pictures

4

Windows Phone App Review: Photo Light

Nope. The Windows Phone app Photo Light isn't a flashlight app to use when taking pictures. It's a lite photo editor for your Windows Phone that isn't too shabby.

The main menu of Photo Light has five tiles that give you options to load an existing image from your Pictures Hub, launch your camera to capture a new image to edit, display the EXIF file information on images, access the app's settings and view the About screen.

Just a quick note about the EXIF information is that not only will Photo Light display the data contained in the image's EXIF file but it will also map it out if GPS data is present. For those not familiar, the EXIF file is short for Exchangeable Image File that is a metadata file that contains all the information your camera collects as it takes a picture. The amount of information varies from camera to camera but in general, the EXIF will contain camera settings, image size, date/time taken, and more.

Now back to Photo Light.

1
loading...
5
loading...
28
loading...
0
loading...
18

Windows Phone App Review: Photo Timeline

Photo Timeline is an interesting app that will help you keep track of not only when you took a particular photo but also map where you captured the moment.

0
loading...
7
loading...
36
loading...
0
loading...

Looks like Nokia was sitting on the release of Camera Extras & Play Now for its Lumia phones as you can now go ahead and download both apps from the Nokia Collection.

Camera Extras is what it sounds like, yet another camera app from the Finnish company that adds a lot of unique features to hopefully improve some of those pics. Features include:

  • Smart Group Shot - automatically selects faces, lets you create the perfect picture
  • Panorama - takes  numerous photos and stitches them together
  • Action Shot - rapidly takes photos
  • Self timer - 10 second countdown

The app downloads as a separate program but it does integrate into the camera module meaning you can just quickly load the whole thing by hitting your dedicated camera button. Overall, the features are pretty good and we think many of you will enjoy the new additions. Nokia may be late to the game but they often get it right in the end.

Next up is Play To, Nokia's DLNA app which has finally made it to their Collection. Allowing you to "stream" your Music, Photos and Videos to any DLNA capable device e.g. your TV, the app is a great way to show off your photos to friends and family.

The system auto searches for any DLNA devices over WiFi such as BluRay Players, PCs and more. We don't have one in house so can't test it, we'll leave that to you for now.

Note: For both apps it says you may need the latest update for your phone in order to work--that would be Windows Phone "Tango" (8773) for some of you or Nokia's latest firmware for others. Things like DLNA require some "ground work" done by Nokia in their firmware to be installed so if you can't install these apps or you don't get all of their features, you may have to wait till you get a phone update first.

If not available in your Market (It appears to be US, China and Inida right now) stay tuned as Nokia is rolling these throughout  July.

Pick up Camera Extras here and Play To here in the Nokia Collection. Thanks, CaliforniaDrew, for the heads up

    

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...

With the recent release of Microsoft's Photosynth to the Windows Phone Marketplace, there's really no excuse for anyone not to capture decent panoramic images. Photosynth joins a nice collection of in-house panorama apps and a decent third party app. But how do these panorama tools measure up against one another?

We took our handy-dandy tripod out to see if one shined brighter than the other. There's really not a bad panorama app in the lot but a few lined up a little better than others.

2
loading...
5
loading...
24
loading...
0
loading...

Simply put, Photosynth for Windows Phone is a game changer. Photosynth is a panorama app that mocks at large group shots, laughs when there isn't enough room to back up, and smiles when a picturesque landscape is in front of the camera. The camera app opens up a new world of photography for your Windows Phone and does so rather nicely.

Unlike other panorama apps for your Windows Phone that sticks to either a vertical or horizontal plane, Photosynth can do both and handle 360 degrees of capture. No longer are you concerned if you can't back up enough to capture tall buildings in a landscape shot. No longer are you worried that you won't have enough room for a group shot.  

Throw in an online interface, the ability to share images through Facebook and Twitter, share your images through BING, embed images and upload/store/share images at Photosynth.net this little photography app is very impressive.

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
16

Windows Phone App Review: Fantasia Painter

The other day we shared a list of the best photography apps for your Windows Phone. We knew that there were other worthy photo apps out there and one such app that was mentioned prominently in the comments was Fantasia Painter.

On the one hand the Fantasia Painter is a photo editing app. On the other hand Fantasia Painter is a creative suite to give your photos a serious splash of color.  On top of all that, if painting is more your cup of tea Fantasia Painter can handle that as well.

It's really hard to tell how many editing tools Fantasia Painter has (the Marketplace description says 45+ but that feels a little low) but it ranks amongst the top photography Windows Phone apps on the amount of control you have over editing your pictures.  Fantasia Painter is an impressive photography app for your Windows Phone and it can be a little intimidating.  Once you get the hang of the controls and all the editing possibilities, Fantasia Painter can really make your photos shine.

0
loading...
4
loading...
20
loading...
0
loading...

The Samsung SGH-i667 aka the 'Mandel' is one of the last Windows Phone that we have very little information about. It passed BT certification in January and then cleared the FCC in March but since it did not co-launch with the HTC Titan II and the Nokia Lumia 900, it is presumed that the Samsung LTE phone was canceled.

Now, two images have leaked out of the device, the first one you see above is the back of the phone and it shows a svelte, glossy white smooth rounded back.

The second image is a screen cap of the device connected up to Zune Desktop, showing the device name. The AT&T logo is prominent on the device and featured in that image which is pulled from Microsoft's servers.

The device also appears to be sporting only 8GB of storage (with 5.61 available) which tells us that this was probably not a high-end, flagship phone for AT&T but an offshoot of the Focus Flash, which also goes by the name i667.

Other than that we just don't have any more information. The images come by way of the site WPXAP and no other details were given.

Samsung has reportedly taken a break from Windows Phone to work on a high-end Windows Phone 8 device for the fall (rumored to be a Galaxy S3 knock off). Could the 'Mandel' have been skipped or passed over by AT&T or even Sammy? We may never know.

We'll keep an eye out though we know we'd like to add it to our collection. Samsung looks good in glossy white.

Source: WPXAP; Thanks, Talan1314, for the images!

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
3

Windows Phone App Review: WeeMee

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...

Best Windows Phone Photography Apps from WPCentral

We've taken a look at the best free apps, the must have games, the must have apps and the best weather apps for your Windows Phone. We now turn our attention to the best photography apps for your Windows Phone.

Now that you have some insight on how your Windows Phone camera works, these apps will help you edit and add a creative touch to your photographs. Some of these apps will even have an in-house camera function to keep everything under one roof.

As with all our "best of" lists, this list contains the apps that stand out in our opinions. If we've missed an app that you think should be included, please sound off in the comments.

7
loading...
16
loading...
42
loading...
0
loading...

We last wrote about Boxfiles for Dropbox back in December. The app comes into two flavors (a free version and a paid one) and has undergone numerous updates since then.

The latest just hit the Marketplace and it brings a really neat feature that many of you may enjoy: automatic camera uploads to your Dropbox account.

This is very useful and desirable because although Windows Phone can do this for Skydrive, it re-scales images automatically leaving you with a "just good enough for the web" sized memory. That's a problem though if, like us, you want to back up your photos to "the cloud" but at their full resolution. Even more so if you have a device like the Titan II with a 16MP camera and photos averaging around 2MB in size.

Version 3.6 of Boxfiles brings this feature but we should point out that it's not entirely 100% automatic meaning you snap a shot and off it goes. Instead you do need to open the app for a few seconds as it will scan your camera directory on the phone and upload and new pics to your Dropbox account.

But once the queuing takes place (usually just a few seconds) you can close the app as it will upload the photos in the background, so you don't need to babysit the app. It's basically a one-touch app to upload all your latest camera shots.

You can also choose a specific directory (or create a new one) to upload the photos too and pick if you want WiFi-only or both WiFi/Cellular data usage. Our favorite part though is how it allows you to browse your photos via thumbnails in addition to just the obscure files-names. Finally, Boxfiles also integrates with your Skydrive account giving you the choice to manage those files from within the app. A nice bonus.

So far only the paid version has been bumped with this feature though we imagine the free one will get it at some point too. What can we say? Of all the Dropbox apps on the Marketplace, we happen to like this one the most and this new auto-upload features makes backing up and sharing our pics easier.

Pick up Boxfiles for Dropbox here in the Marketplace for $1.29 with a free trial.

Update: For those of you in Europe, the app is currently in certification so you'll have the update within a few days. Sit tight.

1
loading...
23
loading...
61
loading...
0
loading...
6

Windows Phone Basics: The Pictures Hub

WPCentral's Guide to the Windows Phone Pictures Hub

With the release of the Nokia Lumia series (710, 800, 900) and the HTC Titan II Windows Phones, we are seeing new Windows Phone users picking up the new phones.  We've touched on must have games and must have apps for your Windows Phone.  We've also touch on some of the best free apps for your Windows Phones.  Now we'll turn our attention more in-house to take a look at the various Hubs on your Windows Phone.  First up, the Pictures Hub.

The Pictures Hub on your Windows Phone is the repository for your photographic albums, a central hub where you can share your photos and where you can back images up to your Skydrive account.  The Pictures Hub is where you go to manage the moments you capture on video and photos.  After the break we have a walk-through of the Pictures Hub for those new to Windows Phone and a refresher for those more familiar with things.

0
loading...
0
loading...
13
loading...
0
loading...

Earlier today, we compared and contrasted the Nokia Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan II on AT&T and each featuring 4G LTE.  Both phones have their strengths and weaknesses but if there is one thing we can absolutely agree on is the impressive rear camera on the Titan II (review).

Featuring a back-side illuminated (BSI) sensor for excellent low-light performance, 16MP for high resolution, f/2.6 lens with dual LED flash, the Titan II has arguably one of the best cameras on a phone today (well, definitely on a Windows Phone). In fact, HTC in general has been investing heavily in cameras as of late, including their new flag ship Android phone, the One X (review), which has an 8MP BSI sensor with a jaw-dropping f/2.0 22mm lens.

There's no debate about it: the Titan II's rear camera crushes the Lumia 900's (review) That doesn't make the Lumia 900 a bad phone at all, in fact we find that the camera performs quite well in well-lit conditions and we're throwing down $450 on April 22nd for a glossy-white one to back up our opinion. But if photos matter to you, then the Titan II deserves a serious look. And if you have 4G LTE in your area to send those massive pics, it will certainly helps for those uploads.

Besides the exceptional camera hardware, HTC have done some really great work with the Titan II's camera software too. For instance, it's the first Windows Phone that we know of that has smile detection in addition to face detection. There's also an impressive red-eye reduction built in, burst mode for rapid shots and the familiar anti-shake option (ramps up ISO for non-blurred shots).

Those are very impressive and useful features but there's more. There's also 18 "scenes" including more obscure things like "Backlight portrait", "Night portrait", "Text", "Beach", "Foliage' and even a special setting for "Food". Yup, there's a pre-set mode for taking pictures of your latest meal. If you don't want to bother choosing your scene, just use the "Intelligent Auto" mode to automatically choose one for you (and yes, it's smart too). You even have some built in effects like "Vintage warm", "Vignette" and "Blue Tint" which can also be used for video. That's on top of what's built into the optional Photo Enhancer app by HTC.

But enough talk, lets see some photos. We walked around the streets of Manhattan snapping a couple of pics as well as some macro and regular shots for you to peruse and yes, we're linking to the full resolution pics for your pixel peepers out there. These photos have not been altered in any way except to remove some EXIF info like GPS from our home pictures. The dual LED flash was not used for any pictures.

Jump past the break to take a look...

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
1

Windows Phone Review: Photo Booth

Sometimes there's a lot to be said about simplicity and the Windows Phone app Photo Booth is definitely a simple app. Photo Booth is a photography app that helps you build the classic photo booth picture strips.

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
1

Windows Phone App Review: 30 Day Challenge

Does your photography need a little motivation? Or maybe you just like taking pictures and are looking for a challenge. Whatever the reason, if you like taking pictures you need to take a gander at the Windows Phone app 30 Day Challenge.

30 Day Challenge presents you with a new photography challenge each day. Such as taking a picture of something geeky to taking a picture where no ones feet are touching the ground. Challenges range from people to places to things. 30 Day Challenge is a fun app that can spark new life into your camera or keep it from getting rusty.

1
loading...
5
loading...
15
loading...
0
loading...
5

Windows Phone App Review: Phototastic

Phototastic is a nice little photography app for your Windows Phone that lets you create photo collages or apply a series of borders and effects to your photos. You can create collages from twenty four templates and apply such effects as a photo booth film strip or Polaroid border to your pictures.

You can apply Phototastic's effects to newly captured images or choose a photo already in your Pictures Hub to customize. Phototastic supports sharing your creations through Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and Photobucket.  Overall, Phototastic isn't a shabby little photography app and can give your pictures a little pop.

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
2

Windows Phone App Review: Image Map

Here's a neat Windows Phone app to help you remember where a photo was taken. Image Map will not only map out where your photos were taken but also display the Exchangeable Image File Format (EXIF) information on your images. The EXIF information will reveal every little tid bit of information on your photo including the camera used, the camera settings, and software used to edit the image.

Image Map pulls everything together in a very nice package to give you a easy to follow road map for your photos.

1
loading...
4
loading...
20
loading...
0
loading...
8

Windows Phone App Review: Pictomaphone

There are several, several photo editing apps available for your Windows Phone. Some cover the basics while others provide you with everything but the kitchen sink to edit your photos with. Pictomaphone falls somewhere in between the two extremes.

Pictomaphone has about twenty adjustments, filters and editing tools to fine tune your photos. You can edit photos captured by your Windows Phone camera or already on file in your Pictures Hub. Interface is fairly simple and Pictomaphone can help bring your photo quality up a notch.

-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
-
loading...
1

Windows Phone App Review: Fhotoroom

There are plenty of photo apps for our Windows Phones but few will has as many features as Fhotoroom. The application not only lets you edit and share photos via Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and Tumblr but it also has its own camera app.

Fhotoroom offers a wide variety of modifications, adjustments, filters and effects for your photos.  At first launch, you are prompted to sign up for a free membership to the Fhotoroom website. Once signed up you can establish your user profile, send other members messages and enter your Twitter, Flickr, Facebook or Tumblr account information for easy sharing of photos.  You can use Fhotoroom without signing up for a membership but in signing up you get access to the Fhotoroom network where you can message other members and view their photos.

Fhotoroom is appealing not only for it's vast amount of editing tools but also for the relative ease of use.  Navigation around the app does take a little getting used to but not to the point it detracts from the app.

1
loading...
0
loading...
22
loading...
0
loading...
0

Windows Phone App Review: GeoFlick

Curious what photographs have been taken in your local area? If so, GeoFlick is a Windows Phone app that will let you do just that.

0
loading...
0
loading...
17
loading...
0
loading...

Pages