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Jun 13, 2006 10:55 am US/Eastern
TechStyles Tech 101: Point-Click-Share
New Web Sites Make Sharing Your Pictures Easy
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Digital photography has taken off. In the past few years, digital camera sales have outpaced film cameras so significantly that some manufacturers no longer make film cameras. With no prints to put in a photo album, how do you share all those great vacation photos you took?
Forget attaching them all to e-mail to your friends, share them online with one of the myriad photo sites.
DropShotsDropShots is the newest kid on the digital-photo-site block. They've simplified the process of uploading your digital photos with software you run on your computer. Just like you drag-and-drop files on your computers desktop, with drop shots, you simply drag-and-drop your pictures from your camera to a folder on your computer, which then uploads them to the site.
Depending on your connection speed, your pictures appear moments later online for the whole world to see. DropShots also lets you upload short videos with the same simplicity, so that quick video of your kids playing soccer or a clip of their star performance in the school play can be seen around the globe.
DropShots service is available for free, but the free account is limited to a certain number of photos and videos.
A monthly fee of $4.99 you get unlimited sharing, extended video sharing, no ads and a handful of other benefits.
DotPhotoDotPhoto also lets you share your photos online. You upload your pictures through their Web site using a unique tool that lets you navigate your folder of photos on your computer visually, checking off the pictures you want to upload. You then click upload and, again depending on your connection speed, your photos are on their way to your album.
Once on the site, you can create albums to share with friends, adding titles and captions for each picture. Dotphoto also offers video sharing, but that service requires a monthly fee. Dotphoto is free, but for a fee (which varies from $1.99 to $14.99 depending on what level of service you want) you can get more online storage space, video sharing and a discounted price on photos you order as prints.
Kodak EasyShare GalleryThe arguable grandfather of online photo sites, Kodak EasyShare Gallery offers more than just a spot to share your photos. Uploading pictures to Kodak has gotten easier, you can use a tool on their Web site that lets you pick the pictures off your computer and then upload them.
Once on the site, you can create albums to share with friends, order prints, or order a variety of products featuring your photos -- like gift cards, coffee mugs and T-shirts. The site is free to upload your pictures. The only time you'll pay is when you order photos or photo products.
SnapFishSnapFish is the bringing-together of the new and the old. SnapFish will let you upload your digital photos, but you can also send in your traditional film.
Film is processed and turned into digital prints you can view on the site. The bonus? Instead of getting 24 or 36 prints back, you can go online and look over your photos, and order prints of your favorite pictures. You can also share your film pictures in albums just like you share your digital photos.
SnapFish will let you order prints, coffee mugs greeting cards and a whole host of other goodies that feature your photos. SnapFish is free to upload your digital prints, there are fee's involved for ordering prints, goodies and processing film.
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