Posts tagged with "camera"

This iPhone App Snaps Pictures With The Volume Buttons

Remember when Camera+ was removed from the App Store because the developers hid a feature in it that allowed you to snap pictures using the iPhone’s volume buttons? Apple didn’t want that and as far as I know they’re still going against apps that modify iOS’ standard functionalities such as volume adjustment. But then why is there an app in the App Store that lets you do just that? Quick Snap, available at $1.99 and released two weeks ago, enables you to take pictures using the physical volume buttons. I just bought the app and it works.

Not only does Quick Snap take pictures with the “+” volume button, it also triggers a timed shot with the other button. I don’t know how this app made its way into the App Store, also considering how much the developers promote the feature on the app’s description page. But other than that, the app isn’t really great. It’s got a less than decent UI and its animations when changing from portrait to landscape mode are slow. It saves pics to the camera roll, but it hasn’t got basic camera features such as zoom or tap to focus.

But hey, it’s got the volume buttons thing. If $1.99 is a good price for such functionality, then go ahead and buy it before Apple pulls it. I’m just surprised the App Review Team missed this one.

Update: And just as we expected, the app is gone. It wasn’t that great anyway.

Camera+ Sells 500,000 Copies, Jumps Behind Angry Birds

The highly anticipated new version of taptaptap’s Camera+ was released only two days ago, and while we’re still testing it in real-life situations before our huge review, we do think already it’s a great app update. In fact, Camera+ is one of our Top Camera Apps of 2010.

According to the numbers shared by taptaptap’s John Casasanta, Camera+ 2 has sold 500,000 copies so far. This made the app quickly climb the charts of the App Store, placing it at the #2 spot of overall Top Paid Apps right behind Angry Birds and above all the discounted EA games, which have taken over the iPhone and iPad App Store charts. Casasanta doesn’t know whether Camera+ will manage to get to #1 before the iTunes Connect shutdown (the App Store charts will be “frozen” from today until December 28th, and developers won’t be able to submit new apps, updates or price changes) or not, but releasing Camera+ this week was a clever marketing move nonetheless. They priced the app at $0.99 to celebrate the re-launch, put an additional effect pack in the app sold through in-app purchase and gained visibility thanks to all the blogs and Twitter users who mentioned Camera+ these 2 days. Thus, it got to #2 and it will likely stay there until next week. Very clever indeed.

Just as a reminder: the first version of Camera+ generated $250,000 in revenue in the first month of sales earlier this year. Well deserved.

Camera+ 2.0 Is Live In The App Store

As announced by tap tap tap yesterday, here comes a new version of Camera +. Camera + 2.0 is a major update that contains a huge list of new features and interface improvements, such as a redesigned lightbox, faster start-up times, a timer shooting mode, lots of new modes and effects. From a first look at the app, it looks like one massive update – which is free for existing users.

I’m testing the app right now and I can already say the tap tap tap developers really did a great job in optimizing everything to make the app faster. The SLR screen has been removed to let Camera+ start up directly to the camera UI, just like Apple’s own Camera app. The various shooting modes are accessible from a popover menu next to the camera button, timer shooting mode will let you choose between different intervals before shooting a picture. It’s really nice. The lightbox animations are faster, each photo has its own details such as ISO and location, there are several new effects available under the in-app purchase “I love Analog” pack. You can adjust these effects with a slider, and preview them as demo.

Everything feels new and improved in Camera+ 2.0. From a first quick run, I’m seriously impressed by what tap tap tap has achieved with “just an iPhone app”. The interface design elements on screen sport some beautiful pixels, too. Most of all, Camera+ doesn’t “force you” to share anything, I see it more as a full-featured replacement of the default Camera app that allows me to edit and apply neat effects to my photos, or not. Camera+ 2.0 – but this was a strong selling point of the first version, too – lets you decide whether you want to shoot, edit and share, or just shoot better (thanks to its multiple modes) and forget about it. I like choices.

The app is available here. Expect a detailed review soon on MacStories. Full changelog and screenshots below. Read more

WordLens Founder On The Limitations Of Augmented Reality Apps→

WordLens Founder On The Limitations Of AR Apps for iPhone

Interesting interview with Robert Scoble. Turns out on-the-fly video translations are a tricky thing to accomplish, the technology underlying the app is all custom and, hopefully, more European languages will be released in early 2011.

I’ve tested the app and it’s not perfect, but it sure looks impressive. I can’t wait for this to gain more languages and, as the founder says in the interview, the possibility to give “context” to words recognized by the camera.

That would be magical.

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Simulate Long Exposures With Magic Shutter

As the iPhone becomes just about everyone’s photographic tool of choice, developers keep inventing new ways to utilize our pocket devices in the same ways we would our DSLRs. Magic Shutter continues the trend of simply beautiful iPhone apps by simulating long exposures. Ever wanted to dabble with light photography or take one of those common but still cool blurry freeway pics? Magic Shutter allows you to blur images to achieve neat effects (suddenly that 10mph vehicle looks very fast) thanks to Flash mode and Light-painting mode. You already have an idea of the latter, but Flash mode takes a still object and records video post or pre-tail, ensuring you’ll get nifty effects for roller-coaster shots or your next NASCAR outtakes. Magic Shutter is $3 from the iTunes App Store, and makes a perfect gift for the photography buff in your family.

[Magic Shutter via Wired]

tap tap tap Releases Voices 2, Camera+ Is Coming Back

After months of silence following the removal of Camera+ from the App Store, the folks at well-known development team tap tap tap announced the released of a brand new version of Voices for iPhone, a popular app we reviewed last year that allows you apply cool effect to your voice using the device’s mic.

Together with the release of Voices 2, tap tap tap has confirmed Camera+ isn’t dead, they have a new version “in review” at Apple’s App Review Team and it should go live in the App Store any day now. They call the new Camera+ “their biggest update yet”. I’m kind of intrigued.

As for Voices 2, the developers have added Retina graphics for the iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4th gen, the possibility to edit recordings by choosing different effects, 9 new effects, AirPlay support. The new effects include stuff like “computer” (nice Macintosh in there!), “walkie-talkie” and “underwater”. I’m pretty sure the app will turn out to be the perfect prank maker this holiday season, especially with AirPlay support that will let me record creepy messages and send them through the house on Christmas day.

Voices 2 is a free update for existing users and you can check out the new effect by visiting this link, where the devs have set up a demo section to test the new features. You can buy Voices 2 for $0.99 in the App Store.

That said, while Voices 2 “sounds” like a great update, I’m looking forward to seeing the new Camera+ now. I loved the app, one day it was there and then it was gone. I used it on a daily basis, then the iOS updates Apple release made it unusable. Hopefully, Camera+ will be released before Thursday.

iPhone 3G Still The Top Camera On Flickr→

iPhone 3G Still The Top Camera On Flickr

Slightly updated charts from Flickr, which show Apple’s iPhone 3G (released in 2008) is still the most popular camera amongst Flickr users. The iPhone 4 had a rapid increase in the Popular Cameraphones category, with the 3GS stable right below it.

Also, notice the perfect symmetry in the iPhone 4 and 3GS charts.

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MacStories’ 2010 Roundup: Top 10 iPhone Camera Apps

Welcome to MacStories’ 2010 Roundup! In this new series, we collect the best apps released in 2010 for the Mac, iPhone and iPad — apps we have probably already featured here on MacStories. Only the best apps, both free and paid. Apps you shouldn’t miss.

For me, 2010 has been the year of the iPhone camera. Since I bought my French iPhone 4 in June for a whoppin’ 800 Euros (don’t even ask), I’ve been shooting photos like never before. Sure, I know the iPhone 4 is still a cellphone and true photos don’t come from a phone. I’m OK with that. But I’m no professional photographer, nor am I willing to spend money on a DSLR. Not because I disdain quality – I just wouldn’t know how to fully enjoy it. Leave the pro tools to the pros. For me, the iPhone 4’s camera is good enough to provide photos I like, that I can share with my friends.

Which leads me to apps. The iPhone’s camera is great, but apps are there to enrich its functionalities. Apps with built-in sharing features, apps with filters, apps that rely on their own social network, apps aimed at completely replacing the stock camera…the selection is huge. Photography is, indeed, one of the best selling categories in the App Store right behind Games and Productivity.

In this second MacStories’ 2010 Roundup we have collected the top 10 camera apps for the iPhone. We could have included more, but these are the ones that in our opinion really stood out this year. So head past the break, and check out the Top 10 iPhone Camera Apps of 2010. Read more