A Guide to Web image Compression Software: Emblaze WebCharger

Software type:  JPEG optimisers

Company:	GEO Publishing Inc.
URL:	http://www.emblaze.com/
Program:	Emblaze WebCharger
Program URL:	http://www.web-charger.com/pr/seeit.html
Platform:	w95, mac
Type:	JPEG image compressor
Price:	$99.95

Impressions:

Emblaze WebCharger is out in a new version (at least, I think it's a new version), which looks from their web page to be very handy. They don't have a demo version, you have to pay for the darned thing, and they'll refund you if you don't like it. I'm not prepared to test software that way, so I've not tested it.

It accepts JPEG, GIF, BMP and PICT input files (and "all popular formats", they say) and outputs JPEGs. It has an "Alien Skin" type interface >:-( and to derive from Photoshop plugin origins - hence the price. It looks similar to AutoFX's WebVise Totality. It has an area-select compression capability, which means you can select key areas for lower compression to avoid artifacts. It seems to have a fairly sophisticated set of compression controls, to judge from the web page image. Again, no demo, no test.

If they release a demo version I'll report back on how it performs.

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This information is Copyright © 1998 David Nicholls. These pages may be linked to, provided you don't embed them in frames, but may not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author.