Soundslides Plus

I'm a great fan of Soundslides, a popular and simple program which allows me to combine still images and sound in a functional multimedia package for posting on the web, or on CD/DVD for direct distribution.

I hear that Joe Weiss, the creator of Soundslides, has announced the beta version of Soundslides Plus, an entirely new version of Soundslides, possibly the "pro" version. New features have been introduced such as image movement (pan & zoom), built-in lowerthirds, thumbnail menus and the ability to create traditional (non-audio) slide shows.

Soundslides Plus will cost more than Soundslides, though the full $39.95 purchase price of Soundslides will count towards the cost of the pro version. The pricing is yet to be determined but Weiss says that he's committed to keeping it within range of individuals.

The regular Soundslides will continue to exist for people who that don't need the new features, and there's a 1.6 update coming that includes individual transition control.

I'll try the beta version first to see whether the new add-ons are worth it. Some people can't live without a Ken Burns effect in their slideshows...but I can. The trial version of Soundslides Plus in its beta form can be found here.

Update: I've downloaded the trial beta version...and I must say there are a number of interesting improvements in Soundslides Plus. For instance, there's no need for audio tracks anymore, so plain vanilla slideshows are now feasible. This addresses the main (but in my view, unfair) criticism levelled at Soundslides. I've used it on a G4 OSX 10.4.8 and it hummed quite nicely.