![]() One of the best parts of using MyPublisher is the support behind the product. However, some fonts might not work well in the final product, in which case the software will switch your selection to Arial. All of the fonts on your computer are available for use when adding text. The software isn't feature-packed, but it has everything you'll likely need, including basic editing tools that can be used both before and after you've placed an image in the book layout. This last one is only an issue if you don't know where the photos are that you want to use. Lastly, while adding the photos you want to use is easy, it relies on you knowing where your photos are stored there is no organizer element to the software. Simply moving one above the project window would improve things.Īlso, there are option menus that pop open when you click on them, but once you select something, they don't automatically collapse again and instead stay open on top of your project. Having them on top of one another makes for a busy-looking and possibly confusing interface. ![]() For example, the main screen for assembling a book has two toolbars that sit below the project window: one with tools and editing options and one for moving you back and forth through the creation process. The interface looks nice and is reasonably clean, but it could use some tweaking. Compared with other services, the overall design and size options are fewer, but it makes for a streamlined process of building and buying a book instead of getting bogged down in too many selections. Books are the main attraction, but you can also create calendars, cards, and book jackets. Start it up and you're presented with your project options. MyPublisher 4 is a stable, standalone application that is only 11MB, making it fast to download, and it takes no effort to install. Most recently, though, I've been using MyPublisher. I've used Kodak Gallery, HP's Snapfish, and Apple's iPhoto to build and publish them with good results. The full-service process is much pricier than designing the book yourself, but it’s a good option for those with more money than time.Since I've amassed digital photos over the years, I've found it more pleasing to turn them into photo books instead of individual prints (plus, they make great gifts when you're running low on time). You’re charged for the design only if you order the book, and SmileBooks will make revisions according to your requests. We used its design service both to edit and to compile our books-a designer at the company followed our instructions, choosing our best images and designing the book for us. If this all seems like too much work, consider SmileBooks. Mpix’s autofill, however, seemed to respect neither. Kodak’s SmartFit did a good job with autofill because it seemed to respect both the order of our images and their aspect ratios. Both Picaboo and Shutterfly allow you to drag and drop to group pictures together, then automatically create layouts to suit your image combinations. Many of the services will automatically populate your pages, with varying degrees of success. Snapfish made it hard to edit individual photos, requiring you to click through a succession of screens to do so. With Mpix, you couldn’t add or get rid of borders for the whole book at once you had drag and drop the borders one by one onto your images. Software aimed at novices can be more frustrating. Of the online software, Adorama’s was one of the most sophisticated, allowing you to readily resize picture boxes, add drop shadows and text boxes, and even undo your last command-a function that’s missing on many online programs. Because we believe that a clean design shows off photographs best, we attempted in all cases to make that kind of book-and were frustrated if we had trouble avoiding graphic-themed backgrounds and cutesy frames and corners. Some had easy software, some had great print quality, others had nice layouts. ![]() We sent our staff’s own pictures to 10 of the biggest photo book services, ordering a range of sizes, paper stock, and cover types. ![]() There’s plenty of competition for your book business, whether the services are attached to online photo labs, such as Kodak Gallery, or offered by companies such as Blurb that are dedicated to books, or built into your photo software (e.g., Apple’s Aperture). Please note that we orderred our books in the summer of 2010-companies may have revised their products, creation software, and prices since then._ We tried out 10 of the biggest photo book services to give you a taste of what they can do, and gathered our most useful tips and tricks, all to help you create the most impressive volume possible. _Custom-printed photo books really show off your pictures, and they’re easier than ever to design and make. ![]()
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