Graphics+Activity

media type="file" key="McDanielAudioActivityOne.mp3" Feature Comparison - Pixenate vs. FotoFlexer Original Pixenate FotoFlexer

The picture used for this assignment is one I took while out in LA on vacation in October. The traffic was pretty bad so I had a chance to enjoy the scenery, although it was cloudy for most of the trip I thought these mountains were pretty. I used online editing software from Pixenate and FotoFlexer. With Pixenate I was able to reduce the size of the image, flip the picture, and manipulate the clouds with one of the special effects. Pixenate is not as user friendly as I would have like for it to be. When you make changes and click apply sometime it wouldn't change the image. I may be the only one who experienced this so it could be user error, but it happened more than once. Fotoflexer was a lot easier to use and I really liked the interface. I used the sepia feature first then I used the old image effect as well as blurred edges too. Both tools allowed me to save images to my computer and did not require an account. Fotoflexer is definitely a online tool I will use again because I don't like to use the editing software on my desktop, it's also easy and I like the interface
 * **criteria** || **Pixenate** || **FotoFlexer** ||
 * Tool selection || Pixenate offers powerful photo-editing tools that foster creativity. Pixenate requires no browser plugins or additional downloads for your users so they can quickly get creative with their photos. It is a very basic online editing tool that includes your basic image editing features. || FotoFlexer is the world's most advanced online digital photo editor. It performs advanced effects previously only available to professionals using expensive software. ||
 * Interface || There were some ads and things seemed a little cluttered. I was able to upload and edit my picture with the software but the interface could be a little be more user friendly. || Very user freiendly interface, one of the things I liked most about the online tool! ||
 * Speed || A little slower than Fotoflexer, but nothing extensive. Changes and updates were a slower as well || My photo uploaded relativiely quickly and when changes were made updating the imaging didn't take long at all. ||
 * Export || Yes this tools allows you to export your edited photo. You can either save to computer disk, or upload directly to Flickr. || Yes this tools allows you to export your edited photo. You can either save to computer disk, or upload directly to Flickr, Facebook, myspace, or fotoflexer. You can share the photo via email or using a url or link. ||
 * Max. file size || No Max file Size, which is great because when uploading photos sometimes size does matter even with an editing tool! || No Max file Size, which is great because when uploading photos sometimes size does matter even with an editing tool! ||
 * Max. resolution || No Max Resolution || No Max Resolution ||
 * Cost || Free no account required || Free no account required ||
 * Layers || Pixenate does not allow layers || FotoFlexer does allow layers ||
 * Effects || Pixenate does have special effects as well, I used the Lomo, enhance photo, Fill Light tool to create the look of the clouds and spirit line to straighten the horizon line to make the line even. Improvements could be made with the effects but overall they are some usable features. || There were lots of great special effects. I used the blur edges, sepia, and old photo. The options seemed endless with the special effects. Most likely anything you ever thought of doing with a picture was there for you with and online image editing software. ||
 * Killer feature || In my opinion none of the features about Pixnate were what I would call "killer". It is a basic image editor with all of your basic features and a few extra features. || Smart Resizing and Smart cutting. The smart resizing, allows you simply highlight the part you definitely need and the part you can get rid of, and the software calculates the new picture. Fotoflexer will take out unwanted people or objects automatically when hightlighted. With smart cutting, you outline the part of the picture you want to keep, and looking at the colors, Fotoflexer finds out what pixels are part of your design. It then comes up with a suggested outline, which you can then fine-trace. ||