Everpix 2.0 redesigned, improves navigation greatly

Everpix 2.0 (here's our review of version 1), out today for iPad and iPhone, looks to address what its developers call "the photo mess." "Our average customer has 10,000 photos and is uploading an additional 1,500 per year," Everpix designer Wayne Fan told me. "When we asked, 'How do you feel about your photo collection?' many responded that they felt frustrated and couldn't find photos they wanted to see."

I've been there. Fortunately, Everpix 2.0 wants to address that problem. The app's user interface has been completely redesigned and features what you can consider an "ellipsis" for your photos, which works pretty well. Say you went nuts at an event and took lots of photos. In the last image displayed in Everpix 2.0's grid view, you'll see a number representing the total number of photos in that batch. Tap it to jump to them via a very nice animation (note also that Everpix does a good job of identifying the "best" images to represent that event before the ellipsis).

What's even better: if you want to jump directly to a moment, just tap and hold, and a lovely animation takes you right to it.

While you're in that event, the photos before and after it don't disappear, but are greyed out above and below. Tap either to jump to them. It's really fast navigation and prevents you from having to drill down and down to find something you're after.

Everpix is also working to perfect the "memory lane" aspect of photography, and version 2.0 is a big step towards reaching that goal. Previously, users could opt to receive an email that highlighted photos taken in years gone by (also a feature in the Timehop app). Now that feature is built right into Everpix, and it's called Flashback. Just tap the Flashback button and see photos you took one year ago, two or more. What good is storing all those images in the cloud if you never look at them? Flashback is a subtle and welcome prompt to re-live where you've been.

I recently uploaded over 10K photos to Everpix (making me the "average" user) and Flashback has been great. I'm looking at photos that are over a decade old for the first time in a long time.

Everpix 2.0 is universal and free to download. The service requires a subscription at US$4.99 per month for unlimited storage. Combine that with the easy browsing and great Flashback feature, and you've got a winner.

[Other options for bulk photo storage include the terabyte-enabled new Flickr and Shutterfly's ThisLife service. -Ed.]