7. Cards, Books, and Calendars

If I had to pick a single feature that sets iPhoto apart from most photo management programs, I’d choose the way iPhoto creates custom photo albums, calendars, and cards that can be professionally printed and bound. Numerous programs can help you edit and organize photos. But iPhoto is the undisputed champion of creating high-quality printed products in an easy fashion.

The beauty of iPhoto’s cards, calendars, and books, apart from their quality printing on heavy, glossy paper, is that they help bridge the gap between the analog and digital worlds. Those of us who have grown up with computers are happy sharing our photos via slideshow, a digital camera hooked to a TV, or a Web page. But many people are still more comfortable with prints ensconced in acetate in a traditional photo album or appearing in a calendar or on a greeting card. Forget all the advantages of the digital world; for these people, the images somehow aren’t real unless they’re on paper. It’s the “That’s nice, dear” syndrome.