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Microsoft Plans Flickr Competitor

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the piktrs-maybe-or-photoz dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Judging by newly posted job calls, Microsoft is now working on a Flickr-like online photo service. ZDNet reports: '"This feature team is building a next-generation photo and video sharing service that will compete with Flickr, SmugMug and other photo web solutions today. This is a 'v1' opportunity," the ad said. And video will be a part of the effort, too: "This role will work across the new Windows Live division with teams like Spaces, SkyDrive, Messenger and Hotmail to construct a winning strategy for Microsoft in photo and video sharing." Evidently, Microsoft sees the effort as an online extension of its current desktop technology.' Gundeep Hora, at CoolTechZone, feels that such a service is unlikely to succeed, and lays out the numerous challenges the company will face upon entering the market."

4 of 156 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Say what? by caffeinemessiah · · Score: 3, Informative

    Don't write off MS on this one just yet. There are some very talented people at MS Research who have been working on some really cool algorithms for photo manipulation: Phototours, Groupshot, Photosynth. If they manage to string it all together in a decent UI, it might be MS's best and most successful effort at something cool and useful.

    --
    An old-timer with old-timey ideas.
  2. Re:come on MS.... by pthor1231 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Hotmail was bought out by MS as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail#Development_history

  3. You can select friends and or family only... by celardore · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have a pro account on Flickr, which is nice. I use Flickr uploader and default them all to private (me only), then I sort through and adjust permissions. Some I make public, some I make family only, some friends only, and some are open to both friends & family.

    The catch is that your friends & family have to register with yahoo.

    1. Re:You can select friends and or family only... by Wanderer2 · · Score: 4, Informative

      The catch is that your friends & family have to register with yahoo.

      Not completely true. You can give friends and family special "guest pass" urls that allow them to look at non-public photos of your choice without needing to register with flickr/Yahoo.

      Linky

      Of course, they can't comment etc. unless they register. They can only view.

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      I say we take-off and slashdot the site from orbit... it's the only way to be sure