pics

TwitPic snared by Google's malware detector

Google's Web site malware checker identified TwitPic as a security threat today, a classification that has the popular photo site baffled.

Instead of the usual archiving and sharing tools they are used to, users attempting to visit TwitPic today are being greeted by a message informing them that the site has been blocked because "visiting it now is very likely to infect your computer with malware."

TwitPic denied on Twitter that it was a malware threat and said it was trying to contact Google to resolve the issue:

Working to fix the google chrome malware notice when … Read more

Create photo collages with PicStory

This app offers one of the easiest and most effective ways to combine multiple photos into one work of art. If you want to combine some smartphone pictures but don't have the editing chops, then PicStory is for you. It gives you enough effects to add a nice touch of personality and even has a fun social networking element.

The app offers hundreds of combinations of frames, borders, and animations for you to choose from. You can unlock even more by downloading a few affiliated apps, but you probably won't need any more options. PicStory's photo editor … Read more

Migrate your Instagram pics to Flickr with ease

If the events surrounding Instagram over the last few days have made you want to close your account and start using a different service such as Flickr, we understand. But before you go and delete your Instagram account, wouldn't it be nice to have all of your photos imported to Flickr for you?

Check out @freethephotos to automagically migrate @instagram pics to @flickr bit.ly/VQ5wQs

-- Nan Palmero, MBA (@nanpalmero) December 19, 2012

As you can see from the tweet above, it's possible and the process is simple.

Freethephotos is a new Web site created during the … Read more

Simplify image editing with PicsArt, a handy mobile phone app

With its nice range of editing options combined with the simplicity of touch-screen controls, PicsArt is a handy photo-editing app.

The main interface is colorful, and the primary options to edit, add effects, access the camera, and create collages are easily accessible. Menus vary by task. In most cases, it only takes a couple of taps to add a border, remove red-eye, or apply one of the numerous effects. Other settings were quickly adjusted with a swipe to move a slider left or right. As the controls were simple and easy to understand, we could really focus on the fun … Read more

Your Facebook profile pic, shown in the Louvre

Seeking to modernize the staid "Baron Von Sitting Down" and "Madame Miss No Emotion" portrait genre of yore, a couple of London creatives have launched an initiative to get as many Facebook profile pics as possible into the world's leading museums.

"Each one of our profile pics is a statement about who we are," says the video for The Profile Picture Exhibition project, which I won't embed here due to its generous use of a word that starts with the same letter as Facebook does. "It's finally time we claimed our space in art history." … Read more

Get a design sidekick with PicPick

If you do any kind of digital art or design, we can't think of a reason you wouldn't want to have PicPick as your sidekick. This handy set of tools can handle many small yet important design-related tasks without the hassle of opening a full-blown design program.

PicPick has an attractive, no-nonsense interface that lists all of its features up front. And what a list it is; PicPick's capabilities include a variety of screen capture options, a color picker, a color palette, a magnifier, a pixel ruler, a crosshair, a protractor, and a whiteboard. The program also … Read more

Pic-Poster analyzes faces and image metadata to estimate the subject's age

Sometimes we get to try the most unique, unusual, and specialized software. For example, take SoftWeird's Pic-Poster. This unusual free tool analyzes faces and image metadata to estimate an individual's age range, based on initial data you enter. You can post your images online to view or share, too. It works with a wide range of images, but it's meant to be used on digital snapshots of individuals (like newborns) bearing date stamps and other metadata. Its chief purpose seems to be to help busy parents quickly sort through gigabytes of family snapshots without the help of … Read more

Instagram competitor PicPlz to shut down in July

Instagram competitor PicPlz will cease operation in July and delete all the images and data in its possession, the photo-sharing service announced this weekend.

The photo-sharing first announced the closure Friday on its Web site in a message that began, "It has been a pleasure bringing picplz to our users, but we have decided to move on to other projects and have made the tough decision to shut it down." The Seattle-based startup sent out a follow-up e-mail to users today:

On July 3, 2012, picplz will shut down permanently and all photos and data will be deleted. … Read more

Sexters who are all about caution: This app's for you

By now, we have all seen how it happens. Pictures from "stars," such as Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton, are leaked on the Web, and all the gossip Web sites spread the pics like wildfire. People also probably remember the scandals that followed Brett Favre and Congressman Anthony Weiner when their pics were leaked and went viral. Even worse, many people out of the public eye will send risque pics to their significant others only to find the pics online when the relationship turns sour.

SnapChat (free) is an app that puts a time limit on pics sent … Read more

Easily edit images online with PicMonkey

The plug gets pulled tomorrow on popular Web image editor PicNik, but do not despair. An intrepid band of PicNik engineers started up a new Web image editor, PicMonkey, which is free and easy to use. It doesn't require you to register -- just drag an image into PicMonkey to start using its wide array of image-editing tools.

After you drag a photo into PicMonkey.com, the image editor opens with your image on the right and the tools on the right. There are seven groups of tools: Basic Edits, Effects, Touch Up, Text, Overlays, Frames, and Textures.

In … Read more