We all like to look at pretty postcards in each other’s walls… but sometimes the hassle of getting the scanner out or finding the right the cable for the camera is a bit too much work, right? We definitely understand.
Enter the new Google PhotoScan, a very simple “scanning” app which promises to take care of a few of the steps for you, such as removing glare, aligning corners and cropping the extra stuff — all right there on your phone. Have a look:
It’s advertised for photos, but works really well for postcards too, of course! Five clicks and you end up with a great photo of your postcard, trimmed and ready to be uploaded to the site. Pfeww… so much easier than the scanner! 😅
If you a have a smartphone, look for it on your Android or Apple app store!
PS – Thank you Danny (aka wildernesscat) for the tip!
57 comments so far
If anyone wants to see the results, I've been using it to upload my received postcards lately:
https://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/US-4369523
https://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/CA-675239
Pretty neat, right?
VERY COOL TOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I tried to install it but it says it need Android 5.0 or more, sigh :(
I also experimented on a postcard. Yes, it really is very convenient!
Oh, I have already used it! It is very convenient!
Great app! much easier, no clare and already trimmed!
I use the camscanner app which has proved pretty reliable
AMAZING! I love technology like this :)
Unfortunately it is not compatible with Iphone 5 :(
@chrissybaby bummer. looks like the oldest iphone version they currently support is the 5s. :(
Hi Everyone, relay! do we need a scanner...!!!! There is still nice books what you can buy and put them in books, we easier to look at when you get older.
Cool! I'll have to give this a try - and I just downloaded the app for my phone :)
Great..!!
Oh my goodness, genius!!! Thank you for letting us know! Haha. I have a flatbed Canon scanner and it does take ages before I complete the whole process of documenting my postcard for the gallery. Sweet!
Currently, I use CAM-Scanner app from Google Play-store. It gives good results. And it should work on lower Android releases. Will try this soon :)
Cheers!!
It would be great idea to implement this Google Scan directly to Postcrossing website where the postcard image download is. Is it technically possible?
This is so great!!!
wow wow wooooow!!!! very very cool! I just tried it and it works SOOOO well!!!! I am so amazed by this app!!! Thank you so much for the share! I scan ALL the cards that I send and receive and sometimes when i am away or that I don't have time to scan, I used to not send the card until I was able to scan it! but now PROBLEM SOLVED! thank you so much for this wonderful share!!!!
Downloaded and already tried it. And I absolutely love it!!!
Now, All we need is a Postcrossing Apps :)
That's funny, I just downloaded this minutes before seeing this post. Like others, I think it works pretty great! My scanner sometimes gets grainy or has a hard time with shiny cards, this app seems to be pretty good about cutting the glare.
Am I the only one not having luck with this? It's left a definite glare every time, and produced over-dark images. I have better luck just taking a photo & trimming as needed. :(
This programme is not available on Windows phone :(
From the Google Terms of Service (translated with Google translator from German)
(...)
When you upload or post content to or through our services, or store, send or receive them in our services or through our services, you grant Google (and those we work with) the right to use, host, (Including, but not limited to, translations, adaptations, or other changes that we may make to make your content work better in our services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, reproduce, create, publicly display and distribute. (...)
when yuo use this service all your data belong to Google
I tried it, but I like the results of my scanner better. With the app some postcards look a bit dizzy. :/
such a huge timesaver especially for those who tend to be lazy to scan right away, like me haha!!! best used in the day, when there's natural light
@EHW - Luckily, there's no need to upload/post anything (or even have internet) to use the app as suggested here. You can simply save the resulting images to your phone, and delete them afterwards.
doesn't work with my android 6 phone says the playstore (WTF?!)
WOW! THANK YOU! It makes my life as a postcrosser so much easier! :D
@Lachgas Send them a note about it, perhaps? The requirements say Android 5.0 and up should work... so something doesn't seem right.
Amazing piece of software!
Thanks Google! Thanks Postcrossing!
Thank you for sharing! So convenient! Love it!
Well, I have no smartphone, but my scanner is always connected to the pc, so no problem. Preparing the scans for uploading goes in a few clicks too.
not compatible with Android 4.4.2 :(
I just tried it. This is awesome!!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for this info! It's really work
not compatible with my phone, even though its quit new. :D oh the technologies! :D
@ meiadeleite, you use a piece of software from Google. By using it, you give Google and their partners permission to use your data. That's all. Have you checked what the app is reporting home? Can you grant that the app is not playing ET, calling home? I wouldn't dare.
yes， very good app！
Whoha! It REALLY works.
I was skeptical.
Very useful app. Now I no longer need to use my scanner. :)
I can´t use it... Not compatible with my cell - Huawei P8 Lite...
I will try the camscanner app
Oh! I'm happy with this app. Just tried and it makes the process so much easier. Thank you for the tip!
am I the only one, who has a decent scanner and never considered scanning any trouble at all?
Will still download the app though, for when I am on holiday ;-) (yes, I am so terribly addicted to postcrossing, I still send cards when I am on holiday far far away! Haha...)
CamScanner is another nice app for this. If you use Dropbox, you'll be able to scan as well! :) I will keep using my scanner, though ;)
I have Android 5, but still can't install this app
I have looked at getting it for my tablet, however, it is a front facing camera and it will not work. Shame about the reviews too!
I agree with EHW - it seems convenient, but I don't want to give my content away to Google for free.
Usually I take photos of the cards with my digital camera whenever I have bought some. I store all the pictures on my hard disk (by themes - just as I sort my real postcards), and when I pick a postcard for sending, all I need to do is upload the picture from my "virtual drawer". Easy! :)
Used it on my iPhone and iPad. It's great!?
I use "office lens", that should work with android too. Very easy and free. :)
It's a holiday miracle!!! Saves so much time and the results are great.
Microsoft Office Lense is another alternative, available for Apple iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.
How come my phone shuts down after I take the photo, before it will display the resulting photo? Any help please..
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
@jess-cee no you are not - I love scanning with my scanner (which isn't so slow and scans pretty nice) but my pc is broken (doesn't even boot) and I'm not sure when I find someone to find out which hardware causes problems. so the app would've been nice at the moment :)
tried camscanner though - but the app seems to have some troubles with the flash (the reviews say that's pretty good on the google app)., but the test scan was okay.
I have been using this app for the last few weeks and it's really great - makes it so easy to get pictures of my cards, and the result is much better than my previous attempts at using a phone camera on its own!
Awesome! It works amazingly well!
Thank you so much for sharing!
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