GarageBand 3, the latest version of Apple’s simple yet sophisticated music workstation for the masses,, is out now. It’s still looks to be an excellent product, though the new features in version 3 won’t set the laptop studio world on fire. The focus is on podcasting, and there are many features to make sure the web will be completely overrun by podcasts from enthusiastic Mac users before the year is out.

There are lots of features to optimise voice-based podcasts, such as a voice enhancer and quite a neat feature that allows you to record interviews over the Internet and include them, annotated with captions and pictures, into your podcast. You can also add images to any podcast. If you subscribe to Apple’s iWeb service, you can upload your podcast to the iTunes Music Store and make your fortune as the next big shock jock, agony aunt wry social commentator.

Apart from all the Podcasting goodness, GarageBand 3 includes a video track; you can now use GarageBand to score your own film or even music video. The fun part is the new sound effects library: “You can even use GarageBand to add cinematic “foley” sound effects such as footsteps and creaking doors.” That opens the (creaky) door to much creative fun, but as far as actually making music goes, GarageBand 3 doesn’t add much to the previous version.

Buy GarageBand at SameDayMusic.com