System Requirements: A multimedia PC or compatible with 386SX or higher processor; 4MB RAM; hard drive with 2.6 MB available disk space; CD-ROM drive; mouse; VGA or 256-color SVGA color display; MS-DOS version 3.3 or later; Microsoft Windows operating system version 3.1 or later
If you're a graphic designer and own an IBM compatible computer, then this CD-ROM software is a must for you. It's an inexpensive database of 2500, royalty-free, color photographs supplied on two CD-ROM discs. They offer 88 categories of photographs easily accessible for use in newsletters, presentations, advertisements, brochures, invitations, catalogs or any other graphic design need. Also, they may be used as images for screen savers like AfterDark.
Installation in Windows takes a minute, and running the program displays the PowerAlbum. This utility allows viewing and organizing the image files. Images may be classified, and descriptions added, then later used for a search retrieval. Though a detailed, 54-page manual is included with the CDs, you won't have to read it to use the software.
The images are displayed in an on-screen album as miniature pictures called thumbnails, and enlarged by clicking an image with the mouse and then pressing CTRL-D. They may also be displayed from the Picture menu and transferred to your hard drive for use in your favorite publishing program. The images are stored in two of the popular graphic formats: TIFF and BMP. They may also be loaded into programs like Aldus PhotoStyler or Adobe Photoshop for manipulation.
The software license agreement somewhat limits the use of the images. You can't use them to create and sell a product such as a poster, book of images or greeting cards. But they can be used for advertising, business communications or multimedia presentations. The price of the product will easily be recovered with the use of only one image for a business application. Typical fees paid to stock photo houses can run from $50 to $1000 for one time use of an image. That's why 2500 photographs for $80 is a real bargain (three cents a picture). Of course, you are free to charge your client for every picture used, and because the photos are so inexpensive, you can charge less then your competitor and greatly profit. It's not unreasonable to charge $100 for one-time use of a photograph.
Although the number of images is impressive, their resolution is questionable. When sampling several files using PhotoStyler, I found the TIFF images limited to 72 pixels per inch (DPI) and the BMP images at 96 pixels per inch. This resolution is low, and limits the image use to only small-size picture reproduction. Any enlargement would blur the image. This limitation won't pose a problem if the image were to be manipulated, such as posterized, where the resolution isn't important.
Another limitation is the way the image is displayed. Viewing is only allowed in two ways: thumbnails, or enlarged, 2 to 1, beyond the size of the screen. Most applications allow for changing the image size. But the PowerAlbum doesn't have that option. This isn't too limiting because once loaded into your publishing program, the image can be resized to fit into your document. Even though limitations exist, this is a great product, and I recommend it.
Reviewed by Howard Berenbon for NautilusCD September, 1994.
