Stop me if this sounds familiar -- you take a bunch of photos of the family over the weekend and then copy them over to your computer. Perhaps you email the odd one to a relative, turn another one into wallpaper or print a third for a photo frame at the office. But for the most part, your computer's C: drive has become a digital shoebox.
Your PC can do so much more for your memories than provide a convenient storage solution for them. The following are five ideas to unleash your photos in fun and creative ways.
Slideshows
Not only can you enjoy your photos on your big-screen HDTV instead of a small computer monitor, but you can add music, transition sequences and special effects. Create a sentimental slideshow by using software built into your operating system, such as Windows Movie Maker or iMovie (part of iLife). If desired, burn it to a disc when you're done to watch on a DVD player.
Jigsaw puzzles
Pick your favourite photo and create a jigsaw puzzle to play on your PC. This is a breeze with free programs such as Jigsaw Puzzle Promo Creator and Jigsaw Puzzle Lite, both of which let you design your own one-of-a-kind digital diversions by simply importing photos from your hard drive (such as JPEG image files). Choose the number of pieces and then play away.
Fridge magnets
Proudly display your memories in a place you visit a few times a day: your fridge! You can do this effectively by purchasing magnetic sheets of paper (usually found at business stores), which can be fed through any regular inkjet photo printer. Then, cut them down to the appropriate size and/or shape, and voila, magnetic memories.
Mugs, t-shirts, photobooks
Don’t forget the Internet offers a handful of places to upload your photos and create a personalized gift sent to your door, such as coffee mugs, t-shirts, mouse pads, stationary, aprons, playing cards, calendars, hardcover albums, and so forth. Popular websites, such as Flickr, can handle these fun photo projects.
Digital photo frames
Finally, a great way to enjoy – and show off – your memories is to invest in a digital photo frame that, while resembling a traditional glass-covered one, cycles through your digital prints on a screen every few seconds, minutes, hours or days. Many models can also display videos and play MP3 music, too.