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iPhoto vs. Picasa: Which is the better editing program?

iPhoto and Picasa are two of the easiest and most popular photo programs to use, but which one is really better? (Perhaps this battle could even be renamed to Apple vs.
Written by Rachel King, Contributor

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iPhoto and Picasa are two of the easiest and most popular photo programs to use, but which one is really better? (Perhaps this battle could even be renamed to Apple vs. Google...)

Pros iPhoto

  • Simple layout, easy to find photos
  • Easy to edit photos with filters and effects
  • Easy to upload to photo-sharing sites
  • Quick and easy file transfer from camera to computer
  • Plenty of options for printing photo products (i.e. Books, cards, calendars, prints, etc.)

Picasa

  • Easy to upload to other Google applications (Blogger, YouTube, Google Earth, etc.)
  • Can create videos for YouTube
  • Plenty of ready options for printing photos
  • Can automatically pick up photos from designated folders
  • Compatible with both PC and Mac
  • Free

Cons iPhoto

  • Only works on Macs
  • Not enough editing tools
  • Doesn't upload to enough third-party sites/programs
  • Not enough features for more advanced photo editors

Picasa

  • Can only upload to Picasa (not other photo-sharing sites like Flickr or Shutterfly) [UPDATE 8/4/09: There are some third-party upload programs for Picasa, such as to dotPhoto and Phanfare. Thanks to reader Fred for pointing this out!]
  • Sometimes run slowly when finding photos throughout the computer
  • Program interface is more cluttered than iPhoto's
  • Not enough features for more advanced photo editors

Since I have a PC for work and a Macbook for personal use, I'm able to use both programs. But the fact that Picasa is free and compatible with both systems, it would appear to be the more convenient option, although I find iPhoto simpler to use. However, simple isn't always better when you want to do a lot of editing on a photo.

Based on this assessment and/or your own experience, readers, which program do you prefer? What pros and cons did I miss? What could each program do better?

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