Verizon Wireless, the nation’s leading wireless provider, and Photobucket, the Web’s premier standalone photo and video-sharing site, today announced the availability of a new mobile photo service on select Verizon Wireless handsets that enables Verizon Wireless customers to easily send photos from a mobile device to a Photobucket album. The application will launch exclusively for Verizon Wireless customers and is available for download from Verizon Wireless mobile storefront by texting ‘photob’ to 2777, in the Community and Sharing category of the Verizon Wireless Get It Now catalog or by visiting photobucket.com/mobile.
Jennifer Byrne, director of digital media at Verizon,said, “Mobile phones are adding a new dimension to sharing images between friends, colleagues or family members. Photobucket is bringing Verizon Wireless customers a new and easy way to share their photos and videos in real-time, without needing to move to a PC to upload and send them.”
“Photobucket is thrilled to team up with Verizon Wireless to provide a quick and easy photo sharing solution for people on the go,” said Alex Welch, President of Photobucket. “Photobucket has always been committed to making photo sharing fun and easy. The Photobucket Mobile Uploader for Verizon Wireless unlocks the full potential of camera phone photos, allowing users to easily save and share images online more easily than they would using traditional digital cameras.”
To utilize the application, Verizon Wireless subscribers sign up for a Photobucket account – which can be created for free at http://photobucket.com – and enter their log-in information to link their Verizon Wireless account to their Photobucket online photo album. Once the accounts are connected, the application instantly uploads photos already saved on the phone to the user’s Photobucket account. The Photobucket Mobile Uploader then automatically sends any future photos directly to the same Photobucket account.
Verizon is the first carrier in the United States to be offering the Photobucket Mobile Uploader and the application will be available initially on 13 handsets. The service is available now from Verizon Wireless, which enables the user to send unlimited mobile photos to their Photobucket account for a monthly subscription fee of $2.99.
We all hear it from our wives or girlfriends, “Can’t you make me look better? Take out my blemish. Cover my zits. Make me look thinner.” It goes on and on and anyone that works in PhotoShop knows how much time these requests take. So in the end, we just don’t do them. With Alien Skin’s Image Doctor 2, however, you’ll be able to two out of the three of the requests in no time at all.
Graphic artist and just all around nice guy, Roger Hall has taken the time to learn Image Doctor 2 and use it and abuse it. He used his wife and two old pictures as examples for his review and you can read the results of it.
Anyone that has a collection of old photos or would like to touch up photos of model work quickly and efficiently, will want to take a look at Roger at to say about Image Doctor 2.
Don’t you just love those smug Mac users talking about how easy it was for them to create a photobook of their latest vacation and how they did it in like, “2 minutes; that’s it!”? I know, you secretly wished you had a Mac so you too could be sporting on the iPhoto but you’re stuck with a PC. Well, don’t worry, ’cause you don’t have to wait an eternity for Microsoft to make a good iPhone clone because Rocketlife did it for them.
Rocketlife is an online photo processor that lets you make calendars, cups, posters, and, yes, photobooks. With just some of your photos, Internet Explorer, a broadband connection, and some creativity, Rocketlife is going to set you up with one sweet photobook…in just minutes. Now you can be like our reviewer, Rebecca, and take your sweet time to nail down that awesome custom look if you want, but it’s not required. Either way, Rocketlife offers a pretty impressive option to iPhoto-wishing PC users to use. Take a look at Rebecca had to say in her review. You may never look at iPhoto again!
Boinx Software introduced today FotoMagico 2.5, its award-winning photo presentation tool for professional photographers. Recently honored with the Apple Design Award (ADA) 2008 - “Best Mac OS X Leopard Graphics and Media Application Runner-up”, the new 2.5 version of FotoMagico now features support for Adobe Lightroom libraries, a teleprompter that shows notes for every slide on a presenter´s display and a new export option for uploading slideshow videos directly to YouTube.
“We want to thank thousands of users who take part on our public beta program and gave feedback to make FotoMagico even better”, says Oliver Breidenbach, co‐founder of Boinx Software. “We are dedicated to making FotoMagico the premier slidehows tool on the Mac, two Apple Design Awards are proof that we are on the right track.”
“With FotoMagico 2.5, keeping your audience at the edge of their seats with a great show is now as easy for Adobe Lightroom users as it was for Aperture and iPhoto users before”, says Peter Baumgartner, lead-developer and “father” of FotoMagico. “The teleprompter enables a Steve Jobs-like performance for everybody and sharing shows with a global audience was never easier than with the new YouTube export option.”
Adobe Lightroom Support
FotoMagico 2.5 now supports the iMedia Browser framework. With the integrated iMedia Browser users can now seamlessly access GarageBand songs, iLife sound effects and their media libraries not only from iTunes, iPhoto and Aperture (Pro version) but also from other software including Adobe Lightroom (Pro version).
Teleprompter
With the new teleprompter of FotoMagico 2.5 Pro users can show their photos on one display and read their notes for every slide on another. Nicely animated, they get a preview showing which pictures come next and can even jump back and forth to every slide in the storyboard with just a click of the mouse.
YouTube Export
The Sharing Assistant feature adds a new export option, allowing to upload photo presentation videos directly to YouTube to reach a global audience. Video encoding for YouTube can be accelerated with the powerful Turbo.264 video encoder hardware from Elgato.
Availability and Pricing
FotoMagico 2.5 is available immediately for download from http://www.boinx.com/download. A built-in assistant will guide users through the process of aquiring the proper license. The update to FotoMagico 2.5 is free of charge to current FotoMagico 2.x license owners at their current license levels. FotoMagico 2.5 Express is available for $49 and FotoMagico 2.5 Pro is available for $129 via Kagi. For all purchase options see http://boinx.com/fotomagico/buy. Commercial multi-user license discounts are available upon request.
There have been a few solutions for this problem, namely dragging your laptop around with you and off load your pictures that way. But who wants to do that? Man, the diaper bag alone is big enough for me to want to ditch it immediately! Other portable hard drive readers, some with screen and some without, have slowly made there way into the alternative space. Of course, you can just buy more flash cards, too.
Digital Foci goes with the hard drive solution. Its new Photo Safe II accepts Compact Flash (including Extreme III, IV, UDMA), MMC, SD/HC Card, miniSD, Memory Stick, MS PRO, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, and xD-Picture card. Ya, pretty much everything. All the pictures are stored on either an 80GB or 160GB internal hard drive. Once you get home or to the hotel, then you can connect the Photo Safe II to your computer and off comes all those saved pictures of both Shamu and the kids!
Photo Safe II is easy to use and only requires pressing one button labeled “Auto Copy”. At speeds of 5.0/MBsec, a full 1GB card will be copied in about 3.5 minutes. All file formats, including RAW, are supported. A backlit LED screen gives information as to space left, copy progress, and battery life.
Photo Safe II works on both Macs and PCs and retails for $139 for the 80GB version and $189 for the larger 160GB drive.
CDFinder, the leading disc cataloging application for the Apple Macintosh, receives a massive update with new features and more speed. Also, as a world premiere, it offers a GPS based photo search that quickly locates any photos taken within a distance of a geographical position.
“We are impressed by the unique new GPS search feature, as it offers a brand new way of browsing and searching large photo libraries with CDFinder,” said Norbert M. Doerner, chief developer of the CDFinder team. In addition, the team added FileCheck, a checksum feature designed to ensure the data integrity of all cataloged files, important for photographers who want to be sure their precious digital negatives are still fully readable and intact. More speed was another goal, and with the quicker updating of existing catalogs, faster creation of photo thumbnails, and much faster parsing of ZIP archives, that goal was obviously reached.
CDFinder for Macintosh is a Universal Binary and works with PowerPC and Intel-Macs. A Windows version is available as well, which is compatible to Windows 2000, XP, 2003 Server and Vista. CDFinder is shareware. The demo version is unlimited in time, but restricted to 25 catalogues. A single license is 29 Euro / 39 USD. Multiple licenses for business or network use are priced depending on the number of clients and features required.
About CDFinder Read the rest of this entry »
Dgital Foci, Inc. www.digitalfoci.com announced today that its Image Moments 8 and Image Moments 6 digital frames have been awarded Consumers Digest “Best Buys” in the “5.6-inch to 8-inch digital photo frame” category in its Jan/Feb 2008 issue. Both models will be displayed at the Photo Marketing Association Conference (PMA) held next week from January 31 – February 2, 2008 in Las Vegas. Image Moments 8 (IMT-083) and Image Moments 6 (IMT-063) were awarded “Best Buys in Digital Photo Frames” in the “Premium Selection” category, defined as a product that “offers all of the features a ‘top-of-the-line’ buyer would want.” On average, a Consumers Digest Best Buy is awarded to fewer than 3 percent of the competing models in any given product category.
“No other 8-inch frame has such an extensive range of file support, including RAW files from digital SLRs. It packs sophisticated file management, including the ability to create folders, on the frame’s [200MB] of memory. Its remote control makes the unit much easier to use than competitive products. The 5.7-inch IMT-063 is also a Best Buy,” said Greg Scoblete, Consumers Digest, January/February 2008.
“Image Moments 8” Has Limitless Custom Framing Options
Peleman Industries, Inc., manufacturer of the award-winning Unibind PhotoBook Creator and high-quality binding and lamination line of products, announced today that it is the first company to introduce environmentally-friendly Unibind “Green” PhotoBooks made from natural and recycled materials. The Unibind Green PhotoBooks will be debuted at the 2008 Photo Marketing Association (PMA) Convention, held next week, January 31- February 2, 2008 in Las Vegas. The Green PhotoBooks are manufactured with a natural cover comprised of 100 percent cotton-flax, made from natural and recycled materials.
35% of Unibind’s Products are Made with Recycled Materials
The environmentally-friendly PhotoBook is one of several initiatives by Unibind to make its operations as safe as possible for the environment. “Guido Peleman Founder of Peleman Industries Worldwide’s (my father) mission was always to be ‘green,’” said Brigitte Peleman-Vantieghem, CEO of Unibind North America. “An example is our commitment to environmental ethics. Thirty-five percent of our products sold are made with recycled materials, and all of our office building’s roofs in Belgium are being solar-paneled. In addition, we have implemented recycling programs at both our Belgium and U.S. operations.”
“We’re proud to be the first company to offer a ‘green’ photo book. The PhotoBook is one example of Unibind’s determination to make its operations as eco-friendly as possible. 100% natural, the Green PhotoBook offers the same high-quality binding capability of the Unibind professional line of books,” said Rusty Redecker, Vice President of Photo for Unibind North America.
For more information, see www.peleman.com.
XIAS (pronounced: kí-as) adds convenience and style to the way consumers display their digital photos with the latest additions to its line of elegant digital photo frames at 2008 CES. They are the XIAS™ 8” and 10” Executive Digital Photo Frames with WiFi capabilities. All XIAS™ digital photo frames are designed by an award winning international product design firm.
“The new XIAS™ PF-821WF and PF-1021WF digital photo frames with WiFi are a great way for people to share their digital photos,” remarked Rick Stans, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing of Norcent Technology, Inc., an authorized licensee of XIAS™ products. “With 800 x 600 resolution, images and video are bright and crystal clear. Plus, this impressive, sleek, floating swivel design looks elegant in any setting from the living room to an executive’s office.”
The new models can display anywhere from one to 12 images at one time. Images are shown on an active matrix thin film transistor (TFT) LCD display that ensures high-quality, pictures. With an 800×600 screen resolution and 250 cd/m2 brightness, images are as clear and clean as they appeared in the viewfinder.
Each model supports seven digital media formats, providing outstanding compatibility with most digital cameras now available. Both models include two built-in memory card slots. Each also features four playback modes: full-screen browse, slideshow, thumbnail browse, and zoom (in and out). Viewing time in both browse and slideshow modes can be adjusted.
The units have a wood-grain outer frame supporting a bronze-metallic screen. The exclusive XIAS™ frames look natural in any home décor or office setting. Horizontal and vertical backing supports are included. A convenient on-screen display adds to their ease of use.
Pricing and Availability
The XIAS™ PF-821WF and PF-1021WF digital photo frames will be available in Q2 2008 with pricing to be determined.
Digital Foci, Inc. announced today “Pocket Album,” a digital keychain photo viewer with a 1.5-inch color LCD screen that lets you carry your favorite photos right in your pocket to share and relive your photo moments wherever you go. Pocket Album holds a selection of up to 74 pictures with its 8MB internal memory. Photos can be viewed by scrolling manually or through an automatic photo slideshow with adjustable slideshow intervals.
Pocket Album includes user-friendly Photo Viewer Software that makes it easy to convert JPG or BMP images from your computer to Pocket Album. You can crop and rotate any photos you wish to transfer, and then automatically resize the photos for optimal storage and display on the digital keychain. The perfect sentimental gift, you can even preload precious photo moments on Pocket Album to give to friends and family for the holidays.
Pocket Album runs on Lithium-ion batteries with up to 9 hours of battery life. The batteries can be easily recharged with the included AC adapter or with the USB cable by connecting it to your computer. Pocket Album also features a built-in clock with automatic on/off timer. LCD contrast is adjustable for choosing your optimal viewing angle.
Pocket Album Features:
- Holds up to 74 digital photos with 8MB internal flash memory.
- 1.5” color LCD screen.
- 9 hours of battery life on Lithium-Ion batteries.
- LCD contrast adjustable for choosing optimal viewing angle.
- Builds automatic photo slideshows with adjustable time intervals or photos can be scrolled manually.
- Built-in clock with automatic on/off timer.
- Photo Viewer Software is included for converting JPG & BMP images from the computer to Pocket Album (compatible with Windows Vista/XP/2000, Mac 10.x or later).
- Software crops and rotates photos before automatically resizing them for optimal storage and display.
- Easily recharges battery with the included AC adapter or with the included USB cable by connecting it to your computer.
- Compact and lightweight design makes it convenient to carry.
Priced at $39.95, the Pocket Album digital keychain measures 2.2” x 1.6” x 0.5” and weighs only 1.2 oz. It is available in Black, Silver, and Blue and includes a USB cable, USB-AC Adapter, Resource Disc, Photo Viewer Software, and User’s Guide. Pocket Album is available immediately and is compatible with both Windows and Mac. For more information, see www.digitalfoci.com or http://www.digitalfoci.com/pocket_album.html.