Phanfare: Online Digital Photos

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We are always trying to find the "best" in class for our readers. There are many online photo sites in operation. Some have been around for years and others are relatively new. Often the new ones survey the scene and take lessons from the rest to come up with a "better mousetrap" --not being bound by older technology. Such is the case with Phanfare, Inc.

One of my main complaints about some of the older services we have reviewed are the fact that they often take what seems like an eternity to download and, even then, some do not accept the full resolution your digital images have to offer. They immediately compress them in various degrees before printing and storage. Many of these services are free --they just want you to buy prints from them. If all you want is cheap prints, some do a pretty good job.

Phanfare is another story; it's a young company offering a unique image storage and sharing solution that allows you to easily share an unlimited amount of digital photos and videos with friends and family.

Again, the old adage "you get what you pay for" applies here. New Jersey-based Phanfare is a subscription-based online photo and video sharing service that provides private, permanent, advertising-free online storage, albums, and printing. Phanfare also offers personalized Web galleries with unlimited storage of your important full resolution images—yes, I did say full resolution, and that is a big, big deal for those of us that care about our photography. Check around, and see how many of the other services offer full resolution storage. If you find a better, cheaper one, please let us know!

Powerful, yet easy-to-use Phanfare software simplifies the time and effort required to upload, share and maintain your online photos and albums. And since the service is subscription-based, there is no need to purchase anything ever in order to keep your albums online and your full resolution images accessible anytime, anyplace. Some of the other on-line services either toss your images if you don't order something from them within a certain period of time, or in another case, store them, but compress the files so much (to keep their storage needs down) that there is little life left in your once-great digital files.

Finally, and importantly, I consider Phanfare to be a reliable back-up, off-site storage solution for my pictures. Who knows when your hard drive might crash? Considering all that you get, the cost is a most reasonable $6.95 a month, $54.95 a year, or $299.95 for a lifetime membership. Phanfare works with both PCs and Macs. Why don't you check it out and download a free trial; just visit www.phanfare.com.

John Lentz Jr.

UPDATE 1/09/08: Phanfare now FREE (up to 1GB)-- Phanfare Relaunches as a Photo and Video Sharing Network for Families