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First Look: Picasa 2 Improves Upon Original Google's free image software works well, but a few features still need some fine- tuning.Grace Aquino, PC World
Google's Picasa 2 photo application is fast, fun, and free. The new version builds on the original's strengths (namely its image- handling speed) and significantly improves on its weaknesses (specifically its photo-editing capabilities). However, while some users will embrace the app's take-charge method of photo organization, others will likely chafe under its rules.
I tested a shipping version of Picasa 2. The first time you launch the app, it gives you the option to scan specific folders on your PC (like My Documents or My Pictures) or your entire hard drive and connected drives for photos. Scan time depends on the number of shots you have, but as with most Google-powered searches it's an amazingly speedy process.
Picasa 2 goes on to sort the photos it finds, showing folders containing all the images that reside in one...