Callisto Announces PhotoParade Essentials

November 2003—Callisto Corporation, award-winning developer of more than 40 software products, today announced availability of PhotoParade Essentials, an innovative new software program that offers users a simple, step-by-step interface for viewing, sharing, printing and e-mailing photos, as well as fun tools for creating dazzling PhotoParade slideshows and albums that are easy to share with friends and family. The software also includes editing tools for touching up and enhancing photos so that every picture is worth sharing.

PhotoParade Essentials makes it simple for consumers to do the digital equivalent of everything they always mean to do with film-based photos—sending photos to friends and relatives, organizing printed snapshots into albums, even hanging pictures on the wall—but with none of the hassle. Instead of having shoeboxes full of disorganized photos that never get shared, PhotoParade Essentials users can select and edit their best photos, then amaze family and friends with multimedia PhotoParade slideshows in mere seconds.

PhotoParade Essentials includes all the fun, easy-to-use slideshow tools that PhotoParade customers already love, combined with the best features of Callisto’s Photo Viewer and Photo E-mailer products. Here’s a peek at what users can do with this super-program:

• E-mail photos the easy way: choose photos to share, click the send button and recipients will receive an email with links to the photos. PhotoParade Essentials automatically adjusts the resolution of the photos so that each one is sized for optimal viewing.
• Edit and enhance photos using PhotoParade Essentials’ simple but powerful editing tools that make it easy to crop, brighten, sharpen, rotate and fix red-eye.
• Add titles and captions to photos, then share them by e-mail or as a slideshow.
• Print photos in a variety of sizes including 4x6, 5x7 and contact sheets.
• Create PhotoParade slideshows, albums and screen savers to share with friends and family.
• Save slideshows to CD for sharing or safekeeping.
• Make any photo into desktop wallpaper.
• View photos as thumbnails or full size.

“Our customers tell us that this is the type of software they wish came bundled with their digital cameras—it’s not complicated or difficult to learn, it’s a lot of fun and it gives them the ability to do everything they want to do with their pictures with immediate and satisfying results,” said Mike Barta, CEO and founder of Callisto. “In addition to the amazing slideshow capabilities of the original PhotoParade, PhotoParade Essentials gives customers simple—but very sophisticated—tools for viewing, editing, sharing and printing their photos. People of any technical ability are able to pull together professional-quality results in minutes.”

PhotoParade Slideshows Make Sharing Photos More Fun!
PhotoParade Essentials is far easier to use than other digital photo production tools, giving everyone the know-how to produce slideshows and screensavers with themes, music, graphics and even narration. The software also ensures simple, quick downloading on the recipients’ end—even if they’re on a dial-up connection—by automatically compressing the slideshow file to an easy-to-download size.

With PhotoParade Essentials’ easy-send feature, customers can quickly share slideshows—simply by entering the recipient’s e-mail address and clicking send. For instant screensavers, the software’s built-in screensaver feature automatically turns photos into personalized, customizable screensavers. And for decorating the desktop, there’s PhotoParade Essentials’ wallpaper feature that enables users to turn their favorite shots into desktop wallpaper.

Pricing and Availability
PhotoParade Essentials is available for download immediately at www.photoparade.com.

The Standard and Super editions of PhotoParade Essentials come bundled with an assortment of professionally designed slideshow themes. Additional theme packs are sold separately. Pricing for the Standard edition is $24.99 and the Super edition is $39.99.

Customers who purchased PhotoParade Maker 4.0 after August 15, 2003 will get a free upgrade to PhotoParade Essentials. PhotoParade Maker 4.0 customers who purchased before August 15, 2003 can upgrade for a discounted price. PhotoParade Essentials runs on Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP.

For more information about Callisto, please visit www.photoparade.com.

SOURCE Callisto