| Google updates photo editor for Linux |
Oct. 07, 2008
 Google has released a new Linux version of the popular beginner-level photography program, Picasa. Picasa 3.0 for Linux (beta) adds an improved collage tool, red-eye-out, watermark support, a retouch tool, and enhanced integration with Picasa Web Albums, says the company.
(Click for larger view of "about Picasa" dialog box)
As with the original Picasa for Linux, which arrived in 2006, Picasa 3.0 is not a true Linux port. Although it now includes the vast majority of the feature set of the Windows-based Picasa, the implementation combines Windows Picasa code with Wine, a native Linux implementation of core Windows DLLs.
Picasa indexes your filesystem, creating a chronological list of every folder containing a photo, image, or video
(Click to enlarge)
Picasa's resemblance to a Windows application does not appear to have hurt its popularity, however. Despite or perhaps because of resource-intensive, "user-friendly" features apparently aimed at coddling computer neophytes unfamiliar with file management, a Picasa installer is distributed with a number of Linux distributions, including gOS, Mandriva, and Ubuntu.
New features of Picasa 3.0 for Linux (and Picasa 3.0 in general) are said to include:- Picasa Web Album integration, with new sync between Picasa and Web Albums edits, plus ability to change online album settings and delete online albums from Picasa
- Improved uploading with upload drop-box and bandwidth throttling
- Retouch tool
- Collage tool enhanced with new content and layout controls
- Auto red-eye removal
- Tool for adding text or watermarks to photos
Linux-specific improvements in the new version are said to include:- Improved online user data storage
- Camera/media detection integrated with GNOME and KDE desktops
- Firefox browser integration implemented via a plugin
- Picasa URLs usable in Firefox 3
- Faster launch of Picasa Web Albums downloads
- Improved support for Xinerama dual-display technology
Availability
Picasa 3.0 for Linux (beta) can now be downloaded for free, says Google. Downloads and additional information should be available here.
-- Eric Brown. Henry Kingman contributed to this report.
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