Monthly Archives: December 2018

Create a New Year’s Resolution Vision Board for 2019

Posted on December 31, 2018 by

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADid you know that one of the biggest recent break-out pop stars, Meghan Trainor, created a vision board to map out her success? Before she made it to the top of the charts, she used a vision board to remind her of what she wanted to achieve, including a record deal, and a photo of the Grammy’s. Trainor then went on to achieve those things and more—and you could do the same in the coming New Year.


Now’s the perfect time to create a New Year’s resolution vision board that will help you paint the picture you want to see for your life in 2019.


What is a vision board?

For the New Year, here is a DIY project to create your own ‘vision board’

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Legacybox® and Southtree® vs ScanMyPhotos®: The Photo Scanning “Review”

Posted on December 20, 2018 by

Opinion: Comparing and contrasting (mostly contrasting) Southtree® and Legacybox® withScanMyPhotos.com®. The Photo Scanning review.


Let’s start here to set the scene, via Inside Edition:


 

[Updated 7-6-2021]

Start here and view these extraordinary customer reviews from Trustpilot.


[Updated 12-11-2019]

Are you familiar with any business that reports (without including the methodology) having “at or above 97% customer satisfaction rate?” We aren’t. Yet this Businesswire news release claims that to be the case at Legacybox. Legacybox and Southtree vs ScanMyPhotos.

How about when the same company posts comparative reviews for two of their same services, but with different names. Posting “reviews” without a disclaimer that they are one and the same parent company? The story: “KODAK VS. LEGACYBOX”


A personal narrative on Legacybox and Southtree’s business practices. This is tough to share as we celebrate all competition.


image1 300x143 - Legacybox® and Southtree® vs ScanMyPhotos®: The Photo Scanning "Review"Before reading this report. An update. ScanMyPhotos.com professionally digitizes all your photos this fast.


While we have scanned six hundred million images, it is news stories like these that made us so popular, but no order is more precious or important than yours. We are here to help. For loads of photo tips, news updates, and crazy-discounted deals, sign up to receive free updates.


Before choosing a photo digitization service, and there are many smart options available, But, first read the reviews. Sure we all get an occasional one-star review and there is usually a backstory behind it. Read for more details on Legacybox and Southtree vs ScanMyPhotos.


What you are hearing and reading about Legacybox and Southtree is why we are sharing our opinion. Listen to their customers. This below narrative explains why to review every company before ordering.


You know you are in trouble when former customers share their stories with the competition. In the case of ScanMyPhotos, our order desk regularly hears stories from people who first went to Legacybox and its other brand Southtree  [“AMB Media LLP“].


 

IMG 9652 300x187 - Legacybox® and Southtree® vs ScanMyPhotos®: The Photo Scanning "Review"

[12/19/18 UPDATE: The new Legacybox Sirius Radio advertisement we just heard proclaims that they are the “most trusted” photo scanning service. We beg to differ].


Character counts in relationships and when deciding whether to trust a business. It is often the intangibles, those signals you pick up that determine how credible a company is. When it comes to businesses, an easy monitor is to Google them. Type: “[business name] + complaints,” “[business name] + reviews,” “[business name] + BBB,” or “[business name] + Yelp.”


The best way to win over customers is by being honest. Work extra hard as a service provider and to excel with a higher level of service. Honesty is always the best policy, especially when supported by a guarantee of exceptional service! When you order from them, see if there is an added charge for digital media? When you buy gas for your car, should you pay extra to pump it, or ordering at a restaurant and forced to pay extra for it to be delivered to the table? We are reading more complaints that they charge extra to get your digitized content returned.


https://twitter.com/jcbivins/status/1126857209311264768


We compiled an ocean-sized list of reviews and even three consumer affairs TV news links from Massachusetts, Arizona, and California that were shared with us. Having pioneered bulk photo scanning, ScanMyPhotos had looked the other way when digital imaging vendors infrequently did things that hindered the important legacy of helping many preserve their pictures.


 


Beyond the complaints are these separate TV news consumer reports filed across the nation in three top markets concerning Southtree and Legacybox. Check for yourself, but here is a sampling of the worst of the worst NBC-10 Boston TV Consumer Report


ABC-7 San Francisco TV Consumer Report


CBS-5 Phoenix TV Consumer Report


Yelp Reviews


Sitejabber Reviews*** Hey, funny to see nearly a dozen updated all five-star reviews posted within days of our report being published. #Ethics!


Amazon Marketplace Reviews


Better Business Bureau(r) *** Search Google for “Southtree+BBB” to view


Complaints Board Reviews


Well, you get the picture. And it is not pretty.  Why so many negative posts?

 

Competition is always embraced at ScanMyPhotos, as it raises the tide of awareness for digitizing pictures. With trillions of still-analog photos to scan, the market is bigger than any one company. But, when a company egregiously records a stream of complaints, it is time to stand up. And, standing up we are.


We actually embrace and recommend other specialty scanning services all the time for work that they excel at. In the case of Legacybox and Southtree, not so much.


Many may be aware of our decades of consumer and business advocacy campaigns, from litigating against the banks and credit card companies (leading to massive reforms to the runaway hidden costs of accepting credit cards and a $6.2 billion settlement), championing women and diversity issues, climate change, to supporting and occasionally challenging the photo imaging industry. Now, our sights are aimed at Legacybox with the hope this becomes a teachable moment to have them improve their game and improve the issues that are publicly shared by their customers.


This narrative explains why when comparing Legacybox and Southtree to ScanMyPhotos, ScanMyPhotos “gets the edge,” just as they penned on their “Analog: A Legacybox Blog” as they compared themselves to Costco, ScanCafe, FotoBridge, iMemories, and get this, even Southtree without identifying they are one and the same. One more. They even compared themselves to “Kodak Digitizing Box” which is all part of the same company. 


Charging about $1.10 to digitize a single photo ($11,000 for 10,000 photos is …. well, you fill in the word. Why pay $1.10 each and wait “6-8 weeks? And that may be without including the final digital media. Just the scanning. Want DVD’s with that? The price is an added $79.99.


Then there was this from Tech Crunch as they tried to rebrand again. “The corpse of Kodak coughs up another odd partnership.”


There are even tools for identifying real versus fake review posts, like ReviewMeta and FakeSpot. Click on each to see what we saw. While we are not drawing any conclusions, and can’t verify this content, the data raises questions from the company’s Amazon Marketplace reviews.


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NYT Tech Tip: How to Rescue, Repair and Revive Old Family Photos

Posted on December 19, 2018 by

First a humblebrag for J.D. Biersdorfer who has been answering technology questions for The New York Times for 20 years and is an 8-time author (co-order), including the widely popular 11th edition of “iPod: The Missing Manual.” 

J.D. is also co-host of the Pop | Tech | Jam podcast.

In this issue of Tech Tip, J.D. writes a timely report on how to preserve your pictures. In a year when billions of irreplaceable photographs were destroyed from the ravages of natural disasters, and because this keeps happening, we hope many will add this to their to-do list. 

Excerpt: If the march of time is eroding your personal picture archive, give your beloved images new life. 

If you see your family pictures starting to fade away in their shoe boxes, crumbling photo albums or moldering slide carousels, fear not. There are easy ways to save your valuable images — and maybe even make them better.

Shipping them off to a professional scanning company for digital conversion and retouching is one easy approach. Services like Memories Renewed, DigMyPics and ScanMyPhotos are easily found on the web and do fine work.

[Courtesy of The New York Times, Dec 19, 2018]
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AAA’s Via Magazine Recommends ScanMyPhotos

Posted on December 19, 2018 by

More than 3 million members of the Automobile Club of America (AAA) receive the acclaimed Via Magazine (Jan/Feb 2019) which includes a special “Smart Guide” feature on organizing your photos.  Click to read the article. [To access use this Zip code: “94200′].


According to their website, Via is the magazine for 3.2 million AAA member households in Northern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Oregon, southern Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska.

Each issue promotes the enjoyment of travel in the West, with features articles and departments including Weekender, On the Road, and Events. Additionally, Via regularly includes advice on traffic safety, automotive use, and how members may get the most from their AAA membership. And this issue dscusses how to scan your pictures

Via Magazine - AAA's Via Magazine Recommends ScanMyPhotos

[courtesy Via Magazine]

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Why You Need to Digitize Photos and Preserve Them for Future Generations

Posted on December 9, 2018 by

digitize photosWhy and How to Digitize Photos For Future Generations. It’s This Easy


As technology continues to advance, the way in which we preserve our history is also changing. From cave drawings to oil paintings and from print photos to Snapchat selfies, it’s important for us to now digitize photos in order to keep them safe for future generations.

But if you need a few reasons why it’s important to digitize photos before it’s too late, then consider the following:


Tweeting this article, as I thought you’d enjoy it too

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Print photos will eventually succumb to the elements

 

Unless you have your print photos stored in acid-free, archival-quality storage containers and kept in a temperature-controlled room away from sunlight, then your photos are at risk of getting destroyed by the elements. Of course, we definitely recommend doing everything you can to keep your print photos safe, but digitizing them is the only way to truly protect them from the elements.


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How to Prepare for #CES2019

Posted on December 5, 2018 by

mgces 300x225 - How to Prepare for #CES2019

ScanMyPhotos CEO, Mitch Goldstone at CES

Take it from us, as this will be our 28th time visiting Las Vegas in early January for the annual CES – The Global Stage for Innovation.


Formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show, the annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is home to the top gadgets and technologies that will become commonplace in your homes and lives.


The keynote presentations and gathering of nearly 200,000 techies is pure inspiration and magic.



CES.tech features scheduling tools, exhibitor directories and important show information and discounts that will help you make the most out of your time in Las Vegas. Now is the time to book your hotel, sign up for a curated show tour, order discounted Monorail tickets and more.



Make the most of every moment of your time at CES by taking a tour of the show floor guided by one of our subject matter experts. Choose from a variety of options presented by our official tour contractor, StoryTech™, whose team of industry insiders will help you navigate your way through the latest technology trends that will have the most impact on your business goals.


Before heading to #CES2019, these tips will prepare you for the magic of CES

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Each year, ScanMyPhotos.com attends for engaging with other tech executives, the media and to walk the cavernous trade show halls, especially Eureka Park to be inspired by the next new-new entrepreneurial marvels.



Not to be missed are the corporate keynotes showcasing the top global industry leaders, offering insider insights into the technologies changing our industry and our lives.


CES 2019 Speakers


The CES conference program spotlights technology’s most influential leaders as partners and speakers, sharing insights on premiere technologies and what will continue to redefine the industry in the future


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DJI Osmo Pocket: The Most Innovative, Smartest Camera EVER Invented!

Posted on December 3, 2018 by

OK. Here is the thing. As avid photo and camera experts, we have never seen anything more innovative than the new brand extension to the top-selling drones by DJI. They repurposed their gimbal and camera technology for the smartest teeny-tiny vertical ever seen.


Why the DJI Osmo Pocket Camera Will Be the Breakthrough #CES2019 Innovation @DJIGlobal

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This is the smallest 3-axis stabilized handheld camera DJI has ever designed, the compact and intelligent Osmo Pocket turns any moment into a cinematic memory. Measuring in at just under five inches long, this tiny stabilized vlogging camera is certainly an impressive piece of kit, boasting the smallest three-axis gimbal in DJI history.

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[Photos courtesy of DJI


The DJI Osmo Pocket is so compact it fits inside your pocket. At 4.8″ tall and weighing 0.25 lb, the Pocket is the smallest 3-axis stabilized handheld camera from DJI.  It may also be the smallest mechanical gimbal available on the market. Can you imagine if back in the 1800s George Eastman saw it, or even Steve Jobs in the 1970s? Despite its pocket portability and small stature, the Pocket packs innovations the likes of which nobody has ever seen before. Not even James Bond (his crazy-cool back-in-the-day camera was a Minox).


The Osmo Pocket has a 3-axis gimbal atop a tiny little rectangular piece – the whole unit is about the size of a large fork or one-third the size of a smartphone. It’s crazy small.



DJI Osmo Pocket Product Highlights


  • Gimbal Camera with 1/2.3″ CMOS Sensor
  • Compact 4.1 oz, 4.8″ High Design
  • Up to 4K Video at 60 fps, up to100 Mb/s
  • 12MP JPEG or DNG RAW Still Photos
  • Handle with Retractable Extension
  • Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Monitoring & Control
  • POV, ActiveTrack & FaceTrack Modes
  • Standard Time-Lapse & Motion-lapse
  • NightShot & 3 x 3 Panorama Modes


Prior to the DJI Osmo Pocket Camera, and next to smartphone camera technology, we have to look way back to the Minox A/IIIs camera–was used by George Lazenby in the movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969).


The original Minox subminiature camera was invented by Walter Zapp in 1936. He wanted to create a portable camera that would fit easily into the palm of the hand and yet take high quality, spontaneous pictures. The Minox subminiature camera, in its various models, was for years the world’s most widely used spy camera. The ultralight aluminum shell Minox A/IIIs was produced from 1955 until 1969. Because of its small size (82 x 28 x 16 mm!), it was easy to conceal and operate in one hand. It could take excellent photographs of documents at close range and was a natural for clandestine photography. [Source: http://www.jamesbondlifestyle.com]



 

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Digtal Imaging Reporter: The Last Word: It Is Not a Pretty Picture

Posted on December 1, 2018 by

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Digital Imaging Reporter: The Last Word: It Is Not a Pretty Picture

Digital Imaging Reporter is the ONLY print trade magazine in the imaging industry, reaching over 15,000 retailers, mass merchants, Internet buyers, distributors and key executives at every major manufacturer, and it truly remains “Focused on the Business of Imaging.”


This “Last Word” commentary by ScanMyPhotos.com CEO, Mitch Goldstone discusses the state of photo scanning and some challenges to be on the lookout for.


Just read @DigiIReporter “Last Word” on Photo Scanning

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IMG 3450 300x105 - Digtal Imaging Reporter: The Last Word: It Is Not a Pretty PictureExcerpt: We all went through a typhoon-like ordeal when film transitioned to digital. Creativity and reinvention revitalized the photography industry and spared many. Every photographer and everyone with decades of still-analog snapshots understands the effects from today’s all-digital world. It is not a pretty picture.


The race to digitize is on. Yet, along the way there were missteps. Navigating the learning curve was a long road with many obstacles. The good news is the business of photography boasts so many new players, products and services. Just look each January at Las Vegas. CES – The Global Stage for Innovation bustles with beyond-imaginative new ways to celebrate photography. Thanks also to online photo-sharing sites and social media platforms, the luster of the golden age of pictures never sparkled brighter.

Read the full article here


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