instagram

Instagram now translating @mentions to Twitter

Many people love sharing their Instagram photos on Twitter and doing so can be easy if someone's Instagram handle is the same as the one they use on Twitter.

But what if they're different? As Instagram notes in a blog post today, that can be a tricky situation. And that's why the hit photo sharing service Facebook bought earlier this year in a stock and cash deal then worth $1 billion has rolled out an update that attempts to better translate @mentions in such situations.

"For photos shared to Twitter, Instagram now translates @mentions for users … Read more

Restaurant launches eye-catching Instagram menu

Comodo in New York City is serving a heaping side of Instagram along with its swordfish ceviche, seared duck breast, and poblano pepper pasta. The restaurant has decided to embrace all the Instagram users who snap pictures of their food after it's delivered to the table.

Comodo's Instagram menu is gathered together under the #comodomenu hashtag. Currently, 55 user-submitted photos pop up showing the dishes in various lighting conditions. Seeing the photos may help sway your dining decision one way or another. Comodo is expecting customers to make their menu decisions based on dish recommendations from their Instagram friends or from the sheer visual power of the food. … Read more

Tech dominates Fortune's 40 Under 40 list

Silicon Valley makes a good showing on Fortune's 40 Under 40 list, with the top five slots filled by tech execs like Larry Page.

Page, the CEO of Google, leapfrogged Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg for the No. 1 spot on Fortune's ranking of young business stars.

The publication notes that since Page returned to the CEO role last year, he has "been bent on proving Google still has its mojo." He closed Google's acquisition of Motorola, streamlined management and closed failing projects. All of that has pushed Google's stock to an all-time high.

Facebook … Read more

Twitter takes a mild beating from Instagram

Twitter must feel bereft and be developing an inferiority complex. AllThingsDigital, via an unpublished ComScore report, unveiled that Facebook's photo-sharing service, Instagram, bested Twitter for August in mobile app daily engagement. According to the report, Instagram averaged 7.3 million daily active users (DAUs) in the U.S. and Twitter a mere 6.87 million. In addition, Instragram users spent 44 percent more time than Twitter users in their respective mobile apps. And, Twitter has 25 percent more smartphone users than Instagram, 29 million versus 22 million, according to ComScore.

It turns out that more people in the U.… Read more

Create a real photo book using your iPhone and Keepsy

A while back I told you about Keepsy, a Web site (at the time) that allowed you to use your Facebook and Instagram photos to create a personalized calendar. Fast-forward to today and Keepsy has released an iPhone app, allowing its users to create Sets of photos, which can then be turned into physical photo books.

To make a pocket book, as it's referred to by Keepsy, you'll need to download and install the free Keepsy app from the App Store. Create a Keepsy account or log in to your current account and then begin creating a Set … Read more

Nook goes HD to face-off with Kindle

Wednesday's CNET Update puts a filter on it:

Barnes & Noble added two Nooks to the tablet family that have better screens and faster processors. Arriving in October, there's the 7-inch Nook HD (starting at $200 with 8 GB) and the 9-inch Nook HD+ (starting at $270 with 16 GB). They weigh in lighter than the competition and both have slots to add your own memory cards. But neither has a camera.

Gamers will be interested in the Wikipad, 10.1-inch tablet that has a controller dock with two analog sticks, a directional pad and four buttons. It … Read more

Instagram updates for iPhone 5 and ditches live filtering

With the debut of Apple's iPhone 5 and its new bigger 4-inch screen, developers had to madly rush to redesign their apps to fit the device. Instagram announced today that its app is now ready for the iPhone 5 and iOS 6.

"Instagram version 3.1 is available in the App Store!" the photo sharing app wrote in a tweet. "Updates for iOS 6, iPhone 5, and more. Android 3.1 coming soon."

Version 3.1 shows photos filling the smartphone's full screen and also updates the registration process for new users. The photos … Read more

Google, following Facebook, buys Instagram competitor

Google has acquired the company behind popular iOS photo-sharing app Snapseed, the companies announced today.

Vic Gundotra, Google's senior vice president of engineering, posted the news about acquiring Snapseed creator Nik Software to his Google+ account. The app allows users to edit photos and add filters as well as share them on Facebook, Flickr or via email -- similar to Facebook's recently acquired Instagram app.

"We want to help our users create photos they absolutely love, and in our experience Nik does this better than anyone," he wrote, adding that Google+ now has 400,000,000 users since it launched a year ago. … Read more

How Instagram became the social network for tweens

I just learned that my 12-year-old daughter is an app scofflaw. So, in fact, are the hordes of her fellow tween-agers -- kept off Facebook by their well-intended parents -- who have turned to Instagram as a seemingly innocuous social-network workaround.

As it turns out, just like Facebook, you technically have to be 13 to have an Instagram account. And, just like Facebook, Instagram is more or less a social network, dark sides included. Kids post photos, their followers comment... and then those not invited to said birthday party or shopping excursion get hurt feelings.

Many of us adults discovered … Read more

Facebook closes Instagram deal, welcomes its 5B shared photos

With Facebook's purchase of Instagram officially closed, the social network giant welcomed the photo-network's community today.

In the message, the two companies promised that "Instagram isn't going anywhere" and said they would work to improve the app for the community, which has shared over 5 billion photos over the network so far.

"As we said from the beginning, we are committed to building and growing Instagram independently," Facebook's Mike Schroepfer wrote in the message. "Instagram will continue to serve its community, and we will help Instagram continue to grow by using … Read more