Nero Kwik Media is a light and free media manager with which you can organize, edit, and share your music, photos, videos, and data. Imagine iTunes and iPhoto rolled into one, then trimmed in half. While this download is technically "free," there is one caveat: you'll have to purchase some of its functionality in the form of "apps" listed in Nero's built-in store. Sure, most of these add-ons aren't too expensive, but it's a shame that a few of them (like Nero Kwik Play, a video decoder) don't come with the download. That said, if you're mainly looking for a single hub through which to access all your media, along with maybe a few basic editing and creative tools, Nero Kwik Media is a great option.
When you launch the program, Kwik Media presents you with a menu of options in four distinct categories: Media Library, where you organize and import files; Enjoy your Media, for playing and listening; Burn & Copy, for just that; and Be Creative, where you can make slide shows or playlists or publish to the Web. It's all very straightforward, and adding files is easy using the Import tool or by dragging and dropping into the interface. In fact, performing any staple multimedia functions--editing photos, creating slide shows, burning to data disc--should be a breeze for even the greenest users.
