Google on Tuesday announced that it has released an update to its photo software, Picasa. Version 3.5 adds several new features, including facial recognition technology that is designed to automatically organize content based on the subjects in the pictures. The system works in a similar way to Apple's application, iPhoto, which added facial recognition early in the year.

Picasa 3.5 also allows users to add name tags to photos, bringing the standalone software functionality closer to the Web Albums capabilities. All of the available images are automatically scanned and analyzed, with each face placed into an "Unnamed People" album. Users can then name the album and confirm the initial suggestions.

The software now integrates Google Maps, allowing content to be geotagged and any previously-tagged images to be viewed directly on a map. The import function has also been streamlined to allow picture migration directly from a digital camera to a Picasa Web Album in one step.

Picasa 3.5 is available for Windows or Mac platforms and can be downloaded directly from Google.