MyPublisher

MyPublisher's website is professional and well organized, allowing you to easily navigate from one feature to the next. This printing service offers more than just photobook and scrapbook creation. You can also create cards, stationery and photo calendars, which always make great gifts. Polished as it may be on the surface, however, once you get into the various software applications that you must download to create these various projects, we feel the printing service lacks features that we would expect it to have, including scrapbook design tools beyond themed templates.

Before you can use this service, you will need to download Digi-Scrapbook, which is a free software application. You have the choice to use one of the eight themed options available, or to use a blank canvas. We recommend that you use one of the themed options, as Digi-Scrapbook has but a few scrapbooking embellishments available. To combat this issue, we decided to download free scrapbook backgrounds and elements from a third-party source. We saved the elements in JPEG format. We have actually been able to use these free elements in other printing service applications we have tried. But, to our dismay, Digi-Scrapbook would not allow us to use these. Very disappointing.

If you choose to create a photobook, which is also a good option for documenting your favorite memories, you will begin by choosing to use Simple Publisher or Custom Publisher:

Simple Publisher This process takes mere minutes to complete. The photos are automatically placed in the book chronologically, though you do have the power to edit and rearrange any photos before you order it.

Custom Publisher With this option, you can manually build each of your pages from the ground up, page by page. You can design each page exactly how you want. You can order this option in four different sizes and in four different cover options.

We feel that MyPublisher really allows for creative, unique photobooks. You have the choice between four different cover options, which are all fantastic. These include:

Photo Finish With this option, your photos and text will be printed directly onto the cover. You get to customize the front and back cover and the spine.

Book Jacket The hardcover itself will not have an image on it, but a stellar book jacket will cover it. You can customize the front, back, spine and flaps of the book jacket.

Linen Hardcover This option comes in 11 different colors. You can add a photo or text to the front of the book.

Leather Hardcover According to MyPublisher, this option has an imported Spanish leather cover with real hand stitching. That would explain the significant extra cost of this book. You can also customize the front with a photo or title.

Before you order your book, the printing service will generate an error report, which will specify every issue that your book has and includes the page where you can find the issue.

In order to create any photo projects, including a photobook, calendars and cards, you must download yet another application, the MyPublisher software. This application is free and installs in just a few minutes. If you want to create a scrapbook or individual pages, then you must download another software, called Digi-Scrapbook, which, as previously discussed, barely offers any features. We feel that it is a little excessive to make us download two software applications.

You are easily able to upload images from your computer, which includes the option to also upload from a CD, SD card or thumb drive. You cannot upload images from your Facebook or Flickr accounts, however.

When you log in to your MyPublisher account, you will be able to view every order you have placed. This will make re-ordering books simple.

You can contact this printing solutions website via telephone, which is available Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST and Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Online customer service has the same hours. You can also fill out an online email form and, according to MyPublisher, they will get back to you as soon as possible, usually within four hours.

The site does have live chat support, but the response time was terrible. We waited several minutes between each question we posed. We finally got tired of waiting and just looked at the FAQs for more information.

MyPublisher has some fantastic professional features, including the different book cover options. We also appreciated that they give you a choice to have them automatically fill the pages for you using Simple Path, or allow you to manually create your pages. We are very disappointed in the lack of scrapbook options, including any kind of embellishments and the fact that you must download two separate software applications to complete different photo projects.