Picasa's Mac uploader now downloads too

Picasa's Mac uploader gets download capability, making it a two-way tool for syncing up your photos.

Josh Lowensohn Former Senior Writer

Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.

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Josh Lowensohn

Dec. 9, 2008 10:18 a.m. PT

Google's latest version of its software-based Picasa uploader for Mac has a handy new trick up its sleeve. It now lets you download entire albums back to your computer, making it a simple tool for backing up large photo libraries.

The Windows and Linux version of Picasa have allowed you to do this for some time, but seeing as Mac users do not (yet) have a version of Picasa to call their own, this is a far better option than downloading the originals one at a time from the Web, or having to use third-party programs.

I gave it a spin this morning, and it's incredibly easy to pull in several albums one after another. The one thing it cannot do, however, is grab your videos; Google says that's coming in a later release.

Google is widely expected to release a Mac version of Picasa at next year's MacWorld Expo, taking place in early January.

Picasa's Web albums uploader has a new option to download entire albums, something users of the PC program have been able to do for a while now. CNET Networks

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