Have an Original Guestbook for Each Event

very good
key review info
application features
  • Simple Interface - The kiosk mode view gives your guests a very simple interface to leave text and/or video messages.
  • (2 more, see all...)

How many times have you found yourself in the position of being asked to write something down in your host’s guestbook but the object itself just did not inspire you, or you wanted to say something really funny that could be the subject of a very wrong interpretation in written form?

I am sure that every time you promised yourself that you won’t let it happen at your own events, and you spent hours trying to make the entire process a lot more pleasant in order to have amazing memories from your parties and not just plain statements.

GuestReel is trying to provide a fun solution by allowing you to use your Mac to create a digital guestbook that is able to capture every aspect of your guests. The fact that your friends can make video and audio recordings means that you will be able to have the spirit of that particular day safely stored in your computer, ready to be brought to life whenever you fell like you are missing the “good days.”

The Looks

GuestReel has a very simple design and you will easily discover every feature, even if you are not a computer genius. Each guestbook is saved in a separate window; this way you will not get the events mixed up. The main window is divided into two different areas. On the left side you will be able to browse the message library and choose to export videos to iDVD or iMovie. You can easily navigate through your guest messages by choosing one of the default categories, Text or Video, or by selecting the All tab and using the built-in search feature to find a particular entry.

Each time you select any of the categories, the contained messages are displayed in the right side of the window. If the entry is a video message you will also be able to see a thumbnail. At the bottom of this area you will find the Delete Selected Messages and Play All Movies buttons. The second one opens the built-in video player that also allows you to view the videos in full screen mode. If the message contains only text, GuestReel provides a document viewer. Next to the Play All Movies button you will be able to find the ruler that gives you the possibility to adjust the thumbnail size.

The Works

GuestReel is trying to shift the focus from the technical details in order to obtain a stress free environment for your guests. This way they will be able to express their feelings freely, without any constraints. That is why GuestReel is providing the Kiosk Mode window that displays only the end user related features.

The Preferences window allows you to select the currently used audio and video devices every time you enter the Kiosk Mode. This way you will make sure that your equipment is working properly and that your friend’s effort won’t be in vain.

Each time you are starting a new message you will have to input a name, but you can also specify the city of origin and leave a text message. The next step is to hit the Continue button in order to enter the video mode. The main area will display the data captured by your video camera and on the bottom you will be able to see three distinct buttons.

The first one (the one on the left side) should be used if you do not want to leave a video message and are satisfied with your text statement. Still, if you remember you missed something, you can also use the back button. In the middle there is the button that will start and stop the recording. If you are not convinced that the current video is actually expressing your feelings, you can also choose to start the recording again.

If you’re finished, a new user can start recording another message or you may exit the Kiosk Mode by using the Close button that will be present at all times in the bottom left corner. The button is very small and the design is probably intended to avoid accidental activations of the window mode.

As far as the video quality goes, GuestReel is using a default format for every video that can be customized in the Preferences window. GuestReel is providing several audio and video compression formats but you should perform some tests to determine the best combination for your equipment.


The Good

GuestReel offers a fresh approach to a rather old and dusty habit, giving you the possibility to make the most out of your events.  

The Bad

The entire design tries to make the application so easy to use that even a five-year-old would be able to handle it. Unfortunately, that leaves little space for maneuvers if you are an experienced user. In the Kiosk Mode you are not able to pause the recording, and you don’t have the possibility to review your video. And since the message is supposed to make it over the years you cannot afford to take any chances. This way if you think that you said something wrong you will have to start all over again.

Also, in window mode you cannot edit the message information. The feature should not be necessary from a theoretical point of view but what happens if you discover that two people that share the same name forgot to specify a particular mark? That should be OK among friends but if your database contains hundreds of messages it could be a rather big problem.

The Truth

GuestReel is an original application that has the potential of becoming the party star, if given the chance. And even if your friends won’t be over the top excited about it, GuestReel gives you the possibility to gather videos and text messages of your friends having a good time. From this point of view the result is priceless.

Here are some snapshots of the application in action:

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user interface 4
features 4
ease of use 5
pricing / value 2


final rating 4
Editor's review
very good
 
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