slideshow

Flash Banner Slideshow Maker provides a limited palate of tools for creating an online banner ad or similar display. We were disappointed with its layout and lack of professional look, and also in the quality of the final product.

The program's interface is cluttered but easy enough to navigate. We had to take our time because the program's brief three-step tutorial isn't much help in getting you started. However, we were able to build a banner with little trouble. Unfortunately, the results were disappointing. While we were able to save and publish the banner easily, the banner … Read more

Ashampoo Slideshow Studio HD is an intuitive program that allows users to create attractive, multimedia slideshows. Although nothing about it is particularly amazing, it's a good choice for users who want to create nice-looking slideshows without going to too much trouble.

The program's interface is intuitive, with several different easy-to-use sections. In one section users select the images they want to include in the slideshow, in another they can select a theme--birthday, breaking news, etc.--that will frame each image, in a third they can edit captions and other text, and in the fourth, a preview of the … Read more

Aleo Flash Slideshow Gallery Maker provides easy tools for making slideshows.

The program's interface is a breeze to manage, due in part to a Wizard that walks you through every step of the process. We never needed to consult the Help file, because the onscreen directions are so strong. You can coordinate the speed and effects of your slideshow by clicking a handful of options on the first screen. From there, you choose either photos, videos, or both to include in the show, and arrange them to your liking. You can save your slideshow as a simple Flash file … Read more

Apple's latest Manhattan store doesn't officially open until this Saturday, but it had the press in today for a sneak peek. Of course, because the store's made mostly of glass, the general public can get a pretty good idea of what everything looks like inside--except for what's below ground.

Click on any of the images to launch the slideshow.

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NewView Graphics' File Viewer is a basic image viewer and photo editor that allows users to make simple changes to their images. Although the program works fine, there are definitely more sophisticated options for doing this sort of work.

The program's interface is dated and plain, and it's not immediately clear how to get started. The fact that we couldn't actually open a file using the File menu threw us a little bit. It turns out that users must navigate to their desired location from the Directory pane within the program; a separate pane displays the contents … Read more

Lake Wave Screensaver is a mediocre program with minimal features and settings that don't work. To put it simply, we were not impressed.

The entire screensaver consists of three images, one of which was pixelated. The trick of this screensaver is that any image can be used with it; all it does is apply a wave effect to the bottom two thirds of the screen. If users look closely at the images that are included they'll see how sloppily this is executed; the bottoms of rocks and mountains are subjected to the wave effect as well as the … Read more

Ace Pro Screensaver Creator allows users to create screensavers using their photos. However, the program hits a home run by providing all the tools to protect and sell that screensaver.

We were surprised and very satisfied with this program's interface. A helpful wizard allowed us to input all the necessary pictures and data through a menu screen without needing to visit the Help file. The wizard allowed us to collect the perfect number of pictures, choose the transition times, and customize the effects for those transitions. These tools worked great for us, but were nothing out of the ordinary … Read more

PicturePlayer is a basic program that allows users to create slideshows of their digital photos. The program is easy to use and allows some customizations without becoming overwhelming.

The program's interface is fairly intuitive, although some things could be a little clearer. When the program asks users if they want to create a new show in the current folder or in a new folder, is it asking where to save the show or where to find the images to use in the show? It turns out that it's the latter. Some other menus contain similarly unclear options. Although … Read more

MySlideShow Gold is an easy-to-use program that allows users to create basic photo slideshows. We were pleased with the program's intuitive layout and useful--if not mind-blowing--features.

The program's interface is comprised of a series of panes and it took us a moment to get a grasp on how it was organized, but it soon became clear. One box shows a tree-style display of the contents of the user's computer, which makes it easy for users to navigate to the photos they want to use. Once they select the appropriate folder, its contents are displayed in another pane, … Read more