Even though 14.5 billion digital photos were snapped in the United States last year, only 35 percent of America's digital camera owners actually printed any of their pictures. That's a confounding statistic, especially when you consider the current slew of options. We tested photo-organizing software, printing Web sites, portable storage devices, and travel-sized printers to get you started. So what are you waiting for?Post your pictures on-line, blow them up to wallpaper size, or just print a shoeboxful and squirrel them away for old times' sake.—ROBERT MANIACI
1 Get Organized Toss the software your digicam came with—it's less user-friendly than Picasa 2 (picasa.google.com; free), which searches your computer for new photos, offers basic one-click editing tools, and lets you swap pics via its own instant messenger. For enhanced editing, try Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 (www.adobe.com; from $90), which adds tint filters and retouching tools.
2 Store and print on the go Leave the extra-large memory cards at home and take Archos's PMA430 (www.archos.com; $750) with you. This 30GB portable media center serves as a storage device and lets you upload photos directly from a camera's USB port. You can also view your entire collection of pictures and watch movies on its crisp four-inch screen. Not everyone wants to pack a printer—but the latest designs weigh less than most laptops, so you can hand out family reunion snaps before everyone scatters. · Our favorite portable 4'' x 6'' printer is Canon's SELPHY CP600 (www.usa.canon.com; $250), which weighs under two pounds and prints directly from a wide range of cameras—no computer needed— in 63 seconds. Epson's PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition (www.mypicturemate.com; $250) weighs in at 51/2 pounds but has a color LCD to preview and edit images and lets you plug any memory card straight into it, taking even the camera out of the picture.
3 Jump on the Web When you're ready to make prints, the Internet is the natural place to start. Here, our favorite imaging sites.
www.kodakgallery.com
PRICE FOR ONE 4'' x 6'' PRINT 25 cents. NICE SHOT The new incarnation of Ofoto
has plenty of editing and special-effects features—from tints to cartoon-style filters—and
dozens of borders to slap on your prints. We love the guarantee—Kodak reprints any orders
you're not happy with. Next to Shutterfly, the site provides the highest-quality prints. OUT
OF FOCUS The default zoom-and-trim function sometimes crops images too closely; turn it
off if your family photo fills the frame.
www.shutterfly.com
PRICE FOR ONE 4'' x 6'' PRINT 29 cents. NICE SHOT A well-organized site
with an uncluttered look; great for beginners. The photo search function—look for images
by date, caption, or print order—ensures you'll never lose a picture. You can upload
directly from iPhoto, a bonus for Mac users. Shutterfly's prints were the best, hands down.
OUT OF FOCUS The only editing tools are red-eye fix and crop (everything else involves
tints and borders).
www.snapfish.com
PRICE FOR ONE 4'' x 6'' PRINT 12 cents. NICE SHOT The Web site's uncropped
digital prints— sized 4'' x 5.3'' instead of 4'' x 6''—leave the image intact
(other printers crop around the edges). Book a trip on Travelocity.com,
and you get 20 prints free. Like Kodak, Snapfish reprints pictures you're not happy with;
they also give 10 percent off your next order. OUT OF FOCUS Editing tools are difficult
to find. Their prints looked a little flat and yellow.
4 Keep It Old-School If you're making tons of prints, you'll need somewhere to display them. Sukie's silk-screened, linen-covered albums (www.sukie.co.uk; $62) are our pick for your best travel pics.
