Elijah Ketchum
So Instagram is finally on Android. We’ve been waiting for this hit iPhone camera app to come to Android for a while now, and while some of the community is saying “Android didn’t need Instagram, we have our own Retro Camera”, the fact of the matter is this: Instagram is a big deal. Instagram has received millions of downloads on Apple’s App Store, and no doubt will receive a ton of downloads on the Play Store as well. However, a lot of times when apps are ported from iPhone to Android, they lose much of the polish that made them what they are in the process. Did this happen with Instagram? Should you jump on the bandwagon and give this app a try? We’re here to tell you.
Instagram on Android is very simple to set up. You simply download the app, input your credentials, and you’re on your way. Once you link all of the social media accounts you choose, you can find all of your friends that have linked their Instagram accounts to these networks, and easily follow them. Once you add all of your personal friends, the service will then suggest users you can follow to keep up-to-date on some of Instagram’s most popular photos.
More after the break
When you finally get into the app, you can immediately see the home tab where your stream of pictures show up. From this page you can scroll through and look at all of the different things uploaded, like them, and comment on them as well. The scrolling is very smooth and you can easily expand and comment on photos. Their are a lot of cool aesthetics to make the app shine, such as the name of the uploader scrolling with the picture until it is bumped of the screen by the next uploader. You can also do other cool little things like double-tapping on pictures to like them, and so forth. Next to the home tab is the popular tab, and from here you can check out all of the most view and liked pictures on Instagram. They show up in a grid format where you can see about 20 pictures at one time with a little room to scroll and a refresh button in the corner to bring up new content. When clicking on these pictures you can see the same normal options: liking and comments.
When you click the middle camera button you can choose to take a picture or choose one from the gallery, and after you decide and have a picture Instagram really starts to shine. You can choose from a ton of different filters to add cool effects to your pictures, making them look old and worn out or bright and trendy. There is plenty of filters, and they all add a new, different effect to your photo. Sliding through the filters is very easy, and it takes no time at all for it to be applied to your picture. Once you choose your filter you can choose to post and share with Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and Tumblr, but alas, there is still no option for Google+.
On the next tab you can see all of the news you and your friends are sharing, such as things people are liking and when someone follows someone new. This can offer a pretty easy way to find new people and discover new photos to like and comment on based on what your friends are interested in. In the next tab you can view your profile and edit your information such as your name, picture, and bio. The push notification settings are also buried in this menu for some reason, but once you get to them you can choose what you want to be notified for which is also a very helpful option.
As a whole, Instagram made a great jump from iPhone to Android. Just about everything from the filters to the polish came along with the port, and the time it took the devs to get it in the Play Store really paid off. Instagram is smooth, easy to use, and really brings the full experience to Android without leaving much behind. Whether you’re into photography or not, you should definitely check this app out.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram too! ElijahIsMe & TheDroidGuy
