Stunningly unimpressive software: clunky, non-intuitive, hopeless 'help' section and requiring of the user far more effort than the results justify.

I don't normally begin any GAOTD comment of mine with the verdict first but the 'reviews' so far posted here -- including Justin's from dot.tech -- make me wonder if we're talking about the same program.

To begin, then: downloaded and activated OK but the 'read me' text really should make it clear that though you should run setup first, activate afterwards, you should NOT activate if the program is open. Yes, you'll get a GAOTD activate confirm message but that means nothing: if this program is open then it's in 15-day trial mode only. Close it then and activate it again.

Creating your own calendars is one of the most popular features of photo collage software and explains why all such programs include calendar templates. So I figured, I'd quickly (!) make my own calendar with today's offer.

For a start, all templates are for 2012 calendars. They range from the ugly to the reasonably attractive. One might have expected today's developer to be aware of the fact that there's only a week left of 2012, but apparently not: go to the website in search of 2013 templates and you're out of luck.

Reconfiguration of the template ought in theory to be easy because this collage maker operates on the standard principle of adding 'layers' to a project; in a calendar, there can be separate layers for text, photographs, numbers, whatever.

Going to the program's help section is, however, pointless. There's little in the way of detailed guidance. Going to the developer's own website and the tutorials there also seems a bit pointless seeing as they relate to the PRO version, not the Standard version on offer here today.

The website's advice to doube-click on a calendar icon (I never found any such icon, but then, the toolbar icons aren't dependably context sensitive) is meaningless as it's necessary to go to Collage / Add Calendar to open the Calendar Settings panel where the year / month / week can be changed along with font, font style and font color.

There's no indication at all though of how those adjustments will play in. I finished up time after time with ugly slabs of 2013 data layered atop the existing template. Removing the template's layers resulted in, uh, ugly slabs of 2013 data that in most cases didn't even fit the template.

I suppose if I had all day or maybe even all week to figure out what the developer wants me to do here, the outcome might be more satisfactory -- but I hold little hope, seeing as this program has so far managed to lock up half a dozen times in its first hour of usage.

By contrast, I could -- in the time it's taken to try to fathom out just what today's software is supposed to do and if, indeed, it can even do it -- I could've created a dozen or more 2013 photo calendars for different friends and sent 'em off via email, courtesy of:

http://www.petrosit.de/apps/26-pically-the-picture-calendar-creator

Pically is free. Pically works. Pically doesn't require its user to have to waste time and effort on what should actually be the simplest of creative projects.

Quite how my road-testing of today's Giveaway squares with the glowing eulogies -- yet curiously omitted details -- of actual 'reviews' in this comment thread, I've no idea.

Thanks, GAOTD, but no thanks: uninstalled.

MikeR  –  11 years ago  –  ¿Te ha parecido útil este comentario? si | no (+67)

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Pretty decent collage maker with several advanced features such as the ability to add cliparts, text, calendars, shapes, masks and backgrounds to the framed pictures.

Supports almost any kind of image format (BMP, JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, TGA, TIF and TIFF).

Overall it's a good but not great app for 30 bucks, but if you are eager to create scrapbooks, collages, calendars and greeting cards just grab it and enjoy!!

BEST FREEWARE ALTERNATIVES (Giovanni's Christmas Edition...LOL!!)

http://www.serif.com/digital-scrapbooking (==> My Personal First Choice)
http://www.scrapbookflairsoftware.com
http://www.effectmatrix.com/Free-Photo-Collage/index.htm
http://www.photospills.com/details.htm
http://smilebox.com

Or for a more comphensive Photo management solution:

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Graphic/Digital-Photo-Tools/Windows-Live-Photo-Gallery.shtml
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/tools-for-windows-live-photo-gallery-to-enhance-user-experience

http://picasa.google.com


Top (scam) FREE Online Photo collage maker:

http://foxhugh.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/best-free-online-photo-collage-maker/

My 2 cents for today's giveaway....

Giovanni  –  11 years ago  –  ¿Te ha parecido útil este comentario? si | no (+66)

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Pros
*Offers 130+ templates
*Allows you to create collages, scrapbooks, calenders, greeting cards, invitations, posters and more
*Allows you to easily share your creations via email
*Extremely easy to use; very intuitive for new users plus offers a Wizard to walk you though the steps of using the program

Cons
*Some of the templates aren't very aesthetically pleasing -- ugly, one could even say

Final Verdict
Click here for final verdict and full review

Ashraf from dotTech  –  11 years ago  –  ¿Te ha parecido útil este comentario? si | no (+64)

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Make sure you check over on the game giveawayoftheday site. there's extra games for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. todays game is 8-Ball Pool. :)

Whiterabbit-uk  –  11 years ago  –  ¿Te ha parecido útil este comentario? si | no (+32)

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This is one of thoses tools where it's not realy what in it but what you can add to it type of programs that makes it worthwhile to have.. for examples the masking options any greyscale image will interact as a mask (Black and white even better) as for vectors and cliparts well the internet is full of them and guess what Icons that are 256x256 are just the decent size for this little tool.. Yes like Ashraf mentioned the templates need work but guess what they are editable.. so make the final work your perfect design or let the little ones be creative while your preparing festivities... heck save on the macaronni and glue just download some clipart from google xD

Well have fun folks I'm off to get drunk and to forget 2012... so be safe and happy holidays..

Shawn  –  11 years ago  –  ¿Te ha parecido útil este comentario? si | no (+31)

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