The wildly popular, retro photo sharing service, Instagram, now allows users to record video and share it on your account. While this feature is similar to Twitter’s Vine app, you get a 15 second cap on Instagram as opposed to 6 seconds on Vine. [Read more…]
Camera+ App Update Pokes at Instagram Terms Debacle
Camera+ received an update a couple of days ago for bug fixes and included a little Christmas poem that takes a stab or two at Instagram’s rather poor attempt to update its terms of service and take advantage of its user base.
’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the App Store,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a Spore.
Some crash bugs were fixed with the greatest of care,
So that you, our beloved Camera+ user, could take photos with flair!
We’ll never do shady things with your shared pics because it just isn’t right.
And on that note… Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Camera+ runs $0.99 and is available in the iTunes App Store.
Instagram Rescinds Agressive Advertising Terms of Service and Reverts to Former Version
After the uproar from users everywhere over Instagram’s repugnant terms of service update, the mobile imaging service finally backtracked on the update and reverted the offending advertising section back to the language under its prior terms of service. [Read more…]
Instagram Wants to Sell Your Photos . . . Without Paying You . . . and Hold You Liable for Model Releases and Infringing Others’ Rights
Instagram just went off the deep end with its latest terms of service update, which allows the company to sell your images without paying your at all for their use.
The relevant provision regarding the sale of your images is found under Item 2 of “Rights” in the Terms of Service as follows:
To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.
This provision on its own doesn’t bother me so much as a casual user. It grates me a bit, but I’m not really sweating Instagram’s use of my images reposted as advertisements or promoted content on the service. However, I recognize that a lot of photographers out there use Instagram as a more serious marketing endeavor or have licensing issues with their images that they can’t allow such use without otherwise jeopardizing their business.
The major hiccup for me comes under Item 4 of “Rights” as excerpted below: [Read more…]
Instagram 3.2 Now Available for iOS
Instagram just launched version 3.2 of its iOS camera app. The update changes the camera interface and adds easier access to recent camera roll images, as well as a new filter. [Read more…]
Instacube: A Digital Photo Frame for Your Instagram Streams
Instacube is an Android-powered digital photo frame for you Instagram feeds. It was created by design firm D2M. Instacube features a 6.5-inch square touchscreen LCD for displaying Instagram images and connects via built-in WiFi.
Instacube launched as a Kickstarter project on August 21, 2012. As of August 26, the project has received over $280k in pledges, easily surpassing its $250k goal.
Check out the Kickstarter pitch below. [Read more…]
Facebook Buying Instagram for a Billion Dollars
The massively popular mobile photo sharing app, Instagram, is going to become a property of Facebook thanks to a pending billion dollar acquisition. In a post on his Facebook wall, Mark Zuckerberg committed to maintaining Instagram as an app independent of Facebook. [Read more…]
Instagram for Android Now Available
Instagram for Android is now available for everyone running Android 2.2 and up. The app looks and feels pretty much like the iOS version, except, of course, for the Android-specific interface elements. [Read more…]
Instagram for Android Sign-ups Starting Now
Instagram has posted a sign-up page for the new Android app that’s “coming soon.” For those of you using an Android (I’m there with you), you can sign up for to be first in line here.
The 10 Best Photography Products of 2011 . . . So Far
1. Fuji X100
I don’t think I’ve had more fun with a camera since I first held the 5D Mark II. Sure, it’s got some quirks, but the excellent image quality and amazing flash sync speed push the Fuji X100 into the front runner position as my personal pick for camera of the year. We’ll see what the rest of the year holds; however, it will take some serious innovation to unseat the X100. Find it at B&H Photo (when it’s in stock). [Read more…]