all of this from within a blank template, but having it already set up in very appealing themes makes it quicker and easier. In edition to themes, you can choose between several resolutions for each theme, this is very nice so you can get the right aspect ratio for what ever work you wish to do and how you are going to present it. Most themes offer 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1680×1050 and 1920×1080 resolutions.
Three to five seconds later, the application has loaded to what ever template you told it to. For the sake of this review, we’ll use the Venetian template. Keynote has all the basic and advanced functionality that PowerPoint has, and more when it comes to ease of use and template selection. Templates just make quick and easy to set up data in a form that’s already been built. Like Pages, all the format settings are located on top. Font color, style, size and types are editable up top, as well as the slide specifications. Inserting transitions, build in/out effects, and more slides is super easy, and is done from the Inspector, or Add slide button. The Inspector can be used to edit attributes on entire slides, customize slide layouts, or edit individual elements on a certain slide. It’s easy and advanced, and does anything you’d ever need it to do while looking great.
Another common topic about the iWork suite that I get asked a lot regards saving your work. Keynote saves documents as .keynote as default. Of course, you can check the box and tell it to save a .ppt so any Microsoft Office, or, iWork suite can read and edit it. I have had trouble with certain effects making the suite change, but all the content is displayed correctly.
The only thing I regret to say about Keynote is it’s lack of auto-save. So, make sure you don’t run out of battery in the middle of an un-saved document.
Having said all of this, I strongly feel that Keynote can replace Microsoft PowerPoint. It may lack some of the more advanced features, but for what 99% of users need, Keynote is a more attractive, organized and cost-effective way to create and edit presentations.
