Originally launched in 2000, Photobox has recently undergone a transformation and now offers consumers editing tools as well as online storage and printing facilities.
After creating an account, for which we were rewarded with 40 free prints, we were ready to start uploading our digital images: you can use PhotoBox's Fast Uploader software, the more traditional method of browsing the folders on our PC; an FTP site or by synching with a Google Picasa account.
Photobox's user interface is clean, simple and easy to use and uploading a good selection of images takes little more than five minutes.
Without navigating away from the PhotoBox website, it's easy to implement simple edits, such as rotating, resizing and cropping. You can alter the exposure and remove red-eye using the Picnik application. Picnik lets you add more creative edits to images such as borders, colour tints and stylised effects such as pixilating or sketching.
With PhotoBox you can share images with family and friends, make albums public to all Photobox members and build a photoblog.
As well as basic prints that range in size from 5x3.75in to 6x4.5in, PhotoBox prints enlargements from 7x5in to 15x10in. Images are available in matte or gloss finishes with or without a border. Prices start from 10p per print for a 6x4in or 4p each when you order 500 or more. Delivery prices start from £1.50.
PhotoBox also offers a collection of photobooks, as well as collages, posters and enlargements, canvas prints and mementos such as t-shirts, coasters and mouse mats that start from £3.99. A framing service is also available for prints, collages, posters and enlargements.
When creating photobooks, both hard- and soft-backed, you are presented with a choice of designs, in different themes and colours.
PhotoBox photobooks are easy to create, it's simply a case of selecting the number of images you want for each page, anywhere from one to nine, choosing between the different layouts offered and then dragging and dropping the images you wish to include. You can add text in four different fonts and sizes.
You can save a photobook project, should you wish to order it again at a later date. In our tests we were in possession of our chosen prints and photobooks within 48 hours, so PhotoBox lives up to its claims of quick delivery times. Photos were of a good quality.
Photobox also offers a host of community features such as a blog from PhotoBox staff and tips from photographers.
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