iWork

iWork 08 allows Mac users to create, present, and publish work using three applications: word processor Pages, presentation software Keynote, and spreadsheet application Numbers.

Pages is a full-featured word processing program complete with desktop publishing tools, allowing the user to easily make text documents, flyers, newsletters, or any small-scale page layout task. Useful features include a speech reader that will read back students' work, and comprehensive comment and track changes tools that facilitate collaboration, and peer and teacher review.

Keynote is an application for both students and teachers to create a presentation. Useful features include built-in templates that can be resized for different presentation use such as smart boards, data projectors, and laptops, a voice recorder that records your presentation and synchronises it to your slides, and a wide range of video formats with which to export the presentation, including the ability to publish directly to YouTube. Useful also is the compatibility with other Apple applications, such as GarageBand, allowing students to turn a presentation into a video podcast.

Numbers is a spreadsheeting application that allows the student to insert an arrays of cells, charts, text, and graphics onto a page, offering a range of features and making presentation and layout easy to customise. Most standard formulae are offered and there are many handy functions that simplify spreadsheet use. Useful features include the wide variety of templates, some designed specifically for teachers and students, and the ability to import Excel files (including Office Open XML Excel files), as well as CSV, tab-delimited text and Open Financial Exchange documents.

Apple iWork '08's three applications can read Microsoft Office documents, whether created on Mac or Windows computers, and can save documents in Microsoft Office formats so they can be opened in Office on a Mac or on Windows. iWorks software has comment and mark-up support, allowing multiple users to easily make suggestions, explain changes, and provide information about whole sections or single items in a document. A range of iWorks templates are available that include sample content (and, in the case of Numbers, functions and formulas) so students can see examples of how to use the design. Integration with Media Browser can be useful for iLife users. Watch these guided tours for more information.

You can download a free 30-day trial of iWork 08 to try it out before committing to it.