A few years back, Imgur announced a new API, called the PNGME (PNG Metadata Engine) Venturespereztechcrunch. The new API makes it possible to get full access to the entire Imgur database of images. It also introduces new features, including permission control and an API tutorial.
API tutorials
In a previous article I covered the complexities of configuring an Octopus server, so this time around I’m going to focus on the nitty gritty. First off, a good start is to use the command line, or a shell. The good news is that I’m not on a Windows 7 machine and I’m a bit of a tech aficionado at heart. As you can see from my knuckles, I’m a nerd and I’m a nerd who likes a challenge. I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve, but let’s get to it.
As I’m a nerd by nature and am a sucker for an ah-ha moment, here’s one that’s got me excited, and it’s only my second sane day. One of my first stops on the way home is a quick stop at the nearest Starbucks. I was greeted by a lovely hunk named Richard Talbot. This chap, as you may know, was the COO at RBC Capital Markets. He knows his stuff and has been a frequent fixture in my circles for a long time, but has never been shy about sharing his best practices with the next best thing in the building.
Full access to Imgur’s entire library of content
The online image sharing service Imgur is known for its quirky and funny content. As such, it’s a favourite among social media users, comedians, and anyone who appreciates good photos. In fact, Imgur has a massive library of content and an amazing user base.
Founded in 2009, Imgur offers its users the chance to upload and share their own photos. It also allows people to browse and download images stored on their device. For this, you need to create an account and register an application.
Users can upload images using the website or its iOS and Android apps. Imgur supports images of all types, including GIFs. You can upload a maximum of 20 MB for non-animated files, and up to 200 MB for animated ones.
You can also directly link to an image on Imgur. Unlike most photo hosting services, you don’t have to pay to use the site’s service. However, you will need to give a username and password when using the API.
Permission control
Pngme is a Fintech company based in San Francisco, California. Its three core products include a mobile app, an API and a customer management platform. The product features include detailed permission control, an integrated customer experience and a rich library of content.
Pngme is active in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. In addition to offering its services to financial institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, the company claims that its proposition has found traction with unnamed tier-one banks in South Africa.
Pngme’s APIs offer developers the ability to access Imgur’s vast library of content and metadata. Developers can use the API to build simple image-sharing sites and complex social media applications. With Pngme, data is secure thanks to SSL encryption and industry-standard security protocols.
Pngme’s offerings also come with a full-featured set of tutorials that walk users through the basics of the API. There are also tools to customize requests and a support team to answer your questions.
The Pngme API is free for personal projects and commercial applications. Developers can get started by using a free Demo Version and a Starter Version. If they choose to pay, plans start at $20 a month.
Developer community
Pngme is a new fintech play in the financial data infrastructure space. It’s based in San Francisco and is built on a machine learning-as-a-service platform. In addition to building its own technology, Pngme has received $15 million in Series A funding. Its core products are the customer management and data analytics platforms, as well as the mobile SDK and customer insights library.
The San Francisco-based startup’s proposition is based on the idea that data should be unbundled in order to allow companies to create personalized experiences. Specifically, it’s designed to help fintechs collect alternative financial data in a way that is both convenient and scalable. Using machine learning, it hopes to maximize the lifetime value of customers. Several African fintech startups have tapped into this trend. Alipay and WeChat have created personalized experiences that leverage users’ data. Similarly, Pngme says its proposition has found traction with unnamed tier-one banks in Nigeria and South Africa.
Pngme is expanding its team, which includes a CTO, a COO, a sales team, and an engineering team. The company will also continue to develop its APIs. While it’s free to try out the platform, developers who want to access Imgur data should sign up for the paid API, which is $1.99 per month. This will let them access Imgur’s data, as well as user account information and comments.
