MAGIX PHOTOSTORY DELUXE 2018

MAGIX PHOTOSTORY DELUXE 2018

£34.99

Now here's a curious application! It's a fusion of a video editor and a presentation creator not too dissimilar from the likes of PowerPoint. So, what's it all about? Let's take a look...

UNDERSELLING

Could it be that MAGIX is underselling Photostory Deluxe by touting it as a grand slideshow creator that utilizes photos, video and audio?

In this Digital Age some of us make it an everyday practice to document life in the form of photos and videos, Photostory Deluxe 2018 enables the user to put these digital memories into a greater context. You can add sublime transitions and sound effects as well as a musical soundtrack complete with a voiceover to your slideshows! This is great as many of us can do something with the endless material shot on our smartphones each day! However, MAGIX has, in my humble opinion, undersold Photostory Deluxe 2018. Here's why…

MALLEABILITY
Aside from being able to create super-enhanced slideshows for family and friends, Photostory Deluxe 2018 can do more… Much more!

For your YouTube creators, some truly outstanding intros and outros can be created to give videos a professional look as you'd see with established broadcast companies. With a bit of effort one can achieve stunning animated and still graphical overlays to rival TV production values. 

How about creating adverts for kiosks or public TV monitors? Easy! Mix videos and stills, add titles/text to get the message across. I don't know if you watch these non-interactive kiosk/monitor ads or information videos, but they look as though they've been created with a PowerPoint-like application. With Photostory Deluxe it'll save time and money to produce such materials because one wouldn't have to hire a production company, or invest into a substandard presentation application that produces jerky glitchy results. Sure, if one wanted to add some interaction then a multimedia presentation application is required and the costs can vary, then time will be spent in learning how to use it. That said, depending on the desired goal, you give the recipient options and the message can get lost in a myriad of interactions. 

Video tuition materials, Photostory can lend itself to the production of video tutorials on just about anything!

And, of course, a video story book to tell stories aimed at children for another example of the scope that Photostory has. 

What's more is that whatever is created can be burned on DVD or Blu-ray and/or placed on a USB stick! 

IT'S MAGIX

Photostory Deluxe 2018 has a logical interface, you can't go wrong. If you happen to use other MAGIX applications then you'll be in familiar territory. I can't find fault in the interface and the way the application works. 

However, I can't help but to be intrigued to imagine MAGIX taking things a step further by adding interactive elements that the user can program into a slideshow thus creating a rival to PowerPoint! And what if apps for Android and iOS can be produced without programming? These are certainly things to think about!

CONCLUSION

At the sub £40 price point Photostory Deluxe 2018 is a steal! You're getting the best parts of a video editor and slideshow maker to form something more cohesive, and definitely without distribution restrictions that plague some multimedia applications by having to ask the user to download the proprietary player before the medium can be viewed. The recipient just wants to press play and enjoy - it's what makes YouTube riveting!

MAGIX Photostory Deluxe 2018 has a so much going for it to be overlooked. I think it's a must have even if you have a dedicated video editor because it allows for a fast and precise generation of content within its small but vast framework. Most certainly, MAGIX Photostory Deluxe can act as a prototyping tool to flesh out the nuances of a TV/YouTube show format. 

I can easily recommend Photostory Deluxe 2018 to newbie YouTube creators as a very, very cost effective means of video production. All the YouTube newbie would need in addition is a decent smartphone capable of up to 4k video recording, and a pretty decent PC. Now, who hasn't got such hardware already? Get MAGIX Photostory Deluxe and start producing content NOW! 

SCORE

MAGIX Photostory Deluxe 2018 scores an Electrochemy Platinum!

AUSLOGICS BOOSTSPEED 9.2

AUSLOGICS BOOSTSPEED 9.2
£39.95

System tools can be a hit or miss and, for, unfortunately, they have been mainly misses. Years ago I used Norton’s system cleaning tools and it made my PC worse! No kidding or a deliberate attack on Norton tools, that was my experience. As a result, I have been very skeptical about system optimization software.

As you can imagine, I was pretty skeptical about Auslogics BootSpeed 9! The installation was pleasantly easy, and that’s always a good sign. What’s not such a good sign is how my ‘C’ drive is full already and there’s hardly anything on it!

SUITE
I am presented with a suite of optimization tools are that are easy to understand and put to use. Remarkably, I was not in any doubt of accidentally ridding my PC of files that could cause it malfunction as it was the case with the Norton system tools. Once again, I have nothing against Norton system tools and I would test its optimization software again should the opportunity arise. On a basic level, I managed to save over 1 GB worth of unwanted files in one click! And I am delighted to have the option to address issues of privacy - it’s so good to know that I can stop tracking cookies! I can also tweak Windows 10 and clean up my browsers.

VERDICT
I am very, very impressed with the Auslogics BootSpeed 9 as it does what it says it can do without a fuss! I am in control of what I optimize, which is always a good thing! I can leave BootSpeed 9 running in the background without noticing it.

I would not hesitate to recommend BootSpeed 9 for Windows users - especially non-technical users. You can purchase this great system optimizer directly from the Auslogics site: https://www.auslogics.com

SCORE
Auslogics BootSpeed 9 scores a well deserved Electrochemy Platinum!

MAGIX MUSIC MAKER PREMIUM 2018

MAGIX MUSIC MAKER PREMIUM 2018

£59.99

Over the years I've seen many beginner friendly digital audio workstations fall by the wayside. Cost effective DAWs have stopped making waves. Let's find out why Music Maker Premium has stood the test of time...

STABILITY

This 2018 version feels reassuringly stable, interface pixel residue is now a thing of the past, it feels like a DAW for ambitious musicians. Music Maker Premium has arrived with style! 

Testing further, some serious VST Instruments and effects were accessed through the interface and they presented no problem whatsoever. Sugar Bytes Factory, Cyclop and Looperator worked flawlessly! What will crash any solid DAW is poorly programmed free VSTs that can be found on various websites, MMP 2018 handled a lot of them well - I've amassed quite a collection over the years and a majority of them worked fine. Note hang is problematic on a few of these free synthesizers; you stop the track and the note or notes continues to sound. I found that when I had an issue with hanging notes it could be solved by stopping and starting the track several times. But MMP 2018 didn't crash! Or I had to switch the preset to another one, which tells me that there could be a fix by reducing the envelope parameters such as sustain (of the presets).  

So, you can use these free VSTs at a small risk that some could cause MMP 2018 to not function properly.

Oh, the one thing to be aware of is that VST Instruments with separate outputs won't work! You'll need another type of DAW that's aimed at professionals such as Music Maker's mothership, Samplitude X3. The VST Instrument in question happened to be a drum synth, but it's not a deal breaker as MAGIX provides built-in drum synthesizers such as the great sounding Drum Engine!

SYNTH & EFFECTS

There's a great range of synthesizers and effects that comes as part of the package. With the instruments, you get to choose what's relevant for you, and there's an option to purchase more directly from the interface but they are unique to MMP 2018. Gone are the BeatBox and Robota drum machines, which is a shame as they were truly great. You could use your own samples to form some amazing custom kits in BeatBox! On the plus side you get Ozone Elements by iZotope, which adds to the mastering capabilities! 

SOUNDPOOLS

The Soundpool is the MAGIX equivalent to sample loop vendors online. It seems that sample loop optical discs are a relic of yesteryear! MMP 2018 delivers one heck of an uppercut to the competition! You see, with many sample loop/beat vendors you'll find that many “collections” are sparse and incomplete - especially the ones from name producers/DJs/musicians. Not so with MAGIX Soundpools as they are the building blocks that can create enumerate tracks! Like the Instruments, the loops are varied from genre to genre: modern Electronic, Soul, Jazz, Funk, Classical, etc.

IN USE

MMP 2018 has been executed with aplomb! There were no loose ends to speak of as with past versions. The little niggles that made MMP a little frustrating to work with are gone. The main offender we the interface hanging on the screen and some of the built-in instruments freezing and bleeding sound to the point where I'd have to reboot. 

WISHES

Please bring back the BeatBox and Robota drum machines. Maybe it's time to update the mixer? I'm thinking more tone options: high, mid, low and sub. Plus some automation on the controls. Please allow for separate outputs on VSTs. 

I think that's it!

CONCLUSION

MAGIX Music Maker Premium 2018 has finally reached an irrefutable professionalism by cleaning up the interface and embracing the Internet as part of it. This is a great leap forward for the MMP concept. There is no other competing DAWs at the moment at this great for beginners yet very good for professionals level. 

Videographers will find MMP 2018 an absolute must have for soundtrack creation. 

DJs can create original mixes, sets and so on. 

SCORE

Music Maker Premium 2018 is truly the business and scores an Electrochemy Platinum! Well done MAGIX!