Google is testing a new service that picks your best photos and sends the prints automatically

midian182

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In a nutshell: If you always mean to get your favorite digital photos printed but usually forget, a new Google service could be for you. For a monthly fee, the company will automatically pick the best ten photos you’ve taken over the last 30 days and send them out as 4 x 6-inch prints.

9to5Google reports that the service is part of Google Photos and costs $7.99 per month. Rather than requiring users to choose which images they want printed, Google’s algorithms will select them automatically.

Subscribers do have the option of prioritizing certain types of images by picking one of three themes for their monthly prints. These are ‘Mostly people and pets,’ which is pretty self-explanatory; ‘Mostly landscapes,’ covering the likes of outdoor shots, cityscapes, and scenery pics; and ‘A little bit of everything,’ combining the previous two categories along with other photos. Users can also edit the images before they're printed.

The printed photos come on matte, white cardstock with a 1/8 border and are delivered in a cardboard envelope. Google says they are “perfect to put on the fridge, in a frame, or to give as gifts to the important.”

One of the services Google Photos offers is direct photo print ordering from Walmart or CVS, which starts at $0.25 each. That’s cheaper than the $0.79 per print charged by the subscription service, but not having to choose the photos and getting them delivered will likely appeal to plenty of people.

The print subscription service is still in a trial period in the US. Those selected will get a “You’re invited to the monthly photo prints trial” banner at the top of Google Photos on the web.

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Lol, I’d rather superglue myself to a rabid hamster than use a google service again. They can keep their grubby mits well away from my data and photos.

Of course this is a bit steep, you can get a photo printer for around $100 with plenty of paper, meaning that if you plan to use this service for more than a year you’re better off just buying your own printer..
 
I have an AAS degree in photography. I think I have retained enough of my education to be able to evaluate my own work.

Beside, if it's worth printing at all, it's worth going to 11" x 14" or larger.
 
After working 10 years in the commercial photography business I certainly don't need google to pick anything for me! I doubt they even know what a Deardorff camera is much less would know how to deal with an 8x10 negative! (Apologies to the Gods of large format for even mentioning them along with google)
 
No thank you. I don't need Google perusing and spying on my photos. Summarily disabled. Doesn't anyone find this creepy?
 
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