Reviewing Instagram for Android and How to Make the Most of It

After a long wait (and irking show off from the iPhone fanboys during that wait), Instagram finally arrived for Android family recently. Most of the iLovers are not liking the fact that Android got Instagram and here is an outrage of some after loosing the only trump card they had in their deck. If you were to ask me, with Facebook taking over Instagram for whooping $1 Billion, it is clear that launch of the Android app and its incredible reception proved to be a catalyst in this huge win for Instagram.

For those of you who have not yet heard the name Instagram, let me introduce it to you. Instagram is a free photo sharing service launched somewhere around the end of the 2010, but unlike other photo sharing services which only upload the raw photo shots from the camera, Instagram empowers you to apply some cool filters to your pics before you share it. These filers and effects make them so beautiful that you will feel like that photographer you wished you were.

Instagram brings back the good old days of photography giving each image looks and feel of the instant polaroid shot. The best (some might call it the worst) thing about it is that the photo uploads can only happen from your smartphone, and you can only change your account settings from the official homepage. So it always was made for the smartphone (in fact, iPhone) user and that’s how it became so popular.

Instagram for Android

After you download and install Instagram on your Android, let’s begin the journey with a retro effect. Launch Instagram and signup for an account. If you already have one, use it to login. You can follow your friends from other social accounts and view their instagrams on your feed. If you like a shot, just double tap on the image to let the user know.

Don’t forget to have a look at the popular pics and follow the users who interest you. Now, let’s do something you were waiting for long! Taking an Instagram pic.

Shooting and Uploading a Photo

Click on the middle camera button to take a pic. As Instagram only allows square photos, the preview pane will not show the remaining area. Once you take a shot, the real deal starts. You can now apply filters and give the picture a professional retroactive look. Once you are done with the editing, click on the proceed button to give the pic a caption. Before you post the image to Instagram, you can check the options to share it on Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare and Tumblr directly.

If you are not able to get to the Instagram app while you are about to take an epic photo shot, you can open your Android’s stock camera and take the image. Later when you want to share the image on Instagram, open the image in the gallery and share it with Instagram app from the list. Instagram will ask you to crop the image and then you can follow the same routine and post the image. You may use this method to upload images that you shot in the past too.

Have a look at your privacy options in the app settings. The program gives notification for each likes and comments your pics receive. So explore the app and feel like a photographer at every shot you click.

My Verdict

To be very frank, Instagram has brought back my long gone interest of capturing random moments in my camera and sharing it with the world. Now that Facebook has acquired it, I am looking forward to some great development or at least an extended set of new filters.

Zuck, you hear me?