Web Clicks: Around the Web in 80 Clicks

Web Clicks: Around the Web in 80 Clicks

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We know you’re undoubtedly busy, running an imaging retail business, attending trade shows and, of course, reading the latest copy of Digital Imaging Reporter. Thus, there are probably a few imaging-related pieces of news you may have missed over the last several months. So we thought we’d cover a few here we think you might find pretty interesting. After all, it’s simply a big part of what we do here at DIR.

Stills from Movies
In your never-ending quest to get your customers to do something with their digital image files, we thought this piece of news should command your attention.

There have always been ways consumers can grab a still picture from a video clip. Apple’s iMovie allows for this, and several digital camera makers have built a feature into their software allowing for the possibility. Well now, quite simply, there’s an app for that.

Seattle-based Vhoto (vho.to/) recently announced an app for the iPhone and iPad that will automatically capture any still of the users’ choosing from the video footage they shoot. Using a technology dubbed Computer Vision, commonly used by military equipment and robots to analyze and understand images by scanning them for data, the app automatically scans the video footage and picks the best frames. How, you ask?

As the company’s CEO, Noah Heller, explains, Vhoto uses the power that is already inherent in video to capture that perfect still that lies within its many frames. The technology actually combines computer vision with what Heller calls machine learning. This allows the application to understand user preferences by evaluating over 20 different dimensions within the images, including blur, contrast, action/movement, faces, smiles, novelty and, perhaps most important, user intent to automatically pick the best still from the video.

The user is then left with several stills extracted from the video from which to pick that prefect picture. Or, as Heller says, “This app lets life happen unscripted and allows users to pick the best photos later.” We suggest you let your customers know about Vhoto and encourage them to bring the captured stills back to you for printing.

Yikes! Another Free Print Service
While this may not exactly be viewed as good news, it’s an interesting concept you should be aware of. Okay, everyone has at least a few photos on their smartphone that they’ve thought about turning into prints. Think of how much more likely folks would be to turn those pixels into prints if they could sign up for a service that did it for . . . free. They may soon have the opportunity to sign up for as many as 20 free prints a month once a Kickstarter dubbed Flag (tryflag.com) gets up and running. (The project was successfully funded earlier this year, and they are now preparing for launch.)

For the “what’s the catch” question that inevitably arises when services such as this are touted, the answer comes in the form of small advertisements that will be placed on the back of the free prints. Intriguing, right?

Of course, founder Samuel Agboola was aware of the proverbial “chicken and egg” problem this idea faced, as in order to get advertisers he first needed users. But to get the free prints to users he needed advertisers. Thus enter Kickstarter, as Agboola’s goal was to build up an audience that’s engaged enough to pay for the product before it launches.

We are told the 20 monthly freebies would be printed on “museum-quality” 220gsm paper. For those that may want bigger prints than the standard 4×6, they can also order a 16-inch photo “enlargement” jigsaw puzzle. The Flag service also plans to provide square or 16:9 prints for no extra fee, as well as the options of adding laser-cut edges and postcard orders for what we are told would be a slight extra fee.

The app is designed to work with both smartphones and tablets, and the company is currently in negotiations with printing partners and hopes to launch the service shortly. Worth keeping an eye on.

3D Mini Me
A company called the Artec Group launched what we think is a very cool and unique service called Shapify.Pro (shapify.me), a new iteration of its 3D selfie technology. While we just think it’s a nifty stand-alone product, dealers may want to look into it from an add-on photo business perspective. Shapify.Pro is essentially designed for small businesses and retailers who want to provide customers with scale model figurines of themselves, their kids and others, off of what are essentially full body scans the kit can perform.

Like the original Shapify.Me, the 3D selfie kit for individual use, a Shapify.Pro kit uses a Microsoft Kinect sensor array to scan customers in 3D. The scans are then uploaded to the Shapify website, and figurines are delivered to the business or customer within five days. Too cool.

The benefits of Shapify.Pro for small businesses include a $999 printing credit—matching the initial investment of $999 for the Shapify.Pro kit—and special rates designed to allow 3D selfie businesses to become profitable. Shapify.Pro also expands users’ options with two larger sizes in addition to the 1:20 scale figures: 1:15 and 1:12 models. You might want to check it out as this takes the personalized bobble head doll service we’ve seen in the past to new heights.

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