Spice up your photos with VMix slide shows

By: Rafe Needleman
Topics: Web 2.0

I believe the world has a sufficient supply of photo- and video-sharing services, but that isn't stopping companies from trying to nab a slice of the market. Case in point: VMix, a video-sharing site that offers the usual video upload and viewing features (as well as a camera phone upload feature--YouTube was not the first). Its special power: an easy way to turn a bunch of photos into a slide show, with a music track, and slow zooms and crossovers like a Ken Burns documentary. You can do this with iPhoto on a Mac, too, but VMix works on a PC (or a Mac), and it works over the Web--no software is required.

It's a clever tool for adding life to photos. See my take at a slide show. You're in control of the pacing and the captions, and the capability to add music makes a big difference in emotional impact. At the moment, unfortunately, there are only a very few music tracks to choose from, but CEO Greg Kostello told me that there will soon be thousands of rights-cleared indie tracks available.

The slide show creator tool works well for the most part but could stand more development. For example, uploading photos is tedious: you can't drag photos from your desktop into the creator tool, and the file selection window is tiny, so it's hard to find the photos you want. There are limited transition effects; the zoom effect only zooms in, not out, for instance. And in my testing, slide shows took forever to buffer before they started to play, although videos from VMix play almost immediately.

There's also a limit on slide show length: 180 seconds. But this is a huge bonus, if you ask me. Watching a slide show of a dozen or so photos set to music beats paging through an entire vacation's worth of undifferentiated pictures any day.

Rafe reviews mobile apps and products for fun, and picks startups apart when he gets bored. He has evaluated thousands of new companies, most of which have since gone out of business. Feeling lucky? Send pitches to rafe@cnet.com. And watch Rafe's tech issues podcast, Reporters' Roundtable, every Friday.
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by steeepe January 10, 2010 3:13 PM EST

Because the GOP has turned this into a political issue instead of a scientific one, China will surpass us in the race for "green" technologies, which clearly is the future and where we could lead if the GOP wasn't so anti-science. When it comes to a clash between facts/science and their wallets, the GOP will always push their own selfish economic agenda, despite the stubborn failure to see the long-term consequences. Oh, and get rid of inheritance taxes so their progeny will continue their dynasties with unearned, untaxed income.

Reply to this comment


by robham777 January 10, 2010 3:24 PM EST: I have no doubt that China will capitalize on this political football. They will produce our green commodities without the same restrictions and offset any reduction in carbon footprint from the U.S. by increasing theirs.


by robham777 January 10, 2010 2:54 PM EST: "Some of the people who voted for this bill are darn sorry they did," Pomeroy said. "They might look very eagerly for a chance to get well on this issue."

Any regulation involving energy is going to be very costly to the U.S. population. It will drive up the cost of everything and foster job migration to less restrictive countries. The end result will be greater disparity between the have and have nots in this country, which will only strengthen the position of the socialist(democrats), so why would any of them have buyers remorse.; Reply to this comment


by HGOODGUY January 10, 2010 11:02 AM EST: Regarding chokehold on EPA on federal cleanup regulations--and any
other progressive issues

Do realize that if the Republican Party was a traffic light--there would be no green???; Reply to this comment


by HGOODGUY January 10, 2010 10:58 AM EST: To CBS News

This sight is for comment and feedback on issues of the day.

It is not a vehicle for promoting and advertising goods and services such as ufdsa89a DBA pizza shop who is cluttering this space with endless promotions.

If anybody at CBS news monitors this--please act accordingly; Reply to this comment

by rockcutr January 10, 2010 10:27 AM EST

These greedy low life dogs that own electric companys need to back up the truck. The salarys that the top dogs get for doing absoulutely nothing is appauling. The bold faced denial of what they do is not wrong is just pitiful sad. They love being the fox in charge of the hen house. As it has always been.
The cost does not have to be reflected in the cost of rates...It should not be. Reasonable minimum wage salarys for all management would more than cover the cost expected by EPA regulations.
Then on the other hand WIND is free....get your own wind generator. Let these smog making lowlifes fade to black.

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by louiville35 January 10, 2010 10:44 AM EST: so just how much do these "low life dogs that own electric companys" since REA's are owned by those who get power from them?


by retm-w January 10, 2010 2:31 PM EST: Oh no overpaid executives at electrc companies. I thought Bankers and Health Insurance executives were the only ones overpaid. Did the democrat spin doctors leave them out?

by starving1968-2 January 10, 2010 9:44 AM EST

by louiville35 January 10, 2010 9:37 AM EST
"doesn't effect me" isn't that what you say when faced with facts that AGW is a made up scam?

Who made up those "facts"?

The CEO of Exxon-Mobil?

Sean Hannity?

Reply to this comment


by louiville35 January 10, 2010 10:19 AM EST: another "Blinders On" AGW fathful. LOL


by louiville35 January 10, 2010 10:29 AM EST: Oh and BTW starving here are the top ten trillions of dollar plans your group is working on to save the planet, LOL. http://totallytop10.com/science-technology/engineering/top-10-geo-ingineering-ideas-to-save-our-planet


by zootsuithap January 9, 2010 8:01 PM EST: US Congress; please squeese the $hit out of the EPA. I will love you long time.; Reply to this comment


by CPJ44 January 9, 2010 7:53 PM EST: No way the EPA will be able to enforce this.

The House and Senate will vote against it if necessary.

And the Supreme court is made up of more right leaning members so when it gets there, it will be dead.; Reply to this comment


by abluetiger January 9, 2010 6:52 PM EST: There is a simple way to stop it. Simply add an a rider on the bill that removes the abortion limits on the health bill. Then they have the choice control the EPA or control the vagina.; Reply to this comment

by Berkeley-SkirtLifter January 9, 2010 6:08 PM EST

by stormerF2 January 9, 2010 3:14 PM EST
""Sheeple wake up if the Obama EPA gets its way,Energy prices will triple in the next 2 years.""
________________________
by sjc_1 January 9, 2010 5:49 PM EST
"Energy prices will triple in the next 2 years"

Please show your sources for that statement, you can not because it is not true.
Electricity bills may go up slightly, but not triple.
_________________________

sjc_1,

Why are you asking someone to, "Please show your sources for that statement"?

ya know ... he is making a prediction. He may be wrong, he may be proven correct. It DOESN'T MATTER.

Are you asking him to go two years into the future, and bring back the data?

You are saying that his inability to source his prediction somehow invalidates the conjecture. WHOA ... I think it's time for a bong load.

Reply to this comment


by fedup12 January 9, 2010 7:07 PM EST: Doesnt common sense say that this is true? Renewable energy is more expensive in the short term.

And politicians only see in the short term.


by sjc_1 January 9, 2010 8:54 PM EST: If you are going to make a prediction and want some validity you should be able to show evidence for that belief, unless you are just making it up. Show how experts also believe it is so because they have done projections based on fact.