Although text is categorized as multimedia, we will focus on software that allows users to view, edit, and organize videos, images, pictures, and animations. The technology advances so quickly that it’s almost impossible to enter the multimedia software market and rush through all the competitors. One interesting thing you will notice is that the majority of software products we talk about today are around for many years, improving their features according to user’s demands.
Picasa
If you need to (and you definitely do) view, edit, or organize images on your computer, Picasa is definitely one of the best free software solutions you can use. First of all, we need to give credit to people who came up with the name, and the entire brand, as it sounds just right for an image-related software.
One of the best easy-to-use features Picasa offers is the album creation, which you can then share with anyone. Lifescape Company created the software but sold it to Google, making it open-source and hence free. The program was initially compatible with Windows 7, Vista, XP and Mac OS X only, but the moment Google took over, they teamed up with the amazing Wine, allowing Linux users to use it as well.
VLC Media Player
There are so many great media players out there, but if we had to pick one that has the most complete “package” of features, it would be VLC Media Player. You can use it not only on your MacBook, laptop or PC, but also on your Windows phone, Android phone, iPhone, iPad, or even an iPod. The best thing about VLC Media Player — it is 100% free.
One common issue with media players is that they have a hard time compiling and running 4K or UHD videos, but not VLC. It runs 4K videos at any frame rate with no issues at all, regardless of the device you are using.
Windows Movie Maker
As you can tell by the name of this software, it is used for video editing. Another thing the title suggests is that it was developed by Microsoft, making it exclusive to Windows devices. The user interface is clean and easy to use, but at the same time filled with features and special effects that make your video editing job a lot easier. Once you are done, you can instantly publish the video straight to YouTube, Facebook, or OneDrive.
Adobe Photoshop
Here is something for those who want to get their graphics editing to a new level. Unlike the previous three programs on our list, it’s not free, but the number of features, options, and the effects it contains is unbelievable. Of course, that means that it takes a lot of time to master it and get really good at raster graphics editing. On the other hand, besides being extremely powerful, it can earn you some money if you decide to invest enough time and resources in learning it from scratch, as it is the most used software for graphics editing.