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Get Wondershare DVD Slideshow Builder (Win) for free

Want to make a simple photo slideshow for a special event? This program, normally $49.95, gives you the tools.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
Need a basic slideshow builder? Here's one you can get for free.
Need a basic slideshow builder? Here's one you can get for free. Wondershare

This is an update of a deal I wrote about last year.

Mother's Day is about six weeks away, leaving you ample time to do something really special. Forget the flowers, the chocolates, and all the usual stuff; this time, give her something personal, something unique, something homemade.

For example, you know all those photos in Mom's phone, the ones she's been collecting for years but never bothers to download or print? Why not turn them into a slideshow, one you can burn to a DVD and show during the Mother's Day festivities?

Ah, right, you don't have the right software for that. Well, now you do: Wondershare is offering DVD Slideshow Builder Standard (Windows) for free when you register for a Wondershare account. (It's also free, and you can use a disposable e-mail address if you don't want extra marketing messages cluttering your inbox.)

Normally $49.95, the program lets you put together a basic slideshow, complete with menus and music, then burn it to DVD (or share it on YouTube, Facebook, etc.). It includes over 200 templates covering a variety of themes and occasions.

To get the giveaway, click through using the link above, then click the big, green Get It Free button. If you already have a Wondershare account, just sign in -- otherwise click the orange Sign Up button and follow the instructions from there. You'll need to wait on your account-confirmation e-mail before you can sign in and access the freebie. After you do sign in, you'll be able to download the software via your My Account page (specifically the My Products tab).

I won't say DVD Slideshow Builder Standard is the most capable program of its kind; it really just gives you basic, simple tools. That's no doubt fine for some users, but if you want extras like transition effects and Ken Burns-style pan-and-zoom, you'll need to look elsewhere (or upgrade to DVD Slideshow Builder Deluxe, which is no doubt Wondershare's intention).

Indeed, if you've found a slideshow maker you like better, especially one that's free, tell me about it in the comments.

In the meantime, you've got about two days left to take advantage of this offer.