Photo Infos: Nikon upgrades my Picturetown, its image sharing and storage service

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the latest version of my Picturetown (http://mypicturetown.com), Nikon's image sharing and storage service, with a host of new functions.

This latest version provides greater collaboration with Facebook, allowing users to post links to shared albums directly to Facebook, use their list of Facebook friends to send links to shared albums, and post to or play Motion Snapshot* files from Facebook. Motion Snapshot is a feature that proposes a new form of imaging expression. It is built into Nikon's latest advanced cameras with interchangeable lenses, the Nikon 1 J1 and V1. In addition, new functions have been added for Gold Account members (those currently paying a fee for additional storage space), including one that allows users to password protect shared albums.

*In Motion Snapshot mode, simply pressing the shutter-release button records a still image and about a second of high-resolution, slow-motion movie footage beginning before and ending after the time the shutter-release button was pressed. With playback of movie footage at 0.4x normal speed, the still image, and background music, Motion Snapshot allows users to express impressive moments that show slight changes in expression, the entertaining actions of children or pets, the rustling of tree leaves, or fluctuations in nature.

In August of last year, Nikon celebrated the fourth anniversary of the my Picturetown service. With the development of new functions and services, and improvements to those with which members have become familiar, Nikon and my Picturetown continue to propose new ways of enjoying digital photos.

my Picturetown

Primary new my Picturetown functions

Post links to shared albums on Facebook Users can post links to shared albums on Facebook. This allows users to quickly and easily share albums containing a large number of photos with their Facebook friends without uploading the photos directly to Facebook.
- Post to and play Motion Snapshot files from Facebook
  
  Users can post links to album pages for Motion Snapshot files recorded with Nikon 1 cameras to Facebook. When friends click on the link, they are transferred to the album page where they can play the Motion Snapshot files. This allows users to share Motion Snapshot, a new form of imaging expression proposed by Nikon that combines a still image with movie footage, with close family and friends.
  
  Dedicated album page
Use your list of Facebook friends to send links to shared albums When sharing my Picturetown albums, the user's list of Facebook friends can be brought up to select friends as recipients. A link to the shared album is then posted on selected friends' Facebook.
More functions for Gold Account* members Users can protect albums shared via Facebook or email with a password, allowing them to control who can view the photos in the album. Features for more secure sharing of albums, including the ability to set permissions for downloading photos from shared albums as well as permissions for downloading photos at their original size, have also been added.
- *Members currently paying a fee for additional storage space.

Other features

Links to shared albums can also be posted to Twitter or sent via e-mail
New design templates for shared albums have been added
Facebook app (an application that allows users to view photos and shared albums posted to Facebook)

Overview of the my Picturetown service

Service name	my Picturetown http://mypicturetown.com/
Site upgrade activation	February 17, 2012
Types of accounts	Free account (no charge, up to 2-GB storage) Gold account (fee charged, up to 200-GB storage in units of 20 GB each) Membership fee ¥350/month (tax included) for each 20-GB unit of storage space *Membership fee varies by country or region