Any time you click on the Optimized tab above the image, ImageReady shows you what the optimized version will look like, allowing you to easily toggle back and forth to compare. Best of all, the status bar below the image can show the projected file size and download time depending on the type of modem connection. This combination of flexible parameters and status information makes it a lot easier to strike a balance between image quality and file size. The other major draw is the droplet feature. You can create a droplet by setting your preferences for image format, compression, dithering options, specific actions, and so on.
Droplets handle batches of graphics just as easily.
ImageReady also has animated-GIF features, though I'm a little less ardent about those. For fade effects, you can also determine the start and end opacities for individual layers. While the tweening option performs as advertised, it feels incomplete. For instance, maybe I'd like to have my text become increasingly blurry over 30 frames. Adobe generally has a good knack for designing their software so that it meets artists' needs, but in this case it feels as if they didn't bother to find out how animators work.