It’s time to do with away the construction paper, scissors and glue, as the activity of group scrapbooking is going virtual with the launch of ZangZing, a group photo sharing Web service that allows groups of friends to collaboratively create and share albums.
Described by the service’s CEO and founder, Joseph Ansanelli, as a new way for groups to “easily create and share albums together in a way that is much more simple and beautiful,” ZangZing takes the collection and compilation of photos from both Web and mobile repositories to another level. Using photo storage applications such as Facebook, Picasa, Instagram, Flickr, Shutterfly and Kodak Gallery, users can import images through e-mail or the ZangZing uploader to work together on the photo album creation process.
According to Mashable, each album comes with individual privacy and sharing settings in addition to a customized e-mail address for posting to Facebook and Twitter, if its users desire to share the album with friends and family. Much like Facebook, albums can be viewed in a slideshow or grid-like timeline for viewers to “like” and share.
ZingZang differs from most photo-sharing services like the thriving iPhone application Instagram, in that it isn’t available in a mobile version. One of the App Store’s most popular photo-sharing and editing applications, Instagram announced back in February that it raised $7 million in first-round funding. Its enormous success since its October 2010 launch can be attributed to the iPhone’s five-megapixel camera, which is capable of taking high-resolution photographs. The app allows users to apply filters to their photos, post them to various social networking sites as well as follow and interact with other users.
“There's this new wave of folks that are obsessed with mobile phones and obsessed with taking photos of the little but beautiful parts of their day, like sunsets,” said Kevin Systrom, co-founder and CEO of Instagram, as reported by TechZone360.”People are now sharing their lives as they happen.”
While ZingZang is Web-based, it could take some time for it to see as much success as its fellow photo-sharing services in the mobile photo-sharing spectrum. However, the beta is available today to scrapbooking and photo-sharing fiends alike for free. The startup product will come with fees for extra storage at a future date.
Tammy Wolf is a TechZone360 web editor. She covers a wide range of topics, including IP communications and information technology. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell
