Pixolio

Frequently Asked Questions

• How does it work?
• The goal of Pixolio.me is to make it easy for artists to quickly and easily create and update their online portfolio. To accomplish this, Pixolio.me uses straight forward menus and a drag and drop interface. To upload new images from your web browser, simply select an image from your computer, name it, and click "upload" to add it to your website. Once uploaded, Pixolio will instantly resize the image, create a thumbnail, and create all the HTML code required on your site. Images can be placed in different collections, which you can add, edit, or delete at any time. Additional pages can also be added, to tell visitors about upcoming shows, featured work, etc. Everything on Pixolio can be rearranged by dragging-and-dropping. Deleted images, collections, and pages are placed in a trash can, giving you an additional level of undo, not found on some other sites.

• Is there a demo available?
• To try out the service, signup for a new account and use it for free for 30 days. No credit card is required to signup. If you want to continue to use Pixolio.me after your 30 days, simply add your credit card to your account and your service will not be interrupted. If you choose not to continue using Pixolio.me after 30 days, you can simply do nothing and your account will be deactivated since their was no credit card on file. You will be notified by email before your trial account expires.

• Can I use my own design?
• Yes, in fact Pixolio.me was built from the ground up to be used with custom designs and therefore it is very flexible by using standard CSS and some custom HTML. Additionally you can create your design and for a small fee, we will add the design to your Pixolio.me account. We can also design custom a site for you. Click here to inquire information about our custom design services.

• Are there design templates to choose from?
• Yes, we have many professionally designed templates that you can customize or use as is.

• Can I use my own domain name?
• Yes, you can use your own domain or sub-domains name to view your Pixolio.me account. If you don't already own the domain name you want to use, you can use register it at any registrar.

• Do I get email?
• Pixolio.me is only for your website. However, if you don't already have email addresses with your domain name, it is easy to setup email accounts through your domain registrar or other services. We recommend using Google Apps to for your email hosting. It's free, it's the same gmail interface you know, and you can use your own domain instead of youremail@gmail.com.

• Can I upload images using FTP?
• All portfolio images uploaded to your Pixolio account are uploaded through your web browser. This is because the main Pixolio server resizes the image and distributes it to multiple servers around the United States for fast access, no matter where your visitors are.

• What image formats does Pixolio.me support?
• Pixolio.me supports the standard web image formats: jpeg, png, and gif. For the best file-size to quality ratio, we recommend using jpegs. Which ever format you choose to upload, Pixolio.me will save the thumbnail and web-sized versions in that same format. Additionally, we do support transparency with PNG files.

• Can I upload other files?
• Other than portfolio images, you can only upload a resume (either PDF, Word, or txt file) to the 'About' page. You can always embed or link to files hosted elsewhere (such as, but not limited to: youtube, Scribd, Apple's MobileMe, or any other similar service).

• Is there a built in blogging tool?
• The short answer is "No, not yet." There are plenty of great and free blogging tools and services out there, and we decided not to re-invent the [blogging] wheel. You can however create a blog using sites such as Tumblr, Blogger, Posterous, or even Twitter and link to it from your Pixolio.me site. We are currently working to integrate your Tumblr and Blogger accounts with your Pixolio.me account. When this (and any other feature) becomes available, your account will automatically be updated to use this feature if you choose.

• Do I have to install anything?
• There is no software to download or install to use Pixolio. Unlike some sites which require you to own programs such as Adobe Flash to update your template, everything is managed using a easy to use web interface.

• Is there a limit to how much space I can use?
• Yes, you are limited to 300 images for the basic plan, which is more than most users will need. Of course you can always delete images to add more.

• Is there a limit to how much bandwidth I can use?
• No. As long as you stay within our Terms of Service, we do not cap your bandwidth.

• How does this differ from cheap hosts that cost a few bucks a month?
• Unlike services that charge a few dollars a month, our servers are not over-sold which allows us to be reliable. We monitor server status and usage to make sure that your content will always be served to your site's visitors quickly. Additionally, your images are stored on a cluster of servers around the United States to provide the quickest possible transfer and redundancy.

• Why is this not free similar to services like Flickr?
• While Flickr is great for photo-sharing, we provide greater flexibility than services like Flickr for a portfolio applications, in that you can use your own domain name, customize the look and feel of your site, easily manage your site, and much more. Our business model is not based on selling ads, nor does anyone have to know your site is hosted on Pixolio if you use your own domain name. Although rare, we quickly respond to bugs and errors; in fact, we have even been known to contact account holders of fixes to errors before he or she even knew a problem had occurred. Additionally, we also offer support that you wouldn't be able to find with free services like Flickr.

• Are there other plans?
• Currently the Basic plan is the only plan available, but more plans should be available in 2009.

• Is my information secure?
• Yes, all credit card information is transfered via a secure and encrypted connection and stored on the credit card processor's servers. This allows us at Pixolio.me to focus on we are good at: managing your portfolio; and let the credit card professionals focus on what they are good at: keeping your information safe.