slideshows

There's no shortage of software designed to handle digital images, and for a photo editor or viewer to stand out from the crowd, it needs to have some pretty special features. Panorado is, for the most part, a pretty run-of-the-mill application, but its ability to handle 360-degree panoramic images gives it an edge over similar programs.

Panorado's interface is simple and easy to navigate. A pane on the left side of the screen allows users to navigate between folders on their computers; the program's major features are displayed across the top using graphical buttons with tool tips. … Read more

A few years ago you would have needed some good software and a beefy computer to do sharable, animated photo slideshows as good as what travel site TripAdvisor is now offering. Called TripWow, this new photo tool is completely free and requires no registration whatsoever. Better yet--the results look beautiful.

The tool appears to be aimed at folks who either do not have access to photo editing and sharing software, or a subscription to a photo-hosting service. That said, Picasa, Flickr, and Facebook users can import their shots with very little effort. There's also an option to upload from … Read more

SonicPics is a handy app for creating video slideshows with audio narration using your camera or photos already on your device.

Designed around a simple idea with a wide range of uses (from travelogues to presentations to real-estate walk-throughs), SonicPics has a reassuringly clean and smooth interface. You use a two-button toolbar to work with either Projects or Recordings, which are saved M4V files of finished projects. With Projects, you just type in a title and description, add in photos, using your camera or existing photos, and then set the audio recording quality--which will affect the final size of your … Read more

MAGIX Entertainment specializes in multimedia software that focuses on making a particular job easier rather than the big-app, all-in-one approach. Their Xtreme PhotoStory on CD & DVD 8 is case in point: Its wizard-based templates make it a cinch to turn your photos, images, and even videos into personalized, enhanced slideshows and video presentations. It also helps you post your saved slideshows online or watch them on your PC or even your TV, with the proper connections.

The program's interface has the MAGIX family look, cleanly designed with an intuitive layout and clearly labeled controls. There's a media-player-like … Read more

The iPad is many things to many people, but the area where it stands to make the most change is in mobile gaming.

Until now, gamers have been left with two very different options for mobile gaming. One is user portables like the Sony PlayStation Portable and the Nintendo DS. The other is to lug around a beefy laptop for games, which can work just fine but be a burden on your body and nomadic lifestyle.

The same way the iPhone shook things up for the world of mobile phones, the iPad could end up doing the same for portable … Read more

Video host Dailymotion has quietly added a new feature for users who want to blend their digital photographs into slick-looking video slideshows.

The company has partnered with Stupeflix, a standalone media mash-up tool, to let users upload up to 30 photos, as well as an audio track that is turned into a video. This is distinctly different from companies like Animoto, that curate and maintain a collection of ready-to-go music tracks that can be used as the background music.

As for creating these slideshows, there's very little control over order and duration of the slides. Some might find this … Read more

If you have Aperture 3 installed, check Software Update. Apple has released a small update for the program, which addresses problems where HD video clips played during slideshows were becoming unsynchronized with the accompanying audio track after performing trimming functions on the clip.… Read more

We covered Samsung's 3D TV highlights and pricing bundles in a post earlier today, but put many of the company's other TV-related announcements on the back burner until we could get more information. Now we're back with the details, and it turns out there's more to the story than just 3D.

We threw most of the nitty-gritty into the below slideshow, which contains pricing, availability, and key feature information on 10 TV series, plus a couple of 3D glasses and a touch-screen remote. We'll expand our coverage with reviews and other details as soon as … Read more

Over the years, I've seen lots of VHS-to-DVD transfer kits that involve your PC, a USB video-capture gizmo, and hard-to-use software. Almost without exception, they're a pain in the butt.

If you have old tapes you want to convert to DVD without all the pain, check out the Sony DVDirect DVD Recorder MC6, which B&H has refurbished for $119 (plus about $9 for shipping). It sells new for $199.99.

Update: Sorry, peeps--already sold out. Closest equivalent I've found is a new unit at Vann's for $169.97 shipped. That's still a pretty … Read more