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Microsoft Pix

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Re: Microsoft Pix

#71

Ah, Microsoft. Will they ever figure out that the Microsoft name is a liability for consumer app adoption? There's a reason it's not called "Facebook Instagram", and Facebook, deservedly or not, still has a much less tarnished image than MS.

Quite the opposite for me. I'm much more likely to try a cool new app from Microsoft than I am from some random startup I've never heard of. Lots of cool technology innovation going on at Microsoft (yes, really).

One of many examples: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/hype... (according to another comment here, this is also included in the app)

Re: Microsoft Pix

#72

My untrained eye can't really notice a difference except that the pix version looks brighter (even washed out), the live photo version looks really uncanny valley (where the faces don't move but the world does around them is an unsettling effect).

I felt the same way; I was amused because I consistently preferred the originals.

Re: Microsoft Pix

#77
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am imagining a developer at Microsoft somewhere holding their head in their hands when they saw the Live Photo comparison made by the marketing team. To me, they don't really seem to be aiming for the same thing at all - the Pix version is a highly stylised animation whereas the Live Photo is simply a very short, silent video.

I know the Live Photo example on this Pix page is silent, but it's important for people to realize that Apple Live Photos are not -- they capture several seconds of sound. I "know" this but often forget. When I look through iMessage history at pictures I've sent and received, there are often stray bits of overheard conversation that the sender wouldn't necessarily want or intend to include.

> I "know" this but often forget. When I look through iMessage history at pictures I've sent and received, there are often stray bits of overheard conversation that the sender wouldn't necessarily want or intend to include.

I was surprised with this too. This should be really made more clear.

Re: Microsoft Pix

#78
post #51

Ooh, they mention it includes Hyperlapse! I haven't looked into Pix too much so I don't know if this is a full implementation (someone commented on an unnatural-looking stabilization demo, but I think it was just a poor choice of an example), but Hyperlapse is one of the coolest research projects I've come across: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/hype... The video demo there is worth checking o…

Pix includes the full implementation of Hyperlapse Mobile, which shipped on Windows Phone and Android last year.

Re: Microsoft Pix

#80
post #67

I'd like one point clarified: is this app entirely local or does it make use of any kind of cloud backend? I've already seen apps that upload photos away for processing without making it obvious (for example http://prisma-ai.com , if I'm not mistaken). I really shouldn't have to ask if only iOS had a permission for network access.

Pix runs all the image processing on your phone - we do not use the cloud for any of this.
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