Does everyone use Photostream?

[caesarp]

Here's how to handle photostream in the husband/wife situation

Never use it. I don't want the pics my wife shoots on my devices and vice versa. Also I don't need to keep many of the pics I shoot. They are for temporary use. Not to mention it can be a data hog.

You have set up iCloud wrong in the husband/wife situation, for a couple of reasons (not just photostream). My wife and I both have ipads and iphones. Here's how to handle that.

1. Use a shared iTunes account (so you can both seamlessly use the same apps, etc. and not pay for them twice). If you want, set to download apps/music automatically. Even if your wife downloads an app you don't use which appears on your device, it takes 2 seconds to delete and it doesn't come back on your devices unless you want it to.

2. Each of you have SEPARATE iCloud accounts/apple IDs. So when you set up iCloud on your apple devices, you enter husband email and password. She enters wife email and password. Do NOT use the itunes shared account apple ID for this. So each of you create new Apple IDs, just for iCloud account use.

Now, you don't get her pictures on photostream and she won't get yours. And, better yet, you are NOT sharing the 5 GBs of free iCloud storage anymore. You have 5GBs and she has her own 5 GBs. Nor will you mix up her work contacts or calendars or reminders with yours. Best to always keep iCloud accounts INDIVIDUAL.

-- note that you need to delete your iCloud accounts that currently exist on your devices in order to do this. Don't worry. It sounds scary deleting the account (big red bar at bottom of iCloud settings), but you wont lose any data. --

One extra tip on this setup, if desired. Turn OFF find my iPhone in your newly created separate husband and wife iCloud accounts. Then set up a new iCloud account on your device (and hers), this time where both of you are using the shared iTunes account. However, make sure to turn OFF, mail, contacts, calendars, reminders, safari and notes on this account's settings. Only turn ON Find my iPhone. I change the description of this account from "iCloud" to "Find iPhone".

This will allow you to see all of your devices (including hers) from the one Find My iphone account. Otherwise, you will only see your devices and she will only she hers.

In sum, under settings/Mail,Contacts,Calendars, I have:

1. an iCloud account (all mine, not shared)

2. a "find my iPhone" account (renamed from iCloud) -- using shared iTunes Apple Id

3. My regular email accounts

Under Settings/Itunes & App Stores I have the shared Apple ID set up. I have Music, Apps and Books set to automatic downloads (this is optional).

 

[brudog68]

You have set up iCloud wrong in the husband/wife situation, for a couple of reasons (not just photostream). My wife and I both have ipads and iphones. Here's how to handle that.

1. Use a shared iTunes account (so you can both seamlessly use the same apps, etc. and not pay for them twice). If you want, set to download apps/music automatically. Even if your wife downloads an app you don't use which appears on your device, it takes 2 seconds to delete and it doesn't come back on your devices unless you want it to.

2. Each of you have SEPARATE iCloud accounts/apple IDs. So when you set up iCloud on your apple devices, you enter husband email and password. She enters wife email and password. Do NOT use the itunes shared account apple ID for this. So each of you create new Apple IDs, just for iCloud account use.

Now, you don't get her pictures on photostream and she won't get yours. And, better yet, you are NOT sharing the 5 GBs of free iCloud storage anymore. You have 5GBs and she has her own 5 GBs. Nor will you mix up her work contacts or calendars or reminders with yours. Best to always keep iCloud accounts INDIVIDUAL.

-- note that you need to delete your iCloud accounts that currently exist on your devices in order to do this. Don't worry. It sounds scary deleting the account (big red bar at bottom of iCloud settings), but you wont lose any data. --

One extra tip on this setup, if desired. Turn OFF find my iPhone in your newly created separate husband and wife iCloud accounts. Then set up a new iCloud account on your device (and hers), this time where both of you are using the shared iTunes account. However, make sure to turn OFF, mail, contacts, calendars, reminders, safari and notes on this account's settings. Only turn ON Find my iPhone. I change the description of this account from "iCloud" to "Find iPhone".

This will allow you to see all of your devices (including hers) from the one Find My iphone account. Otherwise, you will only see your devices and she will only she hers.

In sum, under settings/Mail,Contacts,Calendars, I have:

1. an iCloud account (all mine, not shared)

2. a "find my iPhone" account (renamed from iCloud) -- using shared iTunes Apple Id

3. My regular email accounts

Under Settings/Itunes & App Stores I have the shared Apple ID set up. I have Music, Apps and Books set to automatic downloads (this is optional).

My wife and I both have iP5's and ipads, but share one home based PC...what I cant figure out is how to have both our icloud/photostreams save pictures to the PC without signing in and out of the icloud account on the PC...in other words, photos will only transfer from the single icloud ID that is signed in on the icloud dashboard on the PC, not both at the same time...any ideas?

 

[caesarp]

My wife and I both have iP5's and ipads, but share one home based PC...what I cant figure out is how to have both our icloud/photostreams save pictures to the PC without signing in and out of the icloud account on the PC...in other words, photos will only transfer from the single icloud ID that is signed in on the icloud dashboard on the PC, not both at the same time...any ideas?

I don't see a way to handle that, other than signing in/out with the different iCloud accounts. Or perhaps setting up separate logins on the PC (but then you have to log in separately for that).

 

[reltm]

It will show in the photo stream album once you take the picture, but it won't actually sync until you are connected to wifi.

This doesn't work for me. Picture shows up in camera roll immediately, then shows up in photostream AFTER it uploads via wifi. There is usually. Lag in showing up in photostream. I can take a bunch of pics, switch over to photostream, an see them pop up one by one

 

[mattopotamus]

This doesn't work for me. Picture shows up in camera roll immediately, then shows up in photostream AFTER it uploads via wifi. There is usually. Lag in showing up in photostream. I can take a bunch of pics, switch over to photostream, an see them pop up one by one

you may be right. I am on wifi a lot so probably don't notice it.

 

[Dinh]

Yes. Photostream automatically loads your pics onto your computer. Dropbox doesn't.

mm..Dropbox does that too.
Install Dropbox on your system, and turn on "Instant camera Upload" on you mobile. And voilla!!
Every pic you take is downloaded into the system

 

[thekb]

Yes. Photostream automatically loads your pics onto your computer. Dropbox doesn't.
.

I think there's actually a setting in dropbox to automatically download pictures to computer also. At least it worked that way for me.

 

[ddublu]

I think there's actually a setting in dropbox to automatically download pictures to computer also. At least it worked that way for me.

Isn't that wired only?

 

[KoukiFC3S]

mm..Dropbox does that too.
Install Dropbox on your system, and turn on "Instant camera Upload" on you mobile. And voilla!!
Every pic you take is downloaded into the system

Too bad it can't run in the background like photostream does.

With dropbox, you have to launch the app for the pics to start uploading.

 

[mattopotamus]

Too bad it can't run in the background like photostream does.

With dropbox, you have to launch the app for the pics to start uploading.

unless you have an android haha. That was one of the better things with the S3..well the equal comparison. It could run in the background

 

[jayinla]

What about videos? From what I have seen, Photostream does not automatically transfer videos you shoot. I have to use Dropbox for this. Any chance Photostream could be updated to support video transfers and storage?

 

[imazu]

When I started using my iPhone 5 I started using Photo Stream as well. I actually like it. I have 3 other Apple devices that uses this feature.

 

[erratikmind]

My iCloud is only set up for "Find My iPhone" and photostream.

Such a convenience having photos shot on the iP5 seamlessly show up on my iPad for editing.

Same set-up here. It streams over to my Mac. Must easier to save and store photos in iPhoto.

 

[QCassidy352]

The best thing about photostream is my pictures being copied to iphoto on my macs. I will never have to sync my iphone 5 again..

But once they are on your Mac, and you use iPhoto/aperture to edit and organize, don't you want to copy those new edited/organized albums/events back to the iPhone? That's why I still have to sync my iPhone, and consequently don't find photostream as great as others do.

 

[Dinh]

Too bad it can't run in the background like photostream does.

With dropbox, you have to launch the app for the pics to start uploading.

Not on Android! It peacefully runs in the background!

 

[mattopotamus]

What about videos? From what I have seen, Photostream does not automatically transfer videos you shoot. I have to use Dropbox for this. Any chance Photostream could be updated to support video transfers and storage?

it does not do videos right now =/

But once they are on your Mac, and you use iPhoto/aperture to edit and organize, don't you want to copy those new edited/organized albums/events back to the iPhone? That's why I still have to sync my iPhone, and consequently don't find photostream as great as others do.

You can just put the edited photos back in the photostream on your mac and they will then go to your phone. Make albums on your phone and put them in there.

 

[jls1986]

Is there any way to make it so that new photos are automatically downloaded from Photostream to your PC, but not deleted after 30 days? It'd be a nice way for me to keep backups and not have to worry about it at all.

 

[DoctorCrap]

I don't really use Photostream.
I am not an active iPhone user. I am most of the time, when possible, use my Mac.

 

[MacBookPro13"]

I used to use PhotoStream all the time but with all this scuff-gate talk lately, I'm a little cautious so I have it disabled.

 

[mattopotamus]

Is there any way to make it so that new photos are automatically downloaded from Photostream to your PC, but not deleted after 30 days? It'd be a nice way for me to keep backups and not have to worry about it at all.

Not sure. I would like that though....so it would auto move the photos into an actual album on the PC/Mac

 

[Dinh]

Not sure. I would like that though....so it would auto move the photos into an actual album on the PC/Mac

Use dropbox

 

[mattopotamus]

Use dropbox

dropbox on an iphone doesn't work as good as photostream b.c it does not run in the background.

 

[QCassidy352]

You can just put the edited photos back in the photostream on your mac and they will then go to your phone. Make albums on your phone and put them in there.

Well ok, so it's possible, but far from automatic. At that point, syncing would be a lot less work. And if you did it your way, and then did ever sync for some reason, you'd have duplicate albums!

I'll stop syncing to my Mac when iCloud can sync iPhoto albums and iTunes playlists.

 

[mattopotamus]

Well ok, so it's possible, but far from automatic. At that point, syncing would be a lot less work. And if you did it your way, and then did ever sync for some reason, you'd have duplicate albums!

When iCloud an sync iPhoto albums and iTunes playlists, that'll be when I stop syncing to my Mac.

you can make it so duplicates don't happen It may seem like more work, but you do not have to connect anything. You can probably even edit the photos while still in photostream if you have a mac since it uses iphoto. I haven't used itunes in about 1.5 years since the cloud/photo stream

 

[mactmaster]

Using only two devices (iPhone and iMac), I find photostream to be more complicated than normal cable sync. I usually only go one-way from my iPhone onto the iMac and the idea of uploading the photos on the iPhone and then downloading them on the iMac seems unnecessary when I can just plug in and do a quick import.