Roxio Photosuite 7 Platinum

Roxio is well known for producing easy-to-use software for the beginner. Photosuite is no different and provides a basic range of photo-editing features for newcomers to digital photography.

While the program has a useful range of features, the interface isn't as tidy as it could be. When you first launch Photosuite it simply presents you with a list of tasks, such as importing and editing files, or creating a slideshow. Each item in the list has to be loaded as a separate module, with its own layout and its own set of tools. Newcomers to editing work may find this approach a bit disconcerting and a more uniform interface design would be easier to get to grips with.

However, the individual sets of tools do work quite well. The main editing screen has a simple series of buttons running down the left-hand side, which allow you to perform specific tasks, such as adding text, special effects, or repairing damaged photos. Clicking any of these buttons leads to a sub-menu containing additional tools and options. Most tools have an auto option that will attempt to fix your photos for you, which is ideal for the beginner. If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, though, you can experiment with the tool settings yourself.

At £60, Photosuite seems to be reasonably priced, but it's very much an entry-level application. With more powerful applications, such as Photoshop Elements and Microsoft Digital Image Suite, available for less, it's hard to see where this appeals.

Contact: Roxio 01908 278 100
www.roxio.co.uk

System requirements:

• 1.2GHz processor
• Windows 2000 or XP
• 256MB of Ram
• 1GB of hard disk space