Smart Saver Pro 3.0 introduces a wealth of new features that make Smart Saver both easier to use and more powerful than ever before. In Part 1 of this article, we'll take a look at Optimization enhancements, and at changes that add power to the entire Smart Saver program (such as improved Batch Processing). In Part 2 of this article, we'll look at enhancements to Smart Saver Pro's Image Mapping, Image Slicing, and JavaScript modules.

Image Optimization

The Image Optimization module of Smart Saver now allows you to access all optimization controls from a single place: The Optimize Properties Toolbar. When working in the Optimize tab, you can switch back and forth between a normal tab or a tab with advanced compression options.

GIF Compression

In addition to a new look, Smart Saver Pro 3.0 also adds powerful new compression features:

Dither Slider: Instead of dithering being an on or off option, you can now select the amount of dithering that you'd like to add to your image. Dithering is used to simulate the presence of additional color in 8-bit images. If your image has only lost a small amount of color, just a touch of dithering should be sufficient. However, if you're working with a high color image that has lost a great deal of color due to the GIF compression process, you can adjust the slider to increase the amount of dithering that you'd like to apply.

0% Dithering	70% Dithering	100% Dithering
Size: 5k	Size: 7k	Size: 8k

In the example above, the image on the left shows significant color banding when no dithering is applied. In the image in the middle, I set dithering to 70%, which improved image quality and caused only a small increase in file size. In the image on the right, I set dithering to 100%. The quality is almost perfect, but the size is almost twice as large as the non-dithered original. Having access to a dithering slider allows you choose the perfect amount of dithering for your image.