iMovie for iPad – Overview

iMovie for iPad was announced at Apple’s media event Wednesday. The new app—which draws substantially from its OS X and iPhone 4 counterparts—takes full advantage of many of the powerful new features of iPad 2.

Using the new device’s built in HD camera, users can shoot 720p video and seamlessly import it into the app for editing. In addition to videos, iMovie for iPad is also compatible with photos from the Camera and Photos apps. Once videos and photos have been imported to the app’s timeline, users can select from eight themes to give their movie a unique feel. Clips can be trimmed and transitions can be adjusted in the Precision Editor—which can be accessed with a pinch gesture. Here, users can adjust video clips to flow smoothly into one another.

iMovie also includes robust soundtrack support, allowing you to create the perfect score for your personal blockbuster. With support for multi-tracking and direct recording from iPad 2’s onboard mic, users are afforded plenty of options to make their film sound just as good as it looks. The app even includes over 50 sound effects to add to the experience.

The app includes an array of ways to share a completed movie. Users can publish directly to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, and CNN iReport from within the app. Video can also be exported back to the Camera Roll, where it can be emailed, uploaded to MobileMe, or even sent to a friend via MMS on iPhone 4. iMovie users can also take advantage of iOS 4.3’s AirPlay upgrades to stream movies directly to Apple TV. As iPad 2 features up to 1080p video mirroring, movies can also be played on any HDTV by means of the Apple Digital AV Adapter. If you own both an iPhone 4 and an iPad 2, videos can even be transferred between the two devices via iTunes so you can edit on the device of your choice.

iMovie for iPad is an iPad 2 exclusive app. It will be available in the App Store for $4.99 beginning Friday, March 11th.