Yesterday, Google launched Picasa 2.0, an updated version of their acquired digital image management software. Reaction to software seemed quite positive, especially those concerning the price tag.
A good amount of the praises were rooted in the fact that Picasa 2.0 is a free utility. Many of the write-ups seemed genuinely excited about Picasa’s update. Some examples:
You’ve got to love the word “free,” and for a free piece of software this one rocks. I love the fact that Picasa 2 will search and organize your photos into one place for you. Sometimes if you don’t religiously keep saving your photos to your My Pictures folder in Windows they tend to get lost. It also doesn’t help that other photo software may save photos in a different location
Google have announced the availability of a piece of software designed to help users manage their digital photo collection, and for some reason they are giving it away for free.
Picasa 2 is built upon the original Picasa software, created by a company which Google bought out around six months ago. The original Picasa software wasn’t free, but the new and improved software version is.
Another write-up had a philosophical and financial look at Google’s new tool:
And Google, of course, wants in on that kind of action. The move capitalizes on features that people desire right now. It’s even more than folks simply wanting to bombard one another with digital memories. Other trends are at work; for example, the ability to easily edit and then upload photos to blogs capitalizes off the increasing popularity of the blog medium — and theoretically could boost the popularity of its Blogger product.
And of course, in the long run investors know that Google faces many challenges as its deep-pocketed and popular rivals continue to make attempts to steal away search.
More opinions:
Pre-Google, Picasa charged $29.99 for its software. At Google, the marching order was to “give the program away and go for user adoption,” Perkins says. “The entrepreneur in me had some second thoughts – that’s millions of dollars in potential sales being left on the table – but now I see it’s right.”
Danny Sullivan, editor of online newsletter SearchEngineWatch, says Google’s free policy is in line with its evolution as a kind of “Internet operating system” that strives to keep users spending most of their time at Google.
“If you get locked into doing all your photo editing and organization with Picasa, odds are good Google can start running ads to you down the line,” Sullivan says
Google’s tool seems to have had a positive impression on those who’ve reported on it. But the question about monetizing Picasa remains.
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest search news.
