Catalogs digital media in variety of formats

Long-standing media and disk cataloging program CDFinder has been given a new name and a total rewrite, including a new user interface. Now called NeoFinder, the program offers albums and smart folders, a map utilizing GPS and location data and a fully-integrated inspector in a one-window interface. NeoFinder 6.0 catalogs metadata for songs, videos and photos, and integrates with many popular programs

NeoFinder is both a simple cataloging program as well as a basic digital asset manager (DAM), allowing photographers to file away archived photos while still keeping a visual reference to help them find the image later. The new version unifies the interface into one window, but allows users to view catalogs, folders and albums in separate windows as well if desired. The program can create inventories from any sort of device that can be hooked up to a Mac, including Blu-Ray discs, hard drives, iPods and other removable devices.

The new version offers vastly improved Audio CD cataloging, including ISRC, MCN and CD-TEXT as well as track titles and other data. There are new importers to allow catalogs created in other programs to be brought in, including Canto Cumulus, iView MediaPro and ExpressionMedia XML files, MediaDex CRE files, DiskCatalogMaker export files, and WhereIsIt for Windows and Tolis BRU tape backup report files among others.

NeoFinder also features integration with Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, Roxio Toast and Apple's own Spotlight. Version 6 has a column mode, a new Wikipedia Inspector, better browser-like navigation, support for OpenMeta keywords, faster cataloging of photos and a multicore-aware Find engine. The GeoFinder feature can show users all photos taken near a particular location (similar to iPhoto's "Places" feature) or deduce the KMZ export coordinates for a geolocated photo. Users can also use NeoFinder to geotag photos themselves.

The catalog database can be stored on a server to be accessible to all Macs in a network. With the help of a companion product, abeMeda (formerly called CDWinder for Windows), the database can also be accessible to Windows users. NeoFinder is a universal binary that works with PPC and Intel Macs running OS X 10.5 and higher (older versions of CDFinder are also still available for those on older versions of the OS).

The new NeoFinder sells for $40, though buyers of CDFinder after January 1st of 2011 can request a free upgrade. For other users, upgrading costs $26. A business version is available with multiple licenses and cross-grade licenses from competitive products are also available.

by MacNN Staff