Flickr has just rolled out a nifty update that adds some awesome features that users have waited for. The main feature is a super quick HTML5 uploader. This new uploader makes the most of HTML5, and uses it especially well to optimize the overall speed of their site. Flickr claims that upload times are improved 20-30 percent on average.

With HTML5, Flickr was able to add drag and drop functionality to their service. This makes it much easier for users to upload images, especially if they are uploading many at a time.

The update also shows you thumbnail previews of photos as you add them. This allows you to easily reorder photos before they get sent out to your photostream. You can also use this fancy new uploader to zoom and rotate the images without having them go to your photostream first. You can also use the HTML5 uploader to change the license type, tag friends and tweak all kinds of advanced options. Basically, it takes everything you would need to do from the photostream or editor, and allows you to do it right in the uploader.

Flickr also says that this update will pull data from other services such as iPhoto. It will grab titles and tags, making the upload process faster and more efficient for users of other photo collections.

Another huge new feature is that all photos remain private until you make them public. With the old uploader, this was not the case.

The update has not rolled out for all users yet, so you may or may not see it at this point. If you do not, it should be there soon.

Source: TechCrunch