In one software bundle, Family Tree Maker 2008 provides users tools to quickly build their family trees, record their memories and organize their family photos, stories, video and audio clips. Users can quickly find and import facts and historical documents about their family from the Internet and print custom-designed family trees and books. With dynamic satellite maps and customizable timelines, Family Tree Maker 2008 truly broadens the capabilities that every family history program should include.
"Family Tree Maker 2008 redefines family tree building software, providing users with powerful, unrivaled tools and resources to discover and share their family stories," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com. "The software's seamless integration with the Ancestry.com Web site further solidifies Ancestry.com as the family history authority both on and offline."
Family Tree Maker users can tap into Ancestry.com's unrivaled collection of family history records and powerful search features - without leaving Family Tree Maker. When connected to the Internet, Family Tree Maker 2008 automatically searches Ancestry.com for historical documents about the individuals in the user's family tree. With a few mouse clicks, users with an Ancestry.com subscription can view and import these historical records into their family tree.
"Family Tree Maker 2008 offers every user an intuitive out-of the-box experience," said Megan Smolenyak, Chief Family Historian for Ancestry.com. "Ancestry.com developers worked closely with industry professionals as well as family history beginners to create a program that uniquely spans the range of user ability with an easy-to-use interface that also offers advanced, robust features."
The following new and updated features expand Family Tree Maker's capabilities:
-- Interactive Street and Satellite Maps - Use Microsoft® Virtual
Earth™* to access dynamic street and satellite maps that pinpoint
important locations in ancestors' lives from within Family Tree Maker.
A place-name database and hint engine helps users correctly enter
localities in a consistent format.
-- Web Integration -View and search any Web site from within Family Tree
Maker*. Once users locate information about their ancestors, they can
easily import appropriate images, text and even a cached version of the
Web page in to their family tree.
-- Individual Biographies - Create biographical sketches for each
ancestor, adding life facts, historical documents, photos and other
digital media. In addition, timelines highlight important personal,
family and world events that occurred during ancestors' lifetimes.
-- Media Organization -Upload and manage image, audio, video and other
media files. Users can attach these files directly to specific people
in a family tree to better illustrate their family story.
-- Publish Family History Books - Create customized, illustrated family
history books. Ancestry Press allows users to bring their family
history to life with professionally designed charts, timelines, reports
and pedigree charts, as well as photos, historical records and more.
The books can then be professionally printed and bound (or printed on
home printers).
First released in 1989, Family Tree Maker ranks in longevity among Microsoft Windows (first released in 1985) and Adobe Photoshop.
Family Tree Maker 2008 is now available for sale online at http://www.familytreemaker.com/ for $39.95. The program is also set to be released in select retail stores in October 2007.
* Internet access required for Microsoft Virtual Earth and other Web
integration.
