Apple is now offering a 30-day trial of iWork which you can download. The trial provides full iWork functionality for 30 days, after which you’re restricted to only opening documents until you purchase. If you download the iWork trial, then you can actually order just the serial number online from Apple instead of having them mail the boxed version to you, if you’d like. Both the serial number and the boxed version are $79, however if you qualify for one of Apple’s educational discounts (my parents are teachers, so I do), then you can get a serial number for $49, whereas the boxed version is $71. Therefore, if you’re an educator, you can save some serious money by downloading the iWork trial yourself and unlocking it with the serial number that Apple e-mails you. All that you sacrifice is a physical CD and physical documentation, but the docs are still available to you electronically. Just don’t lose the serial number and you’re all set, or you can easily burn the disk image download direct to CD!
UPDATE: Apparently the $49 was a misprint. The online Apple Store now lists that for educators, both the instant serial number and the boxed version are $71. Oh well, easy come easy go.
