AlbumPlus
AlbumPlus is a comprehensive package for creating digital photo albums, with features that allow you to organize, browse, search and locate your images and multimedia files. When you have found the right images you can go on to create screensavers, personalised calendars, greetings cards, multimedia slide shows -- and albums.
You can create an unlimited number of tag categories that you can then use to tag your images with keywords. There are also plenty of alternative search options, including "my projects," star rating, import history, and text searching. It allows you to edit Exif, XMP and IPTC metadata: a feature that many people missed in earlier versions.
Photo enhancement options include rotate, crop, sharpen, red-eye removal, and adjustment of lightness, darkness, brightness, contrast and color. If you need more advanced tools you can link directly to the vendor's PhotoPlus software.
Comment
AlbumPlus is still listed on the vendor's web site -- if you search for it. It's hidden because AlbumPlus X2 is no longer officially sold by Serif, whereas the newer version AlbumPlus X3 is not sold seperately but is available only when bundled with PanoramaPlus in Digital Photo Suite.
Reviewers gave AlbumPlus full marks for ease-of-use when it was launched but have been critical of its price after comparing it with free offerings from Google (Picasa) and Kodak (Easyshare). Nonetheless, AlbumPlus does have a unique personality of its own. It has been put together very professionally with a full set of output options that includes the ability to send images to mobile phones. Its search facilities are especially strong and it is well supported with guides, updates and free user forums.
Tech info
- OS: Windows 2000 onward
- Price level: Approx. $50 (bundled with PanoramaPlus in Digital Photo Suite)
Serif
Serif - Software with Imagination
Founded in 1987 with the aim to develop better value alternatives to high-end design and publishing packages, Serif Software now has over 6 million customers worldwide. It is headquartered in Nottingham, UK, and has a North American sales operation in New Hampshire, US.
From the same vendor:
- Digital Scrapbook Artist
- DrawPlus
- MoviePlus
- PagePlus
- PhotoPlus
- Serif PanoramaPlus
- WebPlus
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