Magix's PhotoStory on CD & DVD is all about sharing. It's designed to help you create slide shows that you can share online, or--as its name would imply--offline, by burning them to CD or DVD. Its interface isn't the prettiest, but once you get used to its look, you'll find this app pretty easy to use.

PhotoStory's ease of use is apparent when you first launch the app. A pop-up window asks whether you'd like to edit an existing project, create a new one manually, or create a new slide show with help from the wizard. Whichever option you choose, you'll find that you can create a slide show quickly: Simply select photos to include, select the type of fade (or transition) you'd like to use, add background music, and--voilá--your slide show is created.

I like that PhotoStory lets you enhance the photos you include. Simpler apps require that you complete all editing offline, but PhotoStory lets you optimize the color, brightness, and sharpness of your images. You can also add intros and outros, as well as titles and credits.

Once your slide show is complete, you can easily burn it to a CD or DVD. That may feel a bit antiquated now that it's so easy to share everything online, but the functionality is nicely implemented. And you can share slide shows online, too.

I found PhotoStory a bit slow to load, and the app seemed to slow down even more when loading photos or switching between features. Its drab gray interface could use some color, or at least some larger-sized text. But if you're interested in creating slide shows for offline sharing, Magix PhotoStory on CD & DVD will easily meet your needs.

--Liane Cassavoy