Author Topic: PicLens Technology Preview (Read 8901 times)

zymmetricaldotcom · « **on:** March 17, 2008, 18:16 »

We are currently testing PicLens technology on Zymmetrical and welcome the informed feedback of the Microstockgroup'rs.

http://www.zymmetrical.com/info/labs/piclens/

Think beyond the browser
PicLens instantly transforms your browser into a full-screen, 3D experience for viewing images on the web. Photos will come to life via a cinematic presentation that goes well beyond the confines of the traditional browser window. With PicLens, browsing and viewing images on the web will never be the same again.

The new interactive "3D Wall" lets you effortlessly drag, click, and zoom your way around a wall of pictures for an extraordinary, full-screen viewing experience. Why mundanely flip through online photo galleries or squint at thumbnails when you can fly through an immersive, full-screen experience instead?

To use PicLens on Zymmetrical, please download the plugin from PicLens (http://www.piclens.com/). After installation, click 'Start Slide Show' on http://www.zymmetrical.com/info/labs/piclens/.

Pixart · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2008, 23:08 »

You cannot deny how cool PicLens is. It's been getting a lot of buzz the past few weeks.

Okay, I have to be honest, the only reason I downloaded the plugin was because two photos that I submitted today appear first on today's slideshow (flattery will get you everywhere) so that was enough incentive for me to try it.

Pros: Cool, innovative, slick. Nice collection of photos (presumably hand picked because there isn't really anything mediocre there).

Cons:
- Cool, innovative, slick
- activex plugin required
- When you click on a photo and click it again to the max screen, it looks horrible.
- There is no trail to purchase a specific photo or to go back to zymmetrical - (other than the visible watermark on the photo)
- Not searchable.
- May be too rapid - you just fly down the wall and miss half of the presenation.

I'm not sure of the purpose, is this a marketing tool? It's not very effective when it doesn't lead back to zymm or a specific photo purchase page. I could see it wowing customers at a trade show booth though.

I don't know, it could be very effective for a personal website, but I'm not sure about a business when you can't browse, toss a photo into your shopping cart or lightbox, and continue shopping.

It's fun for mindless browsing though.

ZymmMan · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2008, 16:15 »

Pixart,

Thanks for the feedback. The images are not handpicked but part of the incoming new submissions, as you noticed yourself.
- "When you click on a photo and click it again to the max screen, it looks horrible." that is because , in our lab we restricted the size of the preview on purpose to sizes which makes it unattractive to steal.
- "There is no trail to purchase a specific photo or to go back to zymmetrical - (other than the visible watermark on the photo)". Actually, if you click on the arrow on the top left, it brings you to the purchasing part of zymmetrical. We know, not very practical. working on that
- "Not searchable". Not yet

As you very well noticed, at this stage, it is more a marketing and showcase tool. We will enhance in the future to make it a true buying interface depending if we get enough positive feedback

A screenshot here :

Phil · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2008, 21:21 »

hi,

agree with pixart, its fun but how much value it is I really dont know.

My impressions were the same, not searchable, images are not nice when viewed large, path to buying but I see you have answered this. to me it should have some info with the image, name, contributor, price etc

I also found when you click to make them big and you get the bar of thumbnails on the bottom you then click on another thumbnail your image doesn't change (seems to be changing in the background) you have to zoom back out to make the image change to the one you selected.

Phil

snurder · « **Reply #4 on:** March 19, 2008, 15:27 »

As a former image buyer for clients, a lot from microstocks, the window dressing is of little value. The last thing I want to do is load yet another plugin. Just give me the stuff upfront, and a search utility that finds stuff quickly and easily.

Serious image buyers and designers, especially under a time crunch, really don't have time to play, or ooh and aah over a fancy slide show.

Not trying to rain on your parade or slam the concept, just my opinion from experience. Hopefully you will retain "standard viewing options" without having to DL a plugin.

Pixart · « **Reply #5 on:** March 19, 2008, 16:12 »

Follow up: I was just on Facebook for the first time in a while. I hovered over a photo, and a "play-me" type of arrow appeared so I pressed it thinking it was a video. I went to a PicLens screen that said "This site is not yet enabled".

Get the F*!K out of my browsing PicLens.

zymmetricaldotcom · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2008, 16:23 »

Wise words, pretty much in agreement. Plugins are a mixed bag, yes you will be missing a big crowd who will not (or just can not, as per the local IT dept's orders/implementation) install browser add ons.

For the keeners and independents, it is always a possibility to spend a few moments, evaluate a plugin ("does this look like spyware" would be my first thought on any such choice), install, and try it out. Question is, does it provide something of value? To this, I think, like our Firefox search plugin (which is live and fully endorsed), it's not something that everyone will need or use, it's just something thats a bit different and available.

It is pretty nice to zoom around the photos like you are MR. Anderson.. if we can figure out a way to address the concerns presented here then we will pursue the experiment. Otherwise it will go the way of the web dodo.

Quote from: snurder on March 19, 2008, 15:27

As a former image buyer for clients, a lot from microstocks, the window dressing is of little value. The last thing I want to do is load yet another plugin. Just give me the stuff upfront, and a search utility that finds stuff quickly and easily.

Serious image buyers and designers, especially under a time crunch, really don't have time to play, or ooh and aah over a fancy slide show.

Not trying to rain on your parade or slam the concept, just my opinion from experience. Hopefully you will retain "standard viewing options" without having to DL a plugin.

zymmetricaldotcom · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2008, 16:27 »

The plugin should only be activated on sites where they have actively adopted the system. Google images,Yahoo.. etc. They have to install the javascript code actively in the page to make anything of the sort occur.

I know Facebook just did some major changes (http://uk.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUKN1820871920080318) in the last days, maybe they buggered up something..

Really, nothing to be worried over, I can tell you as a codemonkey that there is nothing evil in the Piclens code. Just some fancy slideshows.

Quote from: Pixart on March 19, 2008, 16:12

Follow up: I was just on Facebook for the first time in a while. I hovered over a photo, and a "play-me" type of arrow appeared so I pressed it thinking it was a video. I went to a PicLens screen that said "This site is not yet enabled".

Get the F*!K out of my browsing PicLens.