Locr: Geo-tagged photo browser and hosting solution

Locr is a new photo hosting service that promises to make geo-tagging your photos a little easier. After uploading photos, users need to simply add a zip code or city name to set a longitude and latitude for their shots. Users can then browse other geo-tagged photos by click-dragging a Google Map.

Is this different from what Flickr offers? Yes, but without a Web-based batch uploader or a way to tag landmarks, Locr comes up short.

(Credit: CNET Networks)

Locr's Web interface is really easy to use for individual uploading and geo-tagging, but it just doesn't work with multiple photos. That requires installing the Locr upload client on your Windows PC. The software is a little buggy and gave me a few error messages on my way to uploading just two photos. If Locr could employ an browser-based Java batch-uploader like Facebook or Fotki, it would be much easier than installing software (especially for Mac or Linux users).

Locr does do a few nice things for you, like including information about surrounding landmarks. My test photo of the London Eye pulled in tidbits of information about Westminster and Vauxhall Bridge, both of which are nearby. It's also really cool to drag around the browse map, as corresponding geo-tagged thumbnails will pop up below. This is reminiscent of and even faster than Tag Maps, which I took a look at a couple weeks ago.

Locr is missing a few things, but its map-based photo browser is really well done. If it's gunning for other photo-hosting services, it needs to step up its upload and photo management tools. Geo-tagging is a really cool feature. If Locr can find a way to make it even simpler by letting you search for landmarks while geo-tagging, I think they'd have something that their competitors don't.