Adobe plans to launch a new app and service for Apple devices called Carousel. The service will allow users to automatically upload, store, and sync photos from multiple devices, create galleries, and perform non-destructive editing on photos by keeping originals stored on Adobe’s servers.
With the exception of the non-destructive editing feature, Carousel sounds similar to Apple’s existing MobileMe Gallery and pending iCloud Photo Stream features. Crave reports that the service has some potentially hamstringing restrictions as well: users are limited to only five Carousels and can share each with only four other people, viewing Carousels requires downloading the app first, and the service only works on iPads, iPhone 3GS or later, the fourth-generation iPod touch, and Macs running OS X Lion. Windows and Android users need not apply, at least for now.
Since this is Adobe, the service also comes with a hefty price tag. After a 30-day free trial, the service costs US$5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. After January, however, the price will rise to $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Granted, that is for “unlimited” photo storage, while iCloud’s free Photo Stream will store only your latest 1000 photos. However, even as someone with close to 100 GB of photos lurking on the various hard drives scattered through my house, Carousel’s limited audience and high price has put me off. Professional photographers with huge libraries might want to give Carousel a go, but beyond that it’s hard to see the service gaining much traction.
Carousel should be available in the App Store later this month. Once it’s available, we’ll take a look at it and see if it lives up to its price.
Adobe Carousel uploads, syncs photos with Apple devices originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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