I was intrigued when I first saw the images and text on Image Voyager’s box. From the description on the front cover, I thought the software might make working with all types of web page images a snap. Phrases like, “Web Page Picture Wizard,” “Create Web-based Photo Galleries,” “Add Text to Your Photo Galleries” seemed like features I was looking for. Similar ideas appeared on the back cover: “Make your own online and offline galleries with text!” “Build pages filled with thumbnails of your favorite images,” and “Quickly and easily e-mail photos while you convert and resize them for the Web.” Of course, what I soon found was that the program does convert, resize, make galleries—but only within the limited options provided. If I wanted the freedom to explore and add effects, manipulate brightness, contrast, shadows, etc. I would have to look elsewhere.

Nonetheless, I wanted to see if I was missing something, so I decided to put Instant Image Voyager through its paces. Installation was a breeze with the program’s 17 MB

loading in about five minutes on my old 200 MHz Sony. The package came with a compact disk, but no booklet. An installation wizard walked me through a few quick steps. Most of the loading time was spent transferring the program’s numerous jpeg files to my hard drive. Image Voyager’s sailboat icon automatically appeared on my desktop when the installation was complete. I clicked on the sailboat and I was ready to go.

The opening screen was neatly arranged with three frames. One ran down the left side showing the files and folders of my C Drive, just like you see when opening Windows Explorer. On the right side, taking up most of the screen, were two frames—the top, and largest frame, displayed a picture, while the bottom frame held a listing of all the jpeg files in the folder that was open. In this case, the computer had automatically opened the Sample Images folder of Instant Image Voyager. A box appeared in front of the file name of each jpeg file. Clicking on the file name caused the image to open in the frame above, and clicking the box, called tagging the image, allowed the image to be used for other functions.

Without any printed material to follow, I immediately turned to the Image Voyager’s program tutorial. Some features were familiar to me, like Full Screen Viewing, Up One Level, Saving Images, E-mailing Images, Copying Image Files, and Deleting Image Files. When I tried these features, each was easy to use and performed as a basic function should. I found it interesting that images could be saved in various formats, like .jpeg, .png, .tiff, .bmp, .wmf, etc., but not in the .gif format. I will have to ask about that. Maybe .gif will be included in a future version? Rotating an image was limited to pre-sets of 90? to the right and 90? to the left. Resizing was much freer with dimensions open within tolerances allowed by compression and clarity factors of the jpeg format. 

Two of the features that I found most useful were those associated with Tagged Images and those for Making a Web Page. By selecting, or  tagging, a group of image files, I could then execute different batch commands, such as print, send, convert, or resize. I thought to myself--now, that’s a helpful, time-saving feature.

This ability to control multiple images also came in handy for my favorite feature of Instant Image Voyager—Making a Web Page. Actually, the name is somewhat misleading since the program only makes one type of web page, one that displays images or pictures in rows and columns. Image Voyager does not have the capabilities of a full web design/editing program, like Dreamweaver or Adobe GoLive. The designers of Image Voyager limited its web page function to html pages displaying pictures/photos within a table arrangement. I could see how this handy feature would be appealing to individuals who want to post on a web site group photos of families, organizations, friends, etc. Posting pictures of a recent family reunion would provide an excellent way to remember loved ones.

To see if it was easy to create this tabled, photo web page, I followed the instructions in the program’s tutorial. First, using the directory display feature in the left frame of Image Voyager, I found some old pictures I had saved in My Photos folder on my C Drive. When I clicked on My Photos, all the photo files (the jpegs) appeared in the bottom right frame, and the picture associated with the first name in the list opened in the top right frame. That was pretty neat, considering I had only clicked on My Photos. Next, I tagged (checked) four photos I wanted on my web page. I then clicked the toolbar icon that looks like the earth. This is the Make a Web Page From Tagged Images feature. A display screen opened that allowed me to type in captions for my photos. I gave my photos names and changed the background color, text color, and title for my web page. Okay, that was easy. I also had the options of resizing my images; changing the cell border width (thickness of the border between pictures); the cell padding (space between the images and the cell borders); and the cell spacing (the space between the cells). No, I didn’t want to do those things now. I was in a hurry to see the finished product so I clicked Save Web Page. The smaller Save As screen opened. I named the file and saved it. Image Voyager had automatically created thumbnails of my original image files. The thumbnails were linked to the larger originals, so when I went to view my web page, I was looking at thumbnails in a 2 X 2 table. The larger original appeared when I clicked on its thumbnail version. I didn’t have to do any special work to make the thumbnails or link them. Presto. Image Voyager had done the job for me.

Instant Image Voyager has some very handy features that are easy to use and time-saving. I would recommend it for those who need a program that can quickly make orderly galleries for web pages. Photos and other pictures can be neatly labeled and displayed in a simple, attractive table. Image Voyager is also a good tool for viewing  lists of images within folders on your computer. If you are thinking of purchasing it, just keep in mind that Image Voyager is not an image editing program. It is a no frills image handler designed for viewing, organizing, and sharing images.

System requirements include at least 17 MB of hard drive space and Windows--Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, or Windows XP. 

At present, the availability of Instant Image Voyager for San Antonio consumers is limited. None of the major stores in San Antonio that I called carry the program. The company’s press release said it was available through retailers like J & R Music World Computer, Micro Center, TigerDirect, Fry’s, Hastings, and a few others. It sells “in the $20 range” when purchased from a retailer, and goes for $79.95 when purchased directly from the company. I could not find any direct download from the company web site.

Upperspace Corporation makes Instant Image Voyager, which is ninth in a series of Instant software products. Upperspace is better known for its popular Design CAD, a program that has been around since 1983 and marketed as “a program to produce CAD programs on a budget.” All Upperspace products come with free, lifetime, technical support. 

Upperspace Corporation
600 SE 49th Street
Pryor, OK 74361
800/233-3223 or 918/825-4844.