PhotoBuilder Platinum Version for Windows

BraveTech's PhotoBuilder Platinum v7.4 is a fairly basic image-editing application that's a bit awkward compared to the many other graphics packages out there. Its colorful but primitive interface is definitely a step back in design, compared to the latest tools. It offers the usual image editing functions, tools, filters, and effects like the ability to smoothly merge images together, but not much more.

The program opens with a nag screen that tracks the trial period. Like most of PhotoBuilder's documentation, it's written in awkward English that suggests a translation. The interface itself is colorful but garish and somewhat primitive, with text-labeled buttons on the right-hand side activating an unintuitive mishmash of basic controls, everything from Frame, which offers a selection of rather elaborate frames in Asian-style "Art," "Cartoon," and "Festival" (i.e., holiday) themes, to Cookies, which are actually colorful ready-made objects that can be added to images. The program does offer a fully indexed, searchable, and well-illustrated Windows-style Help file, albeit with the same limited English found throughout. For instance, the pen control's dialog asked if we wanted to draw in the current image or open a new image, yes or no! The pen tools worked well, though.

PhotoBuilder Platinum is free to try for 30 days. It installs desktop icons without asking and leaves program files behind when it's uninstalled. There are lots of good image-editing tools out there, some of them free, which gives PhotoBuilder some stiff competition. It does its job well enough, though, and it's worth a try.