instagram

Facebook, the largest photo-sharing site (and social network), announced today that it's buying Instagram, the wildly popular mobile photo-sharing app for smartphones. Quick analysis pegs this as a very strong tactical and strategic move for Facebook.

The key win for Facebook here is mobile engagement. Instagram has rocketed to 30 million users in under two years. Facebook has had a mobile app for years but it doesn't have the user love that Instagram does. By acquiring the best-of-breed mobile app -- at least in terms of audience development -- Facebook both takes out a future competitor and grows … Read more

With the announcement of Facebook's acquisition of Instagram, some Instagram users are worried about information being passed on to the larger social network.

When you delete your account with Instagram, your photos, friendships, comments, and everything you've done with the service will be deleted. Before you pull the trigger, you can save your Instagram shots by using Instaport, an online app that lets you download your images or move them to other social networks. Simply log in to your account, give permission to Instaport to access your files, then start the download.

Now that you have your photos … Read more

Facebook, just weeks away from what's expected to be the biggest Internet IPO in history, today signed a deal to acquire the hugely popular photo-sharing smartphone app Instagram in a cash and stock deal valued at about $1 billion.

Facebook has made a slew of acquisitions to date, but nothing of this scale. But Instagram is a 2-year-old startup that comes with some 33 million users and a growth rate that's the envy of Silicon Valley.

Photo-sharing has been a big part of Facebook's success, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is now making a big bet that it … Read more

Instagram seems to be on a mission to add hipster photo filters to all your mobile devices this week. First, the long-awaited Android version of the popular iPhone app dropped and quickly racked up over a million downloads, and now an update opens up support to tablets and Wi-Fi devices in the Android universe.

The news is more salt in the wound of scorned iOS users who were apparently under the impression that their Vegas honeymoon with Instagram would live forever, but times are changing and it doesn't make sense for many apps to be monogamous these days. … Read more

Are you disappointed or psyched that so many new technologies draw inspiration directly from films and TV? First it was Samsung citing "2001: A Space Odyssey" as an influence for their Samsung Galaxy tablet and all the reports of "Minority Report" tech coming soon. And now Google looks like it watched too many Star Trek episodes while designing its augmented-reality glasses.… Read more

InstaPad is a free iPad app that allows Instagram users to browse their Instagram feed, comment, like, or even send an Instagram photo as a postcard. Now, I know what you might be thinking, you can just install the Instagram app on your iPad. Doing so would allow you to do everything you could possibly ever want to do with Instagram, including upload a photo! But, ask yourself do you really enjoy using a blown-up iPhone app on the iPad? I know I don't.

In the video below, you'll find a brief walkthrough of InstaPad. It comes with … Read more

commentary Since Instagram became available for Android users yesterday, a lobby of "but that was OUR app!" tweets are starkly highlighting the rift between iPhoners and Androiders.

Vocal iOS fans are unhappy that Instagram is no longer exclusive to them. Suddenly, their club is letting Android users in! How could it be?

The allure of exclusivity is understandable. As a Droid Incredible owner who sat on the sidelines as the Instagram app became increasingly popular, I felt a pang of jealousy and longing whenever I looked at my iPhone-owning friends' beautifully saturated pictures. I can only imagine that they felt a similar little pang of satisfaction knowing their pictures were "special" in that they weren't replicable by everyone. … Read more

Instagram is finally available for Android users and hit 1 million downloads on its first day. If you're one of those new Instagram for Android users, we're here to help you get started.

After you've installed Instagram from Google Play, sign up for the free service from within the app. Make sure to fill out your profile, either from the app or from the Instagram Web site.

Getting and taking photos To get photos into Instagram, click on the camera/share button. You can either import photos from your Gallery or take a new one. By default, … Read more

Eager Android users awaiting the release of Instagram scooped up a million copies in less than 24 hours.

The free photo-sharing app made its official appearance on Google Play yesterday following a pre-registration period on March 24 that captured 430,000 interested users. Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom told The New York Times yesterday that the app was grabbing 2,000 people each minute following its debut.

Instagram has already proven a hit among iOS users, named by Apple as the iPhone App of the Year in 2011.

The app initially launched in October 2010 as a way to tweak and … Read more