FilmLoop, the downloadable application that makes slideshows to share on your desktop, blogs, MySpace and eBay, is set to launch a 2.0 version later this month. The new stuff is very impressive, but you may have to wait until launch day to try it out: it's accessible by invite only for now.
My favorite feature: when you're viewing a slideshow on a web page, there's a "See it Big" button that enlarges it to full screen - they've made this work on MySpace, too, by using a plain html link that looks like it's part of the widget. Smart. Other features include drag 'n drop reorganization of your photos, the ability to put links within a frame and control over saving and print permissions - if you're using copyrighted images that you don't want others to reuse, you can toggle these settings.
I've been skeptical of FilmLoop's strategy in the past: while competitor Slide.com switched its focus to web-based software for MySpace, hi5, Piczo, Blogger and similar platforms, FilmLoop continues to push its downloadable application. I've always thought this was a hurdle: social networking users just want to add a few photos and grab the code. But as it turns out, they're doing pretty well: they're reporting 1.4 million downloads and more than 2 million loops created. They also have partnerships with Photobucket, eBay and Toyota, plus integration on Nascar.com.
I'm still a fan of web-based applications, and if I were at FilmLoop, I'd be tempted to try out a web-based version and see how it goes. Even so, it's a nice piece of software, and perhaps ordinary web users are more fond of desktop apps than I am.
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