New Nero Does Photos

Ahead Software, maker of the well-regarded Nero Ultra CD and DVD burning software, is trying its hand at digital photo management. The $50 Nero PhotoShow Elite presents photo organization tools and some interesting options for sharing your favorite pictures, though some users may find the application’s simple approach a bit too limiting.

The program’s interface is clean and easy to navigate. With a couple of clicks, you can capture images from your camera or card reader, assign keywords and ratings to photos, and add photos to albums.

Most of PhotoShow Elite‘s extras appear in its image editing and sharing options. The editing tools include color and red-eye correction, as well as an impressive passel of filters that distinguish it from other entry-level packages.

The package is preloaded with tunes, jazzy frames, and animated clip art to make slide-show creation a snap. When you’re done, you can save the show as an executable file or burn it onto a CD.

Though PhotoShow Elite’s editing features work well, the program keeps things a little too simple when it comes to photo management, particularly for users who have large image libraries. For instance, it lacks the ability to display albums or photo folders in a file tree–a feature that can be very helpful if you’re dealing with thousands of images.

PhotoShow Elite will appeal to novice users who want a quick way to print and share pictures. If you’re a more advanced user looking for a powerful image manager, consider Jasc’s comparably priced Paint Shop Photo Album 5 Deluxe instead.