by Mishra Planeswalker

Created on: November 21, 2009

Introduced in Apple's latest version of Mac OS X (Snow Leopard), Quicktime X is leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor. Rather than being a basic, entry level media player, with striking similarities to Windows Media Player, it is now a tool that even the most advanced users will be thrilled to have on their computer.

The first, and most noticeable innovation in the latest Quicktime variant is the addition of new multimedia creation technology. Simply put, you can know record video through the iSight camera of your Mac, audio through your microphone, and even screen recordings of what you're doing on the computer. No longer to you have to use iMovie, GarageBand and some expensive third-party software to do any of these things individually.

The movie recording functionality in Quicktime X is simply fantastic. With an almost instantaneous start time, and no lag whatsoever during the recording process, recording a video becomes much less stressful and time-consuming. It is possible for one to save the movie and optimize it for a computer, for the internet, or for a mobile device such as the iPhone. Obviously you can then import the movie into Final Cut, iMovie, or whatever video editor you prefer.

Audio recording in Quicktime X is simple, and that's what makes it s attractive. If one simply wishes to create a recorded sound file, but not edit it, Quicktime X provides a lightweight and simple environment in which to record audio. The start and quit times are negligible, and the interface is much simpler than what one would see in GarageBand.

The best attribute of this software is the built-in screen capture software. Usually used for demonstration videos, good screen capture software comes with a hefty price, and will slow down your computer so much that the effect of a video is all but lost. Quicktime X does not slow down your machine in the slightest, and gives off a video file that runs extremely smoothly with no choppiness. Frame flow is smooth and the overall effect is quite professional.

Apple has done it again by creating professional software and then bundling it for free into the basic operating system. Quicktime X is an extremely potent tool that brings a new level of functionality to media manipulation and creation on a Mac. Whether you're creating a presentation for a board meeting, voicing a podcast, or capturing some epic movie footage, Quicktime X has it all.

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