JPEG Optimizer

Type of Program: Image Compression
Supported Platform: Windows 95/NT
Company Name: XATech
Version: 2.02
Price: free to try/ $29
Installed size: 722K

Download/Homepage

You can save disk space and have your image-laden web pages load much faster by reducing images sizes. JPEG Optimizer is a neat image compression tool that handles JPG/JPEG/JFIF, TIFF, Targa, and BMP formats, allowing you to squeeze file sizes down by as much as 50 percent. And you can convert them to grayscale too, for a huge filesize reduction.

With this tool, compressed images don't have to look crummy either. Various image- quality settings allow you to tweak image appearance, or even just selected portions, so you get maximum compression with quality you can live with. The slider-scale control lets you quickly preview and change compression levels, with 1 being highest-compression/lowest quality to 100, which is highest-quality/lowest compression. Usually somewhere between 25 and 90 looks good -- but you can try things like enhance color (which adds to filesize) but then compress to a higher level, to end up with the best-looking yet smallest-sized file.

An intuitive toolbar has all the controls you need to select general compression levels, with a selectable "expert" mode (which adds extra toolbar buttons) for more detailed compression options. Plus there are line/rectangle/freehand selector controls to spot-compress just key areas of your image. These controls have the feel of a paint program, and you can observe the effects on your image as you work, with Undo functions done from the toolbar. Just experiment to find the best mix of effects.

If you have other image formats you'd like to compress, you can copy and paste them from your image editor, since the JPEG Optimizer does not handle format conversion. To me this isn't a big deal since I often have an image stored in a couple formats anyway. You can bring in images from your hard drive via Open dialog, individually, in batch mode, or drag-n-drop -- and of course you can paste in from the clipboard.

This is a great tool to have if you have lots of images on your hard drive or web pages. It is extremely simple to use. It's free to try for 30 days, with a nag screen, and only the registered version allows batch-mode compression. There's a very good help file, and support is offered to registered users.

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Reviewed by Bobbie Crowell rjaye@mail.inforum.net
ICQ # 9407183

For a limited time, JPEG Optimizer is offered in a price-reduced package with the Art-O-Matic 3D image maker by 3Dize, at a total of $30 (which saves you $19). Art-O-Matic is also reviewed here at http://www.sharewarejunkies.com/8zwd4/artomatic.htm You can get ordering details on this package deal, while it lasts, at the 3Dize web site, at http://www.3dize.com

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