Alltel this week launched a picture service that automatically transfers photographs snapped with the phone’s camera to a customer’s PC or online photo websites.
Called PhotoCopter (pdf), the solution uses Ontela technology to create a bridge between the phone and the network. It uses Alltel’s CDMA 1X and EV-DO network to upload photos as soon as soon as they’re taken.
The Ontela server then distributes the photo to selected photo-sharing or storage sites — such as Photobucket, Snapfish, Flickr or Blogger. It sends photos via e-mail to predetermined address and directly to a PC’s My Photos folder using Ontela synchronization software.
According to Ontela, most people take pictures and leave them on the phone until they’re deleted. The primary means for moving photos off the phone have been direct connections to a PC or MMS, which embeds only a low-resolution version of the photo into a multimedia message.
Alltel’s PhotoCopter uploads photos automatically in the background. Alltel is charging $3 a month for service, but that doesn’t include data charges.
Trigger-happy photographers could easily run up heavy data bills without realizing it. Alltel, therefore, said it is recommending to all customers of the service to sign up for its All Axcess unlimited data plan at $20 a month.
The service requires a BREW application on the handset, which Ontela has so far configured for most of Alltel’s current line of Motorola phones. The company said it planned to have the application available on more devices shortly.
The application competes against ShoZu, PixSense, and fellow Seattle-based Dashwire (video tour). PixSense’s PSP technology, which uses Java, BREW or smartphone operating systems, automatically uploads content to a Website and then allows the sharing of content back and forth between a phone and a PC.
Wireless Week reviews other camera sharing software such as SendPhotos Mobile and Myxer which has a mobile blogging widget to send photos from a phone to sites like MySpace or Web pages.
JuiceCaster, a social networking service, is launching on T-Mobile USA in May.
The application, which costs $2.99 for unlimited use, allows users one-stop access to a number of online social nets. It lets you capture pictures and videos on your camera phone and post instantly to hundreds of popular social networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, and Blogger. T-Mobile joins Alltel, US Cellular and Cricket Wireless as US operators who provide JuiceCaster to their mobile subscribers.
Live video sites include Stickam, which lets you host your own live show, BlogTv, which records your broadcast live and archives it, and Mogulus, focused on live video production tools like storyboarding, that allows you to insert videos or graphics into your feed. Justin.tv, centered around one of the co-founders, Justin Kan, streams his life 24/7 from a head cam. Vimeo allows users to upload and stream high-definition video for free.
Strategy Analytics, estimates 1 billion cameraphones are now available, and says improved cameraphone image quality is encouraging many consumers to swap out their old phones.
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