Google Offers Free Photo Management Software

January 18, 2005 – If your computer is cluttered with thousands of disorganized photographs, Google came out with a new way to organize them. The search engine company is offering free photo management software called Picasa 2, Google announced today. The program allows users to organize, edit, share, and back up their image files.

Picasa 2 searches the computer’s hard drive and finds every photograph. It then chronologically organizes the image files. Once this initial process is complete, the user can create folders and drag photos into them. The software allows the user to attach stars to favorite photos and passwords to personal photos or entire folders.

The software also has a built-in editing station, which is a very simplified version of Photoshop. It has 12 filter effects and basic quick fixes for red-eye, contrast, and color. Picasa can also add fill light, straighten horizons, and crop images. The program also works with e-mail providers to automatically size photographs so they are suitable to send and open. Other features of Picasa 2 include burning CDs and creating slide shows. The free software is available at picasa.com.