Sparkbooth 3.5.43 is now available for download. Changes include:
Sparkbooth 3.5.41 is now available for download. Changes include:
This update adds a new Halloween theme and Witch voice to Sparkbooth. To enable, go to Settings > General > Theme > select "Halloween", and Settings > Voice > select "Witch". Hope you enjoy this new theme and matching photo layout background:
This update also includes a number of changes to the Photo Album:
I have been using Sparkbooth commercially and exclusively for over two years at over 70 events. I now operate two full size photo booths.
With the new photo album feature of Sparkbooth 3.5 it is possible to run a photo booth and a separate reprint/upload station/kiosk that guests can manipulate. This allows the photo booth to run very fast, and gives guests the ability to interact and share their pictures independent of the photo booth through the easy to use touch interface. I would like to share my first experience with this and give a general overview of the setup and finally my vision for where this technology will take my business.
The setup is very straightforward.
The photo booth uses a laptop running Sparkbooth with a printer, webcam, and USB button for starting the photo booth.
The print/upload station uses a second laptop with printer where guests can browse the photos, print photos, and upload photos to their Facebook or Twitter accounts.
The next step is to network the laptops using a wireless router. [Note: You can also create an ad-hoc wireless network on one of the computers, and the other computer can join that network. No wireless router required.] On the photo booth laptop, I set up the Sparkbooth "save" folder as a shared folder. Then, on the print/upload station, I set up the Sparkbooth "save" folder to the photo booth's shared folder and turn on the "Album kiosk" mode. Now, the print/upload station can display the photos as the photo booth creates them. Guests simply select the photos and print, or choose whether to upload it to Facebook or Twitter. If they decide to upload, they use their own credentials to do so. Another really great part is that you can customize the upload to include your company website. When users upload to Facebook or Twitter, it will link back to your web site.
Sparkbooth is cleverly designed to be touch screen friendly, and intuitive to use. The album feature is no different.
This was my first iteration using Sparkbooth as a separate print/upload station. My intention is to build a real touch screen kiosk using a Windows tablet or an all-in one PC, and a printer in a custom housing.
My plan is to strategically limit my base packages to be less expensive with unlimited sessions, and no reprints. The reprint/upload station will be an add-on to my base photo booth package - adding unlimited reprints and uploads. This add-on essentially doubles the amount of photo strips that can be printed at an event.
This broadens my market and increases my profits on any upsell I do for the reprint/upload station.
Separating Reprint functions from the photo booth really boosts the user experience. Now there will be zero wait time for guests. Before, if somebody wanted a reprint I had to disrupt the photo booth line and reprint before the next session started. I have a large booth often on location at events with many attendees, and many times there are 8 or more people that all want copies. As you can imagine no matter how fast the printer, there's no keeping up. Plus, there are 8 or more people standing around the booth waiting. A separate station for reprints eliminates many of these concerns. The intuitive interface allows guests do their own reprinting/uploading. This provides me a better opportunity to add to the experience in ways other than custodial printing duties.
Sparkbooth 3.5 is polished, and poised to put you right where you need to be today and in the future as a photo booth operator.
Jason Soles Owner - Epic Party Booth www.epicpartybooth.com
Facebook's service recently changed application access of your Facebook account to expire after 2 hours. If you are using the Sparkbooth's "facebook" uploader, this can be an issue if you have to re-authenticate Sparkbooth with your Facebook account every 2 hours. This update will extend the expire date of the access. Since Facebook can change their rules on access, Sparkbooth now shows the expire date and time after you sign in. Some other issues to be aware of:
Changes to 3.5.37 include:
Sparkbooth 3.5.35 is now available. Changes include:
Sparkbooth 3.5.33 is now available. This is a maintenance update to address the following:
Sparkbooth 3.5 is now available in both Consumer and Commercial editions. Both deliver an easy and affordable way to set up an instant photo booth at any location or special event. The new Commercial edition includes advanced capabilities for event planners, business professionals and service providers.
Change new to Sparkbooth 3.5:
Sparkbooth 3.5 is available immediately. The Consumer edition is priced at $59, and the Commercial edition at a special introductory price of $100. Free trial versions are available for both.
If you have already own a Sparkbooth 3 license, this is a free upgrade. Sparkbooth 3.5 is a separate install, so you will need to activate it with your license key. If you want to upgrade your license key to a Commercial license key, please stay tune - upgrade pricing will be available soon.
Facebook recently made some changes to their service that affected the Facebook uploaders in Sparkbooth. Sparkbooth 3.4.28 addresses these changes which include: