Create A Personalized Slideshow in Minutes with Smilebox

Smilebox makes slideshows fun

The Smilebox web interface is cute and clean. Using it is as easy as click to get started and run to start the download. Don't worry about adware and spyware -- Smilebox includes neither. (You may have to turn off your pop-up blocker to download the program).

After the program installs, a Welcome To Smilebox screen opens. You have the option at this point to sign up for Club Smilebox, which is a paid service that features premium designs, no ads, music, and printed keepsakes. Club Smilebox costs $4.99 a month, or $39.99 a year. There is also a no-cost option.

Your first step is to choose a design from the design catalog. The program automatically opens to this page. If it doesn't, check the tabs along the top, and choose Design Catalog.

There are almost 200 designs in the slideshow category. They range from seasonal to travel to holidays to sports. If you hover over the picture representing each slideshow, a balloon opens with the number of pictures you can put in that design's slideshow. Select a design and it downloads to your My Designs section, where you can personalize the slideshow by adding text, and, of course, the photos or videos you want to appear. The My Creations section holds your saved slideshows.

Choose photos and videos to upload from your hard drive to Smilebox by clicking on the Get Photos or Get Videos button at the lower left. Click on the photo you want to add, then click the Add button at the top. When you're finished adding, click the Done button. The pictures you have selected appear as thumbnails along the left side of the design screen.

When you're finished selecting photos, drag them into the slideshow design. There are a couple of simple editing tools that let you move the picture, rotate the picture, zoom and change to black and white. In some of the designs you can change the number of photos that appear. Most of the designs have an Add Text option, or you can choose pre-selected captions. There's a sorter option that allows you to rearrange the photos or videos.

Once you're satisfied with your production, click on Preview. You have the option of viewing your slideshow two ways -- the Basic Design is free, but be aware that advertising appears along with your slideshow. The Premium Design costs $1.99 to share with others, and there is no advertising.

Smilebox gives you the option to Send, Blog or Print your slideshow. If you choose the Send option, you're prompted to create an account with your email address and a password. If you choose the Blog option, you're prompted to create a title for your slideshow and to create an account. Smilebox returns the code and instructions on how to add your slideshow to your blog. If you choose the Print option, you're again prompted to create an account.

The next time you want to create a Smilebox slideshow, launch the program, and follow the same steps. And don't forget to check out the Smilebox blog -- it has tons of useful information.