Roxio PhotoShow News

Aurigma Image Uploader security issue

Aurigma Imaging Technology announced last week that there is a potential security vulnerability in its ImageUploader tool. The uploader is a widely used ActiveX addon for Internet Explorer that many websites have incorporated as a photo import tool. If you've ever uploaded photos to Facebook or MySpace, chances are you've used it. And the Easy Uploader option we offer on PhotoShow.com also uses the Aurigma tool.

Aurigma Easy Uploader on PhotoShow.com

It's not yet known how serious the vulnerability is; Aurigma is currently working on an update that addresses the problem. In the meantime, we have temporarily removed the Aurigma uploader from PhotoShow.com and all PhotoShow widgets, including our Facebook app. In its place, you'll now see our Simple Uploader tool:

   
Simple Uploader on PhotoShow.com (left) and Facebook (right)

Our Simple Uploader is safe and does not require an ActiveX installation. We do love the Easy Uploader, though, and we promise to bring it back as soon as Aurigma makes a secure version available.

Please note: PhotoShow is not the only site that uses the Aurigma uploader. You should be careful whenever you upload photos on the internet, and especially when you are prompted by your web browser to install an ActiveX control.

PhotoShow Tools for Developers

As much as we love PhotoShow.com, we know that folks like to hang out and keep their photos in lots of different places on the web. So last month we launched PhotoShow Developer Tools, which make it easy to incorporate PhotoShow creation and viewing into any website.

If you're the proprietor of a website - large or small - your users can now create PhotoShows using photos stored on your site, without ever leaving your site. (Users can also upload photos from their PC.) Our PhotoShow authoring tool can be embedded directly onto your pages or popped up in a new window. Here's what it looks like:

PhotoShows can be automatically posted on your site with your branding in the playback window - or they can be posted on blogs, social media sites, you name it - basically anywhere users can copy & paste HTML code. Shows can also be made into personalized DVDs and even broadcast to TV in selected cable markets.

Developers also get access to another nifty tool that we're calling instashow - this lets you automatically display a set of photos as a PhotoShow, which the user can later customize with their preferences. Our friends at Tribbit.com have already done a great implementation of this on their tribute pages. Here's an example.

We have many more features in store for PhotoShow application developers. To get started today, visit developer.photoshow.com and register for an API key.

PhotoShow app on Facebook

We know you're a fan of PhotoShow. If you're also a fan of Facebook - and we're guessing there are at least a few of you out there - you'll be happy to hear that we have just launched a PhotoShow app on Facebook.

Our application lets you create a PhotoShow from your Facebook photos (or any photos, actually). You'll have all the great styles and music that you know and love from PhotoShow.com. And when you're done making your show, you can display it on your profile page and share it with your Facebook friends.

If you're already on Facebook, you can check this out by adding the PhotoShow app to your Facebook account.

Let us know what you think!