Magix Slideshow Maker

CNET Editors' review

Magix Slideshow Maker provides users with a fantastic tool for quickly creating a slideshow of photos and music. With a simple layout and excellent results, this is a great choice for computer users of all skill level.

The program's interface is delightfully simple thanks to the step-by-step instructions. By breaking the process down into easy steps and shepherding users through their photos and music, novice users and experts alike will get the job done quickly. If any questions arise, there is also a great Help file available. 

Creating a slideshow begins with choosing photos and videos in the first step. Users pull shots from their folders and can click and drag them into their preferred order. Next, users choose what style they want their slideshow to have by selecting one of the many options in the pull-down menu ranging from simple camera movement to themes like birthday and vacation. Next users pull a song from their collection of music to choose as their background. 

The program smartly provides a preview button and compares the song clip's length to the actual length of the slideshow. Finally, users preview the finished product before saving it. The program's best special feature is its ability to transfer the video directly to YouTube with the click of a button. Users simply click the icon after the movie is saved and they are taken to the site.

With a simple layout and quick results, this freeware program is great for slideshow makers of all skill levels.

Publisher's Description

MAGIX Slideshow Maker 2. Create slide shows for YouTube, Flickr & Facebook - for free. Boring slide shows are finally a thing of the past: turn your photos and video clips into multimedia slide shows complete with effects and music and present them on YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, or in your personal MAGIX Online Album - it's quick, easy, and free. Easily import your photos and video clips with this free photo software, automatically apply style templates and add your own or the included music. Then upload your finished slide show as a video to YouTube, Flickr, or Facebook, present it in your personal MAGIX Online Album, or embed it into Web sites and blogs as a player. Easy multimedia slide show creation - without any prior knowledge and in just 3 minutes.

Quick & easy multimedia slide show creation: Import photos and video clips. Add styles, effects, and music. Publish your slide shows as videos on the Web. Become an online star. Easily create a fun slide show with snapshots from your last party and upload it to Facebook to share the night's best moments with your friends. Or share your pictures on Flickr in a very special way: presenting your photos as an animated slide show complete with effects and music is like presenting them on the red carpet. Design your own music video clips. Add a great song as background music to your pictures and become a star on YouTube.

What's new in this version: Optimized user interface; 8 style templates with zooms, collages, and effects; 3 new songs; automatic pans for panoramas and photos in portrait format. Frequency of effects and fades can be adjusted. Save user-defined style templates. Supports Microsoft Windows 7.

Source / Read more: Magix Slideshow Maker - CNET Download.com