iPhone share | Everything iPhone Photo

Google+, the social sharing service from Google, has its lovers and haters. Google has tweaked it from time to time to get it to match a plan they have. While I post there and enjoy viewing many photographers work, it has never caught on as my first social solution when I want to get the word out. That is just me, your milage will vary.

Many updates appear to be to tie Google+ more directly into Google’s other services, and in some cases for enhancements to replace the need of those other services. One area of enhancements has been the improvements to the photo editing features. There is still the ‘quick filters’ for effect, but now there are other enhancements in the area of pinpointing photo turning.

The photo editing features are available on either the iPhone or iPad via the free Google+ app. It does require you have a Google+ account, but you are not forced to ever post any of your images to Google+. That said, inside of Google+ is the feature to auto sync all of your photos to the Google online storage if you would rather use another service than the iCloud/iPhoto builtin option.

Starting off, the app lets you take a photo or edit one you took previously. Across the top is a Cancel (exit without saving any edits), an undo, a mirror flip and ‘Done’. After you complete your edits, the photo can be saved to the iPhone’s photo library or shared for others to see on Google+. Across the bottom of the first screen is Google’s Auto Enhancement too (it does allow a slight bit of control over the amount of ‘auto’ applied), then the Crop and Rotate tools. I’m amazed at how few photo editing apps do not include a ‘rotate’. A quick win for Google+ photo editor.

Swipe across the bottom of the screen’s menu to go to the pre-configured filters.

Choosing a Google+ photo editor effect filter opens to a group of finer detailed options in that area of filters. Generally, these can be selected to fine tune the amount of the effect applied too.

The pinpoint editing option allows for taping a location, adjusting the size of the area to be impacted, then swipe left/right for the amount of the effect. A swipe up/down offers more options for the tuning. The app allows for multiple points to be selected and tuned (individually) without having to exit and return to the photo like other pinpoint solutions do.

The Poke feature of Facebook has been around since near the start of Facebook. You can ‘poke’ someone like a tap on their shoulder as you walk down the hall. They have shared a brief second with you and time moves on. Why, well… not sure beyond letting someone know your thinking about them.

An app, ‘Snapchat’ took that a step further by letting you remind them that your thinking of them with a photo. Instead of just sending a text message with a photo attached, you can use the app which will limit the length of time the photo will be viewable. Perhaps it could be used to show someone a interesting thing that is happening without worrying about the photo being shared or cluttering up the recipient’s iPhone photo library.

Facebook has taken their Poke feature and made it into a free iPhone app now. You can choose to ‘poke’ someone, you can send them a photo, a bit of text or even a short video. All will be viewable for the receiving person (Facebook contact) for how long you allow and then go away.

After you choose the type of ‘Poke’ you wish to send, like the photo below, you can do a little tuning and set how long the photo will be viewable to the person your sending it to. When you tap ‘Next’, you are presented with a lit of folks your connected to on Facebook allowing for one or many to be chosen. After you send, the Poke and who you sent it to is added to your list of ‘sent’. The list can be cleared if you do not want the history kept.

But, if someone was fast when their view a photo you send them with Poke, why couldn’t they just take a screen capture of the image. According to the ‘Help’ area, the sender gets a message that a screen capture was snapped. Of course, there are apps that record all actions when an app is open so that wouldn’t register as a screenshot. Also, they could snap a photo of the iPhone screen using a second device so don’t be misguided into sending something that could haunt you later thinking it will go away forever when Poke auto deletes.