News tagged with "google"

Google+ has introduced improved Raw-to-JPEG conversion for a number of cameras with some help from Nik Photography. As before, Raw files may be uploaded to Google+ for storage, and are automatically converted to JPEGs for previewing. The conversion from Raw has been fine-tuned for about 70 cameras, including high-end models like the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Nikon D800 and D800E. Click through for the full list of cameras and see how it handles a Raw file from the Sony RX100.

What happens when you give Google Glass to a skilled photographer? Richard Koci Hernandez is a San Francisco Bay Area-based photojournalist and prolific iPhone photographer who's recently been trying Google's new wearable technology to capture his surroundings. See how his style translates behind Google Glass, today on connect.dpreview.com.

Connect, our sister site has just published a roundup of this week's photography-related app news. From major updates to Google+'s mobile app to new apps for iOS users including AnalogCamera, Oggl and Viewmatic, there's plenty going on. Click through to connect.dpreview.com for more details. 

At last week's I/O developer conference Google announced a number of upgrades to the photo section of its Google+ social network, including features such as 'Auto-Highlight', 'Auto-Enhance' and 'Auto'-Awesome'. To make the same experience available on its mobile platform the search giant has released an upgraded Google+ app for Android. Click through to Connect to find out more.

At its I/O developers conference a couple of days ago Google introduced various updates to its Google+ social networking platform, many of which will be of interest to photographers. As well as changes to layout, images can be 'auto-enhanced', made into panoramas and animations, and the system can also select the best facial expressions in group shots. Click through for more details on connect.dpreview.com.

While the sketch comedy television show Saturday Night Live mocked the awkwardness of Google Glass wearers this week, the Wall Street Journal offered up an etiquette guide for Glass wearers. Even Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt has warned we will have 'develop some new social etiquette' to accommodate the new technology. WSJ's advice covers when and where to don the wearable tech, and more tips for early adopters. Read on at connect.dpreview.com. 

Google's 'Project Glass' has seen quite a bit of buzz since the wearable communication device was made available to a limited amount of beta testers earlier this year. In an interview with the BBC, Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt discussed when Google Glass will be commercially available and how the device will change human interaction and social norms. We look further into Google Glass at connect.dpreview.com.

As Google Glass beta testers - so-called 'Explorers' - prepare to receive the first round of the wearable augmented reality tech, Google is also bracing the rest of us for what's to come. The company is pushing the Glass announcements this week with the release of its MyGlass app in the Google Play store and a developer preview of the Mirror API, along with the most revealing tech specs we've seen yet. Click through to check out the detailed specs and more at connect.dpreview.com.

Online user experience company Teehan + Lax has created a free tool for creating 'hyperlapse' videos using Google Street View. The term 'hyperlapse' describes timelapse videos which incorporate camera movement - something that is typically extremely difficult and time-consuming to perfect. The team at Teehan + Lax began experimenting with Google Street View as a guide for choosing locations, but realised that it could be used as source material. Click through for more details. 

As Google Glass and other wearable cameras look to become the latest tech trend, some futurists are raising the red flag of caution. If everyone is wearing a constantly recording, super subtle camera, what are the implications for personal privacy, the law and our own safety? We look at some interesting implications of this new technology and the ways it could change our society at connect.dpreview.com.

Google has announced the Nik Collection, a bundle of all six of Nik software's imaging plugins for $149, or 70% off the original price. Consisting of Dfine 2.0, Viveza 2, HDR Efex Pro 2, Color Efex Pro 4 Complete Edition, Silver Efex Pro 2, and Sharpener Pro 3.0, the collection uses a single installer which is compatible with Adobe Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and Lightroom, and Apple Aperture. It's available now as a download from the Nik Software site for $149, with a 15-day free trial available. Google is also offering existing users of any Nik plugin the entire collection for free. Click through for more details on Connect.

Google has updated its Google+ social media app for both Android and iOS. The latest version of the iOS app adds some of the company's Snapseed app features including basic editing tools and a limited selection of filters. While the Android version doesn't offer the Snapseed features yet, like the iOS app it offers the ability to share location, and improves the way one can see images and interact through posts. Click through to read more about the updates at connect.dpreview.com.

Frustrated by size limitations when uploading images to Google+, photographer Trey Ratcliff discovered a way to get around the limitations, and upload original full-resolution photos. In a blog post, he has put together a step-by-step guide on how to do it, which involves using Google Drive - Google's cloud storage service - and sharing images directly from there to Google+. Click through to read about how - and why - he did it. (via Reddit)

Google has announced it will no longer sell the desktop version of its Snapseed image editing application for both Windows and Mac. Existing customers will continue receive support and updates. The company will continue to offer the Snapseed mobile app on iOS and Android. In a blog post, the company has announced, as a part of its 'spring cleaning' it has decided to shut down Snapseed and Google Reader, among other products. Click through for Google's full statement and a link to our review of Snapseed for Mac, published last year. 

Users looking for their Picasa Web Albums are now redirected to Google+ Photos. This change comes on the heels of Google's announcement in December 2012 saying the company's social media channel 'Google+ is the new home for your photos.' Two updates to Picasa's desktop app also promoted Google+ integration, encouraging users to tag photos with Google+ contacts and Circles. Click through for more information and to find out how to still access your pictures on Picasa.

Google has announced the addition of a photo and video preview feature to its Drive cloud-storage service. Following the lead of competitor Dropbox, Google Drive now allow users to navigate photo and video files in a preview screen. Currently this feature is available only for its Android app users. The browser-based version of Google Drive will be updated in the next few days. Learn more about what file types are supported on connect.dpreview.com.

Google has announced that its 'Glass' interactive head-mounted camera is now available for beta testing. Users who want to get their hands on an early version of the augmented eyewear can apply on social media channels, Google+ or Twitter. The company released a video today to promote the technology, showing what the world looks like through its camera. Read more about the Google Glass and instructions to sign up for beta testing on connect.dpreview.com

Google has rolled out an updated version of its Image Search feature with faster browsing speeds and a redesigned UI. Users can now view larger versions of images in a preview window with an option to flip through images using arrow keys, and limited metadata, including the pixel dimensions of the original file, is displayed alongside the thumbnail. Click through for more information and a link to Google's blog post.

Financial news service Bloomberg is reporting Apple and Google are working together to purchase some of Kodak's imaging patents. The companies are said to be working together - lending more weight to reports in the Wall Street Journal from back in August. The story suggests the two companies, along with the groups of smaller companies with whom they'd been preparing bids, will offer more than $500m for the patents. Such a figure would give Kodak access to $830m of external funding that is dependent on the value of the patent deal.

Google has added Communities, the ability to create topic-focused groups, to its Google+ social network. The Communities option makes it easier for people with common interests to discuss and share photos around themes. Connect has highlighted a couple of photography-related groups that have already started to attract members.