iMovie Now Free for All!

Yesterday Apple made iMovie, its consumer video editing application, available free for download (20 MB) or on a CD for $19.99 by calling 1-800-293-6617. The free application is called a trial version in the enclosed ReadMe files. In addition, the demo DV file for the tutorial is not included, probably because the size of the tutorial is over 160 MB.

iMovie originally came bundled only with iMac DVs, regular or SE, but it runs on other Macs as well. However, to do so legally one needed to own a copy of the iMovie CD but no longer. For some reason, the Apple press release states iMovie's requirements as including Mac OS 9.0.4 running on a Power Mac G4 or PowerBook with built-in FireWire. However, iMovie v1.0.2 runs on my Blue & White G3/450, 7300 G3/400, PowerBase G3/300 and original iBook. Of course, in order to fully use iMovie, a computer needs FireWire to import and export DV files directly from a digital camcorder. But FireWire is not essential to work on a movie since a computer like the iBook can import a DV file via ethernet from another computer.