CNET Editors' review
Picasa Web Albums is Google's Web photo-hosting service. Users get 1GB of free hosting, and images can be uploaded and manipulated using Picasa, Google's free desktop photo management application. Users who want additional storage can shell out up to $500 a year to bump up the hosted space to 400 times the size of the free hosting service.
Much like everything else Google, Picasa is exceptionally straightforward to use, with a tabbed interface offering three options--My Photos, Favorites, and Explore--the last of which lets you browse the public photo library. Next to the tabs, you'll find a prominent Upload button for adding photos to your albums, which you can set to various levels of privacy. Within your albums, you have the option to view a slideshow, share via e-mail, make a collage or movie, order prints, and edit various aspects.
We really like the integration between the desktop and Web application. Similar to .Mac and iPhoto, Picasa makes it really simple to take photos from your desktop and publish them online for others to see. We're also fans of the built-in geotagging that lets you set where photos were taken either by single photo, or by entire albums. It's a great way to browse photos if you feel like exploring.
Watch the CNET video review of Picasa:
Publisher's Description
From Google:
Transfer, find, organize, edit, print, and share images, all with this easy-to-use product. Watch Picasa automatically organize all your pictures into elegant albums by date. Having all your photos in one place means no more time wasted searching for folders or files. The program works with JPEG, GIF, BMP, PSD, and movie files and is compatible with most digital cameras; it detects your USB driver and imports pictures into albums. Editing tools include cropping (standard or custom), removal of red-eye, and enhancing--even switching from color to black and white. Create slide shows set to your MP3s. Integration with Picasa's free Hello instant picture-sharing software lets you share hundreds of photos in seconds and chat in real time. E-mail photos with Picasa's built-in client to take the guesswork out of compressing images, and order photo-lab quality prints or print at home with no mistakes. You can also make instant backups to CD (or to other hard drives) of your photo collections, to organize your photos using labels and stars (just like with Gmail), to write captions for all pictures, and to organize videos as well as pictures.
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All versions:
4.2 starsout of 1,517 votes
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Current version:
3.9 starsout of 26 votes
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My rating:
Write review
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"Picasa 3.9 is da bomb"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Has been my favourite quick editor for a long time
Intuitive slider controls, and produces good results
Doesn't overwrite your original photos; you can undo changes
Histogram shows RGB channels
3.9 adds cool photo effects - you can now "Hipstamatic" any photoCons
It wants you to use its own photo viewer which I don't find useful
3.8 had buggy montage creation; haven't checked out 3.9's
Output folders too deeply nestedSummary
I've used Picasa for some years now. I use it for quick edits when I've got many photos that need minor adjustment: colour, contrast, straightening, cropping... These are all done quickly and simply. I only reach for Photoshop if photos need serious work.
The latest 3.9 is a major improvement for me, largely because of the addition of nice effects, with the usual slider controls for fine-tuning. There's also a side-by-side compare view. Really nice work, dev team! -
"Good for a free program"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Picasa has about all the function I need and it is very stable. I am able to do the editing (most of the time) needed and the edited version shows up like anticipated on prints.
Cons
I have used Picasa for several years and it does a great job. The newest version has changed and I am not so crazy about it. Sometimes they need to remember "if it ain't broke don't fix it". I do, though, like the new feature of being able to upload photos easier. Some of the editing options in the latest version are not quite as easy as in older versions. The scan for photos everytime I open Picasa is a bit irritating. Everytime I opened the program and it scanned for photos; I would wind up with duplicate folders (labeled filename(1) etc. It was taking forever to go through the photos because it was necessary to scroll forever to get past all the duplicate folders.
Summary
In view of its functionality and price it is an excellent choice.
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"Love this software..so easy to find and org photos"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Prepare photos for internet, frame,copyright notice and resize all in a few seconds..
Cons
I don't use it for backups..the file sizes are a lot smaller than my picture file.. it could be my problem. you will need photoshop elements or faststone to bring back some overexposed highlights.
Summary
I love this program for editing and organizing my photographs
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"This program is outstanding for what it cost you!"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Good basic photo editing - key word basic
Cons
None for what it cost. If you need more, buy it!
Summary
Great program for 90 plus % of the population. Thanks Google!
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"liked previos versions better."
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
easy to fix picture quality
Cons
does not import new pictures automatically as previos versions. dissapointing..
Summary
Liked previous versions better.
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"Simple and Intuitive to use, excellent for beginners"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
-Easy to install and use
-Lots of tweak features that are no brainers to use
-easy to undo changes if not as required
-excellent photo viewer and slide show
-new version has loads more enhancement filters and kooky looks
-very easy to adjust the brightness and look of a dull photo
-makes a photo album of all your photos on the hard drive, no need to search for them
-allows renaming and sorting of photos, ie 'DSC91734.jpg' becomes 'mums party.jpg'; just press F2 to rename!
-it will auto import photos from a camera with one click of the import button - no faffing about!
-will upload a photo to the picasa FREE web album and allow others to see it and its FREE (did I mention that enough?)
-ideal for beginners - it does all the hard work itself
- god for enthusiasts - I use Photoshop and other high end software; but find Picassa really fine for ordinary work and much faster!
It's FREE, no nags, no shareware, no 'pay to use the important features rubbish' its FREE and fully functional.Cons
Can't think of a single one
Summary
Try it, it costs nothing and I install it for all new users to retrieve and do simple work on their photos, even technophiles have used it without constant guidance and its totally FREE
You can re-size, try it
Updated on Mar 4, 2012
Failing that Fastone Image Editor and the Photo resize is free also, it makes a better slide-show viewer and bulk file re-namer easier too. -
"More than Happy with Picasa 3.90"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Easy to use
Cons
Can't find any
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"Wonderful product"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Easy to use....
Cons
None that I can think of
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"Product does what it's supposed to do."
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
Product does what it's supposed to do.
Cons
no cons to speak of yet.
Summary
Product does what it's supposed to do.
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"happy with it"
Version: Picasa 3.9.0 Build 135.83
Pros
easy to use
Cons
none that i can see
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