Don't get too excited, it's not like you're getting a touch based Final Cut Pro interface or anything. I haven't tried it, but from what I can see ReelDirector seems to approximate the basic functions of iMovie with a pretty slick looking interface.

Now we just have to wait for the inevitable slew of videos proclaiming to be both shot and edited on an iPhone. [iTunes Link via Oh Gizmo! via Wired]

It's just a rumor for now, bits of newly discovered beta code, really, but that last pairing could be true, and soon.

Now, video editing and the iPhone isn't total out of the blue. Just last month, in the aftermath of the big firmware 3.0 beta reveal, intrepid cyber sleuths uncovered an "upload my video" option in the MobileMe section.

But this tip from Gizmodo reader Ben is something a bit new. Buried in the beta are some graphics that future iPhone directors might use for video editing. There are also some art resources that allegedly show scrubbing and clip features.

And naturally, if these features pan out, they would make massively more sense paired up with a device that has a faster processor, more storage, etc. You picking up what I'm laying down? [Benm.At - Thanks, Ben]

Let's face it, iMovie '08 was a step backwards for the iMovie software, so much so that Apple even made it a point to keep iMovie '06 available as a download well after the software had been updated. The biggest complaint with iMovie '08 was it lacked all the special features found in the previous version that made video editing so fun and easy.

iMovie '09 has regained most of the features that were lost in the '08 version and even has some new ones like video stabilization, green screen and animated maps. The UI still lacks a dedicated timeline that most video editors are accustomed to using, but to make up for it iMovie '09 has new tools like the precision editor and advanced drag-and-drop capabilities.

Here's a closer look at the new features of iMovie '09:

Precision Editor

Apple's response to all the complaints about iMovie '08 lacking a timeline is this new precision editor window. Once you're in a project, you select precision editor in a clips pop-up window, and the bottom half of iMovie becomes the editor. This tool is intended to help make more precise edits between two clips in your project, and does this by showing the two clips in an overlapping fashion. You simply click the spot in a clip you want to cut at and than iMovie automatically moves the clip to create the cut you want.

The window can also display audio tracks, effects and titles along side the video clips so it feels more like a timeline than a simple project window. There is also the option to move titles and change audio tracks of clips. The problem here is that the precision editor won't let you do precise manipulation of a music track. This is frustrating, especially when you're trying to line your video up with music. For the simple trimming of clips precision editor works pretty well—better that than nothing—but it's still no substitute for a timeline.

Advanced Drag-and-Drop

After checking Show Advanced Tools under iMovie Preferences, this drag-and-drop tool shows much more features. In iMovie '08 dropping a clip from the library on-top of a clip in the project window simply inserts the library clip into the project. Now in iMovie '09 the same action brings up a pop-up menu filled with choices. It has options to replace the clip four different ways into your project or just to insert it the same way it would have in iMovie '08. The best features though are the Audio Only, Cutaway, Picture-in-Picture and Green Screen—all of which are completely new to iMovie '09.

Video Stabilization

For the common shaky video clip using video stabilization will impressively make the annoying camera movement disappear. iMovie '09 does this stabilization in two steps. First it will analyze the video clip frame by frame and pixel by pixel, comparing one side of the frame to the other. Once it has analyzed the clip it applies a function that scales, rotates and moves the video based on the comparison. It zooms and trims the clip as much as it needs to apply the reverse movement of the camera shake and still not go outside the video frame. What's more interesting is this video stabilization is the same effect Apple uses in their professional visual effects program Shake.

Video Effects, Themes, Titles, and Transitions

Thank God or maybe Jobs, but video effects like speed, reverse play, and color adjustments are all back in iMovie '09. The clip inspector window now has options for all these effects. There might not be as many effects as there were in iMovie '06 but there are some new ones, like the cool Sci-Fi and Heat Wave color shifts.

Themes have also returned to iMovie. There are six different themes to choose from and each one puts a visual effect on the first and last clip in the project. The first will show an intro title like a scrap book with video playing on it and at the end it will insert a directed by title over your last clip. What's cool is it will also add theme-related transitions to the transitions selection. Same goes for the titles. You only get about four new transitions and titles, but it's nice to keep each element of the project in theme.

iMovie '08 only had 12 titles to choose from which was pretty pathetic, but now iMovie '09 has over 32. The titles aren't as customizable as they were in iMovie '06 but with new additions like Clouds and Organic Main it might make up for it. As for transitions, only a few new ones have been added but nothing spectacular.

Maps and Backgrounds

The maps visual affects are pretty cool but not something that can be used with every project. There's eight different moving maps to choose from—not just fake Indiana Jones maps but real ones that you can put your real locations on, as well as set your desired duration. When changing the destination points on a map, it conveniently pulls up a search window for city or airport, which makes finding a specific location very simple. After playing with these maps, I can say the best feature is the ability to add video effects. Since you can add the same effects to maps that you can to video clips, you can make Sci-Fi-looking worlds, like I did in the the video above.

It's very sad that a background selection was not available in iMovie '08. Something so simple like a background is really essential to giving users the freedom to create any type of project they want. With an assortment of solid colored and moving backgrounds, iMovie '09 now has the the option to a add a simple color frame to the project. I for one am glad backgrounds are finally back.

Edit to Music

This is another new feature in iMovie '09 that is intended to assist at editing to music or making a music video. What this option does is allow the user to drop beat markers on a music track and then using those beat markers iMovie '09 will adjust the video clip durations to match the markers. This option will take some getting used but it seems like a valiant effort on Apple's part to create something useful.

After playing around with the edit to music and green screen options I was able to create a fun little video. Before you start asking who the hell these kids are, all the sample video clips I used were provided by Apple so ask them.

Overall
Apple attempted to recreate iMovie for iLife '08, and in many people's views, this was a massive failure. With iMovie '09, the company is really trying to make up for it—or perhaps prove that it had to tear down the previous system to make a decent new system. Most of the points that experienced enthusiasts complained about, like lack of creative features, has been addressed. But are the additions of features like video stabilization and effects enough to make this iMovie '09 as useful as iMovie '06 was? At this point, I still think it's not. The new tools like precision editor and drag-and-drop are nice needed additions for the layout but a timeline is still better. Bottom line is this: If you didn't mind the new iMovie layout but wanted more creative tools, you got them. But if the lack of a timeline layout in iMovie '08 is what got your goat, you're probably not going to like iMovie '09 either. Sorry. [iMovie '09]

By "unwrapping" or flattening a 3D image, the program simplifies the editing process, making it possible to add artifacts and other special effects with greater ease. The project is only in the research phase at the moment, but the long term goal would undoubtedly be to slap a UI on there and deliver it to a mustache hungry public. Hit the link for a videos and documentation on the Unwrap Mosaic technology. [Unwrap Mosaics]

The updated iMovie proclaims its newness with a new star icon. It holds all of your video applications in one library, working very much like iPhoto. It now supports the newest HD camcorders that use the AVCHD codec, as well as HDV and DV cams. It offers easier scrubbing of clips, as well as as one-click sharing to YouTube. iMovie is included as part of the iLife '08 package, selling for $79 or included free with each new Mac.

Hey, that format's fo' reals, and is here to stay, right? Yep. Well, what else can Ulead VideoStudio 11 do?

Also along for the ride with this latest version is Windows Vista compatibility, an MPEG Optimizer that helps you get the most out of video compression, and Ulead's wizard-based interface that makes it easy to accomplish complex tasks. And the Plus version also lets you author HD DVDs if you have such a burner.

We've used previous versions of Ulead VideoStudio, and found the software to be a good value. It's a whole lot more stable than its Pinnacle Studio rival, which was also recently updated. VideoStudio is priced right at $70 for the standard version (no AVCHD editing capability) and $100 for the Plus version, and both ship sometime in May. – Charlie White

Product Page [Ulead]

Thanks, Loudbeatz!

Mary Poppins re-cut into Horror film [The Disney Blog, via boingboing]

The DV Keyboard 3.0 is compatible with Mac and Windows and a slew of video editing programs. Hit the jump to see the list of all of the programs, along with another picture of the jog wheel up close and personal.

• Apple Final Cut Studio/Final Cut Pro
• Apple Final Cut Express HD
• Avid Xpress
• Avid Media Composer
• Sony Vegas
• Sony Movie Studio
• Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe Premiere Elements
• Pinnacle Studio
• Pinnacle (Avid) Liquid
• Microsoft Movie Maker

The DV Keyboard 3.0 carries a hefty price tag of $130 and will be available this month. – Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via Everything USB]

The rest is pretty standard stuff, with all of them packing the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors. How jaded we have become. But wait. A highly unusual feature is the separate desktop and deskside units, giving you that close-at-hand convenience to plug in Blu-ray, USB and 1394 stuff, while keeping the physical plant down below, up to six feet under. Top price is around $4700.

Not much special about its video editing capabilities, although it does have dual tuners for TV watching and recording, along with a claimed "full HD 1080" capability. This is just a new way to market a PC, albeit one with a Blu-ray burner inside. As long as you have 1394 ports in a recent Mac or PC, though, you're going to be able to edit video, even high definition HDV. – Charlie White

Sony Vaio R Master series - DV editors dream come true [Newlaunches]

Intensity can also output HDMI video, so HD video editing can be monitored in real time on big-screen TVs, projectors or high-rez monitors. The card even lets pros playout HD video to broadcast. No word if the card will also be HDCP-compliant, letting us mere mortals watch copy-protected HD on an HDCP display. Even if it doesn't, this is hot stuff, especially since it costs just $249. Available October 15. – Charlie White

Press Release [Blackmagic Design, via CrunchGear]

Video editing accessories company Bella Corporation recently announced the Catapult, "the world's first device to allow capture of video footage from DV or HDV video cameras directly to iPods or virtually any USB drive, and begin editing immediately." As you can see from the photo, the Catapult is not too much bigger than an iPod (it's supposed to be around the size of a Blackberry). It's powered by rechargeable battery or an AC adapter, works with Macs and Windows, and takes FireWire connections from camcorders and digitizes the footage, storing it on your iPod or any other USB 2.0 drive, effectively turning them into DTE (direct-to-edit drives). It should be coming out in the second half of 2006 and priced under $300.

Catapult [Bella Corporation, via Digital Camcorder News]