Amazon Ships iLife '09 and iWork '09 Tax-Free

Amazon and other retailers are set to ship Apple's new iLife '09 and iWork '09 suites to customers everywhere, offering free shipping, 9to5mac reports. Customers can pre-order either one, or both of the application suites, including a Mac Box Set Family Pack.

iLife '09, slated for a February 20, 2009 release, “features major upgrades to iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand, and includes iDVD and an updated version of iWeb,” Apple reveals. iPhoto '09 builds on its predecessor's ability to automatically organize photos into Events, by adding two new functions, namely Faces and Places.

The duo assists users in organizing and managing their pictures, the company responsible for the Mac OS says. iMovie '09 uses powerful new features, such as the Precision Editor, video stabilization, advanced drag and drop, and animated travel maps.

iLife '09 costs $79 to buy. The software will require Mac OS X 10.5.6 to run, as well as any Intel-based Mac, or a G4 with an 867 MHz or faster PowerPC processor. 1GB of memory is recommended. The iLife '09 Family Pack will retail for $99 (5 licenses).

As for iWork '09, the Apple-developed productivity suite will also cost $79, for a single-user license, and $99, for those who plan on acquiring the iWork '09 Family Pack. iWork '09 adds powerful new features on all levels (applications).

Keynote '09, for instance, introduces advanced object transitions, which automatically animate objects with a choice of effects and Magic Move (a new way to create rich animations by just applying a simple transition), whereas Pages '09 features a new Full Screen view that helps users focus on their writing.

An outline mode also aids them organize their thoughts, according to Apple. Features introduced in Numbers '09 include a faster way to group and summarize data, as well as simplified methods to create complex formulas. An iWork.com public beta is accessible from within any of the three apps. Apple's initiative is to launch a new service that enables iWork-ers to share documents online.

Lastly, Amazon will also ship out Mac Box Set Family Packs, which include iLife '09, iWork '09, and a Leopard license. A single user license will cost $169, with the Family License being priced at $229.