But if you use the album generator to install native JPGs to your expansion card, you should be able to use them with any other application capable of interpreting them. In either case, you can still manipulate these images on your handheld.

If you have the space in your main memory and would like to install native JPGs, you can first install them to your expansion card, then use a file manager program to transfer them. In my case, I have quite a bit of space in my internal memory, so I just keep the JPGs there. That way, they're usable by other apps, and I can edit them if I need to.

Of course, I'm only speaking about the Palm OS version of the product. Because I don't have any of the other devices the photo viewer is compatible with, I was unable to test these aspects on those platforms.

Final verdict
For me, the Resco Photo Viewer was just what the doctor called for. I didn't especially care for the photo application that came with my Zodiac because it currently doesn't support albums or categories, and Resco's Photo Viewer was just what I was looking for. Not only does it provide both albums and categories, but it offers many editing and tweaking features as well. Frankly, Resco Photo Viewer is the most customizable and user-friendly Palm OS application I think I've ever encountered. If you can't customize this program to work just the way you want, then you want too much.

With it already having brightness, contrast, and gamma control, I'd like to see Resco take the next step and add color and saturation control, as well as letting you control the image order in a slideshow. Down the road, as handheld processors and memory enters the "Gig" range, and more of them incorporate video processors and 3D engines, Resco's Photo Viewer could very well become a full-fledged photo editor like Photoshop.

I rate Resco Photo Viewer at 4 out of 5. This program almost snuck by with a 5, but there were a couple of additions I'd like to see in a future version. If you're in need of a full-featured photo application for your handheld, then this program is a must-have.

I'm quite sure that I managed to miss a few of Photo Viewer's features, but there are so many aspects that I don't think it's possible to cover them all in a piece like this. I think I've given you a pretty good overview though. At the very least enough to know whether or not you would want to give it a closer look.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

James Booth is Editor-at-Large at ZATZ Publishing. In addition to writing for Computing Unplugged and Connected Photographer, he's the author of Do-It-Yourself Wedding Photography. A self-taught photographer, James also dabbles in digital graphics and has learned to be a PC and handheld specialist through personal trial and error. James can be reached at jbooth@zatz.com.