Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced

With more than 20 applications tucked into one software package, you get a lot of bang for your buck with Nero 7 Ultra Edition Enhanced. Nero excels at burning, with comprehensive options covering the media gamut. You can also use it to convert audio files; capture video; edit photos; create slideshows, mix CDs, and disc covers; watch and record TV; and call your mother (yes, really). That's the good news.

The bad news is that you may get lost trying to find an app. In the Start menu, there's a scary array of options and applets with no direction as to where to begin. You very nearly need to stumble upon Nero StartSmart just to navigate the software, and even then, the interface isn't very intuitive. Once you’ve fumbled your way to video creation, Nero's tools deliver the goods, but without good documentation, the process itself can be maddening. A hardcopy manual would do wonders for Nero's usability.

The tech support hotline is only available during weekday business hours and costs $1.29 per minute. (There’s no charge for time spent on hold.) Email support is free, but suffers some complaints for the long lag time before receiving a response. Another word of caution: Pay close attention during install because the default is to use a Nero app as the player for every type of media file. If you don't want to wait for Nero to load just to look at a JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), choose carefully.
While savvier users may make good use of Nero's first-rate features on their own, Nero's challenging navigation is too much trouble for newbies and the casual user without the aid of a third-party guide.(www.smartcomputing.com)