CyberLink’s MediaShow 5 is a photo and video management program, much like the software available from the likes of iPhoto, and the free Google Picasa. However, MediaShow 5 also ties in basic video editing and DVD authoring too, so your images and videos can be freed from the shackles of the computer.

The photo organiser function is the bread and butter of this program, which makes light work of searching through files to compile your photos. Much like iPhoto, Picasa or even, to a certain degree, Lightroom, it’s possible to organise and tag photos. The automated facial recognition that comes into play after tagging the same face at multiple occurrences is clever, but can also be found in other free programs or more advanced editors such as Photoshop Elements 8 (video editing requires the Elements Premier bundle).

In version 5 we also see quick uploads to YouTube, Flickr and Facebook made possible, along with an array of one-click photo and video fixes. Cleverly enough, the face tags remain attributed to photos, and will automatically associate themselves when quick-uploaded to Facebook too. Just make sure you don’t mis-tag anyone, and the names have to be exactly correct to work properly. 

A slideshow capacity features that can also output to DVD and be sent on to friends or family – and that’s really where the value of this product lies: in export. Furthering this, there’s even the ability to convert video to be suitable for iTunes, iPhone, iPod, PSP, Zune, Xbox 360 and more – and that will be a key seller to the young media-frenzied audience it is aimed at.