I still don't get the popularity of instagram. Is it the filters or sharing? There are tons of apps that let me apply a filter and instantly share to FB. As someone who doesn't use instagram have I missed something?
Back to the filters. There are lots of people who love (and hate) those filters. I like the filters, but always take an unfiltered photo, then crop and sometimes use a filter in Instagram. In terms of the filter haters, I guess that shows that it's better to have a group of people that love your product and some that hate it, rather than a whole bunch of people who are just "OK" with it.
The API has also boosted Instagram's success, with YC's jazzychad and stammy producing picafight, among other apps.
The Instagram team just managed to produce something that got people's attention and build a community around it. It's not easy and requires some luck. With continued luck, they'll figure out how to monetize all that traffic.
Shameless self promotion -- yours truly in the NYT on Instgram: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/technology/personaltech/20...
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Or, with less snark: Instagram is fun. Using it makes me smile. Do I need a better reason?
"Starcraft::everything" isn't what he was asking about. He wanted to know about "Starcraft::All RTS Games".
He said it was quick, not that it was fun or easy. That's probably what he was missing in the top post. What is it specifically that makes it fun and easy?
It seems the differentiator is its own social network.
It does make wonder if apps built on FB or Twitter should usually also expose their own network so you can't be as easily commodified.
Anecdotally, my friends who use Instagram typically verbify the word as well, e.g., "I'm going to Instagram this cup of coffee." That, to me, illustrates the brand penetration Instagram already has.
My take on Instagram: it's a photo-sharing service that allows you to hipsterize your photos to make you seem super cool.
Beyond that, you got me. It was one of the first kids on the block for sharing photos from a mobile device so that probably helps.
Even if it's actually not very special in any way, technically speaking.
You can share the photos outside of instagram on Twitter, Facebook, Posterous and via mail. People can view the images in their browser if you send them a URL or if they use a third-party website to browse photos.
It's quite flexible and a lot of fun sharing and commenting on other's photos. If you want to get more activity on your photos, you need to #tag them. Some people go overboard with obnoxious 20-30 tag posts.