BETA

Potentially Asked Questions

These are "potentially" asked because, as PhotoAppMaker is new, nobody has asked anything yet. But, in case they do...

What's the difference between a PhotoApp and just accessing an album on a web site?

A few differences: PhotoApps act much more like apps, with swiping to change photos, for example. They're your very own app, not just a link to a web site. Most importantly, if the photos fit in the application cache, you can use a PhotoApp even when you're offline.

Why only two free apps?

Because two is enough to try out PhotoAppMaker. Paid apps are really cheap!

Can I keep editing an app instead of paying for a new one?

Yes, but anyone using the app will eventually get the new photos. So, you can't make an app for Jill & Bob's wedding one week and then reuse it for Mary & Steve's wedding the next week.

Where are PhotoApps hosted?

The HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and icons are hosted on PhotoAppMaker's web site. Photos themselves are referenced directly from their source (Facebook, Flickr, SmugMug, etc.).

What happens if I delete or change a photo at the source (e.g., SmugMug)?

If the old photo is cached on a user's device, he or she will continue to see the old one. They may at any point start seeing the new one instead if their cache gets emptied. If you remake the PhotoApp, they will see the new photo sooner, although there will still be a delay (hours or days). If the photo is gone but the PhotoApp isn't remade, users may see a placeholder rather than an actual photo.

Why can't I delete PhotoApps?

This may be provided at some point. The difficulty is that users still have the PhotoApp on their devices, and there's no practical way to automatically inform them that it's invalid.

Will there be more sources than just Facebook, Flickr, and SmugMug?

Yes, definitely. Send an email to customer service if you have any requests.

What about a Lightroom plugin?

Here's one for Flickr. It exports to Flickr and makes the PhotoApp in one step.

Why do I have to use one a photo-sharing site? I want to just upload my photos to PhotoAppMaker, or reference them on my own web site.

We're working on something like this, and we'll announce details when we have them.

I saved a PhotoApp to my home screen, but I can't see photos unless I'm online.

The application cache, where photos and other resources are stored, has undocumented limits. Your PhotoApp probably exceeds those limits. Try smaller photos and, if that doesn't work, fewer photos. (These limits are likely to increase over the next few years as devices get more memory.) For more information se the Photo Minimization page.

What's the best size for a photo?

If you only want iPhone-sized PhotoApps, size your photos to 456x456 before you upload them to your photo-sharing site. For both iPhone-sized and iPad-sized, size them to 968x968. These are the smallest sizes that will fit the screen; anything bigger will be resized by the PhotoApp, and PhotoAppMaker will try to choose the best size to start with from the sizes offered by the photo-sharing site.

Why do I just get the whole album? I want to select individual photos, rearrange them, crop them, and more.

PhotoAppMaker isn't a photo-hosting site, and all of those features get really complicated. That's what SmugMug and Flickr are good at. Facebook, too, to a lesser extent. Set up the album or set the way you want it, and then make the PhotoApp.

I want feature X (my own icon, more slideshow options, etc., etc.).

Send an email to customer service with your ideas and we'll add them to our request list. No promises, though.

Why can't users get PhotoApps from the Apple App Store?

Because there's no practical way for customers to submit apps to the App Store. Only developers who've signed up with Apple and paid a fee can do that. Accessing PhotoApps with just a URL that can be posted anywhere or emailed is much easier, and it doesn't involve Apple.

PhotoApps don't seem to be very secure, what with no password or other protection.

A PhotoApp URL is almost impossible to guess. If you don't want it to be accessible to everyone, don't make the URL available to everyone. That is, a PhotoApp URL is in effect a password.

What systems and browsers does PhotoAppMaker support?

The web site PhotoAppMaker.com, for making PhotoApps, should run on any current browser such as Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer, on OS X, Windows, or even Linux. It also works on iPhones, iPods, and iPads. PhotoApps themselves are intended only for mobile devices with touchscreens. There is limited support on non-mobile desktops and laptops running Safari or Firefox, but not Internet Explorer.