Cool
Unintuitive; permissions flaws
UPDATE 5/2020:
Gave this app another try after coming across an awesome picture from the 1800’s of a building nearby. Unfortunately, while I can import the picture from my saved photos (a feature other apps lack) I cannot edit the GPS points for it upon upload, and, because I still can’t edit existing projects that I started (Error says you can only edit your own TimeLens... even when it IS mine!) I can’t update the coordinates once I have the benefit of Hovermode to help me figure out the exact location the photo was taken from. Super bummed, yet again.
Response from developer
Thanks for checking out the app, but I'm really sorry about it not being intuitive enough. I have plans to make it better on the next release. Until then, to get back to your project, click on "Browse all TimeLenses" from the home page. Find the one you want to add to from the list. It should be on the top if you're close by and sorting by distance. If you're close enough to add a picture, you'll see a plus sign you can tap to jump directly to adding a picture. Or, you can tap the row and view all the old pics, compare pics, play the TimeLens, add a pic (plus sign on the top-right), or other actions. Hopefully this gets you going! UPDATE 5/2020: Thanks for checking it out again. Be sure you're using the same email address you used when you created the TimeLens in order to edit them. You should be able to update the coordinates from the info page of the TimeLens itself (gear icon will pull up the menu, then click on "Update Coordinates". If you still cannot edit your TimeLenses, I can check stuff in the DB and make sure everything is in order.
Unable to use without providing GPS access
It also stores the images on their server. Not your phone, then is cheeky enough to ask for $1 to cover the cost of storing larger HD photos. Really? My phone can hold THOUSANDS. No cost to me.
Don’t waste your time.
Response from developer
Hi! Sorry to read your review, but I'd like to respond to your concerns. The app uses the GPS coordinates on every TimeLens to know if you're close enough to add a new picture or not. So, Private TimeLenses still store the GPS location, but the location is only used by your account. Nobody else can view your Private TimeLenses. If you want other people to see your TimeLens, but you don't want the location shared, you can make it Viewable. Pictures are stored on the server, like you mentioned, and there are reasons for this. First, the app intends to be a social, crowd-sourced time-lapse video app. The pics need to be on a shared server so all users can view and add to the TimeLens (if it's public). Second, if you are making TimeLenses over a span of 10 or more years (like mine of my daughter growing), the odds are that you'll upgrade your phone. You can continue the TimeLens for years and all the pictures will be on the server (at my cost) for as long as I can afford it. It is absolutely free to use the app for standard definition pics, but I only charge for storing HD images ($1 per TimeLens...which can be thousands of pics for one TimeLens). Third, with the images on the server instead of individual devices, you can use multiple iPhones or iPads to add pictures if they are logged in with the same account. I hope this explains why it's set up the way it is. I'm not trying to be cheeky at all, and I truly hope you give the app a chance and make some cool TimeLenses!
