Corel Digital Studio 2010 Puts it All in One Box

Armed with your DSLR and compact HD camcorder, you fearlessly strafed the sidelines of your son's soccer game with the poise and moxy of the grittiest celebrity papparazzi. Get the shot. AT ALL COSTS. Sure you've got a bruise or two and maybe some cleat imprints on your back bacon, but it was worth it to get the footage. High on adrenaline from your first exercise in months, with a mild case of "the shakes" from your four quarters of hurdling 7-year-olds and landing with cat-like grace, you're ready for anything.

Except editing those photos and pics. First you've got to get home, finish your honey-do list, then retire for a few hours of transferring, copying, renaming, editing, and uploading your images and movies to yourFlickr page, your Facebook profile, and YouTube. And that's just what YOU had planned. Your wife has different expectations of your "fun time."

If she's nice, she'll put it all on paper for you, but it's more likely she'll just poke her head in the room about 27 times to say things like: "Oh and honey? Don't forget to burn a DVD for all my cousins, sisters, parents, and my cadre of co-workers, k?"

"It would be really nice if you could give the DVDs a nice menu and a photo slideshow, like that really cute one for the Steel Magnolias collector's edition. Can you do that? K, thanks!"

"Oh and make sure the DVD can be read by computers and every DVD player on the planet. If you do, I might make you your favoritedinner..."

Gentlemen, we all know such promises are empty, but we still cling to the tiny sliver of hope with that part of our mind that refuses to take past experience into account, convincing ourselves that "If I get it all done, she'll be so ecstatic that I'll get a Saturday off, get my favorite dinner, and fulfill all my wildest fantasies."

So what do you use to accomplish all the tasks set forth?

It's likely you use an amalgam of software, ranging from free online tools to ridiculously expensive professional applications that you don't really know how to use. At one time I counted three different tools I used for photo editing, two for videos and two for making DVDs. Once I was finished with my exhausting editing sessions, I still had to upload everything manually to my online photo and video sharing accounts, then email relatives, then...you get the drift.

WHY DO WE PUNISH OURSELVES THIS WAY?! Can't we get everything in one neat little package?

That's what software companies spend millions on every year, trying to find the perfect balance of the most wanted features, price, convenience, and mixture of disparate functionality to complete similar tasks. To that end, Corel announced Corel Digital Studio 2010. With photo and HD video editing capabilities, a media organizer, online sharing integration, and disc authoring and creation all in one, Corel Digital Studio 2010 aims to be your one and only solution to all things home multimedia.

From the official press release this morning:

Corel Digital Studio 2010: Create Amazing Photo and Video Projects in Just Minutes
Now, you don’t have to master overly complex software programs or spend hours working on your projects. Corel Digital Studio is designed specifically for users who value simplicity and want results fast.

Movie Making Made Easy: Finally, movie making is something everyone can enjoy. With its simple interface and intuitive controls, Corel Digital Studio offers a groundbreaking, visual approach to video projects that makes it easy for anyone to enhance and share favorite video memories − even in HD!
Creative Photo Projects that Amaze: Thrill friends and family with beautiful photo books and calendars that you can create in just minutes from within Corel Digital Studio. There’s no lengthy online uploading process to slow you down when you want to get creative. Instead, you can focus on your memories, create your project and when you’re done, print at home or have your creation professionally printed usingCorel’s online service.*
All Your Media in One Place: The Media Organizer brings all your photos and videos together so you can more easily search, find and organize your favorite memories. You can also access your music library to add your own personal soundtrack toslideshows and home movies. The Media Organizer is the starting point for all your projects, making it easy to move from one task to another.
Online Sharing Has Never Been Easier: Share your files and projects any way you choose. Use email, Flickr, Facebook and YouTube, or send to your mobile device. With Corel Digital Studio, connecting with friends and family is just a few clicks away.
Simple Backup and Burn: Backup and protect your photo and video memories, burn a professional-looking DVD complete with Hollywood-style menus, or create audioCDs and MP3 discs by simply dragging and dropping. It’s never been this easy.

Corel Digital Studio 2010 is designed to take advantage of the latest Microsoft® Windows® 7 advances including the natural, hands-on experience offered by Windows Touch. The product also offers a great creative environment for customers using Windows® XP or Windows Vista®. Corel Digital Studio 2010 is just one example of the design innovation that resulted in Microsoft naming Corel its GlobalISV Consumer Partner of the Year in June 2009.

Pricing and Availability
Corel Digital Studio 2010 is now available globally in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Chinese Traditional as an electronic software download (ESD). In the US and Canada, the product is available at the suggested retail price (SRP) of $99.99. Corel Digital Studio 2010 will also be available at leading retailers around the world starting in mid-September 2009.

The individual photo and video components of Corel Digital Studio 2010 can also be purchased as standalone products. Corel® PaintShop Photo Express 2010 is available for $49.99 SRP and Corel® VideoStudio® Express 2010 for $49.99 SRP.

For more info, go to Corel.com, and be sure to check out our multimedia software reviews, listed below for your convenience.

Photo Editing Software Review

Video Editing Software Review

Photo Slideshow Software Review