Many a blog post or comment on a social media thread, place the Chromebook as a tool that cannot edit photos. I have seen it many times at the end of a post about if a Chromebook is the right computer to buy, the author states, “If you want to game or do any video or photo editing then maybe the Chromebook isn’t the right computer for you.” I say this is antiquated thinking.
Welcome to another post in the Chrome Can Series. In this post, I will introduce to you several web applications and a few Android applications that make the Chromebook a great device to edit photos.
Chromebooks
Back when I got my first Chromebook an Acer C720 I used a great web-based application to edit photos. In fact, it was so easy to use and so quick to load that even when I was on my MacBook, I would find myself editing photos with it. This app is called Pixlr Editor. Pixlr Editor is according to the creators of the app “A robust browser photo editor, for all your editing needs. With Pixlr Editor you have full control over your images including layers and effects.” The app brings you to a UI that looks like many photo editors and is fully capable of doing what you want with your photos. It is the perfect, comprehensive photo editor for students to use.
Want your students to just add a few add retro effects and transform photos into cool vintage images? The same people who brought us Pixlr Editor also have another free app called Pixlr-O-Matic which is quick and easy to use. While not a full-featured photo editor you can use it to make adjustments to your shots.
They also have another application called Pixlr Express which is their “most popular free web-based photo editor makes editing photos easy. Apply quick fixes, overlays, filters, and stickers to make any photo beautiful.” This is another great tool for students to use that is quick and easy.
All of these tools could also be used in conjunction with WebCamToy or Gravit Designer to make any image you or your students want! There are no limitations here!
Because the computing world is moving towards cloud computing as the norm, larger companies that make the apps that professionals use are now making professional tools available online. Photoshop, the industry standard is now available online it is known as Adobe Photoshop Creative Cloud.
Android
From the folks who brought us all of the great photo editors discussed above, comes Pixlr the App. This is a great photo editor that works on Android and, therefore, works on the modern day Chromebook. They also have an Android version of Pixlr-o-Matic.
There are also many other apps available such as Snapseed, PhotoLab even Adobe Photoshop has an Android app.
The point I am making is that Chromebooks can edit photos and anyone who says otherwise just doesn’t realize that CHROME CAN!
Thanks for reading
Shannon H. Doak Ed.D.