Quick Look:The PhotoView for Google Photos app lets you browse and display photos and videos in your Google Photos account through your Roku device. Browse albums and tags, then from within albums and tags browse individual photos, browse videos, or display a slideshow of the photos under that album or tag. A "shuffle photos" option will stream a slideshow of all photos in our Google Photos account.
A search function will bring up all photos in albums that contain the search term, photos that are tagged with that term, and photos with that term in the image name. Results are delivered as thumbnails, which can browse, or you can stream them in slideshow fashion.
When browsing, photos will enter slideshow mode if you use the forward or back button on your remote, but you can pause at any time. When you pause, the image name and its date will be displayed on the TV screen. Sorry, but EXIF data is not available through this app.
Curiously, there is also an option to view your "favorites" even though Google Photos does not have a way to "favorite" photos. Perhaps this is a placeholder for a hoped-for future addition. (This app was created by a third-party developer and does not bear the "Google" name as the official developer, so don't interpret this unused option as a peek for what Google has planned.)
There are a couple of setting that you can tweak in the app. The app is set to download at HD resolution, but if you have a slow Internet connection or you have limited bandwidth you can change this to Standard Definition. You can also change the slideshow delay (the amount of time each photo displays) from the 3-second default setting. Not yet active in the app, but promised as "coming soon," is the ability to link multiple Google Photos accounts - this will be a nice addition for households where each person has a different account.
To use the PhotoView for Google Photos app, you will obviously need a Google Photos Account with some photos in it. If you have an active account, just launch this app then follow the instructions on the splash screen, which will direct you to enter a linking code (shown on the same screen) at www.google.com/device.
-- Information is current as of January 12, 2017
Developer's Channel Description: View your Google Photos Album at the touch of a button! Google's integrated "smart search" lets you search by names, colors, places, etc. Built in screensaver lets you stream your photos while device is not active
CHANNEL STORE CATEGORY: Photo Apps
DEVELOPER: Chris Taylor
FEES: None
RELATED LINKS:
Google Photos Website
