Instagram now lets you swap accounts in-app
Previously, those who wanted to run two Instagram accounts were in a bit of a pickle. If, for instance you had a personal account that you liked to use to showcase your lunch, but you also had a business account for keeping in touch with your customers and expanding your brand, you basically had to log all the way out and log all the way back in every time you wanted to swap between them. Now, however, a feature has finally been added that takes the hassle out of maintaining multiple accounts.
See also: Comedic video highlights the woes of being an ‘Instagram Husband’
Today Instagram announced that they are rolling out complete support for managing multiple accounts at the same time, with easy-swapping capabilities provided in-app. The feature looks a lot like Gmail or Inbox’s change account function. Multiple accounts will be supported for version 7.15 of the mobile app on both iOS and Android, and making the swap is a cinch. Once you have the update, just go to your profile settings and add an extra account. All you have to do now is top the username that you want to start posting selfies with. Instagram has made sure to prominently display the active user throughout the app’s interface so you won’t ever forget who you’re supposed to be posting as.
If you want to manually make the update or get your first start on one of the world’s largest photography-based social networks, click the button below to download it from the Google Play Store.
Next: How to take better pictures with your Android smartphone
Use multiple accounts on Instagram with new account switching feature
Instagram faces little criticism from users because the service’s strategy is to just display your feed filled with photographs and videos from friends, family, celebrities, and brands that you’re interested with. This afternoon, Instagram finally alleviated the pain for users and social media managers that have multiple accounts. Now you can simultaneously use five Instagram accounts on a single app without being forced to logout of one account before singing in to another.
Here’s the official comment from Instagram:
Starting this week, you can quickly and easily switch between multiple accounts on Instagram! 🎉
Go to your profile settings to add an additional account. From there, tap your username at the top of your profile to switch between accounts. Once you have multiple accounts added, you’ll see your profile photo appear in places throughout the app so you can always tell which one you’re using at the moment.
Multi-account support is limited to a maximum of five Instagram accounts per app, and you can try it starting today because Instagram is rolling out the feature as we speak to v7.15 of the Android app.
Source: Instagram
Come comment on this article: Use multiple accounts on Instagram with new account switching feature
Instagram confirms multiple account support is coming this week
The ability to post from multiple accounts inside the Instagram app is a feature users have begged the company to add for quite some time. After making an appearance in both the Android and iOS apps, the tool will go live this week. In addition to making things official today, Instagram says you’ll soon be able to add up to five accounts to the app. Of course, this means that you can toggle back and forth without having to log out and log back in each time you want to switch. What’s more, you’ll be able to receive notifications from each, so long as you have them turned on. It’s about freakin’ time.
Starting this week, you can switch between multiple accounts! 🎉
Learn more: https://t.co/Clq8JHzwaS pic.twitter.com/r6fb67XTQ8— Instagram (@instagram) February 8, 2016
Source: Instagram
Instagram goes long in time for the big game with new 60-second ads
Companies that use Instagram to cross-post their video ads have a new option available in their playbook after the social media platform revealed 60-second ads will join 15- and 30-second long ads as an option. The move comes just in time for the big Super Bowl event this weekend. T-Mobile is already jumping on board with the release of an extended version of the 30-second Super Bowl ad T-Mobile will be running during the telecast.
Joining T-Mobile as an early adopter of the longer format is Warner Bros. which released a 60-second trailer for the upcoming movie How to Be Single. Outside of the U.S. and the Super Bowl hype, Guinness is running a longer spot in the U.K. market as part of its Made of More campaign. The long spot focuses on American record producer Jon Hammond who fought segregation in the music industry.
Instagram indicated there are several more consumer-goods oriented companies who have advertisements ready to go that take advantage of the new longer format. These are expected to start rolling out in the coming weeks.
source: Adweek
Come comment on this article: Instagram goes long in time for the big game with new 60-second ads
Instagram multiple account support available to some iOS users
If you’ve been clamoring for multiple account support in the Instagram app, you might soon be in luck. Some iPhone users, including our own Mat Smith, are seeing the feature pop up on iOS. If you’ll recall, the ability to sign in to multiple accounts and toggle back and forth when posting made an appearance back in November on the Instagram Android app.
You had to manually download an APK to take advantage then, but that’s not necessary in iOS. Since multiple account support is only available to a few, it appears to still be in the testing phase. Hopefully that’ll change soon as Instagram is one of the few social apps that doesn’t allow you to easily switch between accounts.
Via: Latergramme
Instagram introduces 60-second video ads
Instagram’s toolset is beginning to diverge for users and advertisers. Since September businesses have been able to upload 30-second video ads — double the length available to regular users — and starting this week that limit is being increased to a minute. Warner Bros. and T-Mobile are among the first brands to utilize the extra time, injecting extended film trailers and Drake-centric Superbowl ads into people’s feeds. Neither are particularly innovative, but it’s notable that the extra time makes them feel more like traditional advertising and less like shareable, social snippets.
For Instagram, this is an obvious move to further monetize its popular photo and video-sharing platform. The way the company handles ads isn’t as intrusive as something like YouTube — as a user, you don’t have to wait to scroll past and see what your followers have been posting — but the nature of the feed means it’s still hard to ignore them completely. That, combined with its 400 million users, makes Instagram an attractive place for companies to spend their ad dollars. For normals, however, it means the service might feel just a little more commercialized than before.
Via: AdWeek, TechCrunch
Instagram launches its first original video series
Snapchat’s attempt at scripted shows didn’t go so well, but that isn’t stopping Instagram from giving the concept a whirl: it’s launching Series 5, its first original video series. The show (directed by Hello Carter‘s Anthony Wilcox) tells the tale of an on-the-run security driver framed for involvement in a diamond heist. As you might guess, Instagram’s 15-second video format means that you won’t be watching this all at once. Instead, the series will play out across 28 episodes spread out over the month, with the first episode arriving today (February 2nd). That’s not exactly a long show — 7 minutes, all told — so it’s clear that the appeal comes more from the “what happens next?” suspense than an intricate plot.
It’s not yet known why Instagram is dipping its toes into the waters of scripted material, but it isn’t hard to figure out why the social photo service might give this a shot. Instagram depends on ads for income, and that means giving you reasons to keep coming back. An original story provides a more reliable way to do this than depending on users, who can’t always provide a steady stream of interesting shots.
Via: Onion AV Club
Source: Deadline
The #2015bestnine Instagram meme was made to help launch a dating app
There’s a decent chance you saw — and might have gotten annoyed by — a slew of #2015bestnine photo collages mucking up your Instagram feed just before the new year. Well, it turns out 130,000 people using the #2015bestnine app were doing more than just making collages — they were signing up for a secretive new service that turned out to be a dating app called Nine.
While we wonder what those 130,000 people make of Nine’s true raison d’être, some were suspicious from the start.
I really wouldn’t use that “2015 best nine” Instagram site if I were you.Just remember you’re connecting some entirely random website to all the information in your account.
Posted by Richard Lawler on Tuesday, December 29, 2015
The three-image-by-three-image collages that people posted on Instagram turned out to be Nine’s profile pictures. Co-founder Yusuke Matsumura told BuzzFeed that the power of those grids is how they show off more of a person’s character and personality than the usual headshots we swipe left and right on. It’s a neat thought, and despite the fact that apps like Tinder already let people upload multiple photos, Nine might have a shot because of its focus. The service proudly identifies itself as a way to help people meet other “interesting Instagrammers”. Nine’s App Store listing is quick to confirm that you don’t just have to talk about photos, but dang — wouldn’t it be special to find someone who’s just as meticulous about picture selection and filter choice?
Source: BuzzFeed
Facebook, Instagram make text art from your photos
Who knew that Facebook had a secret artistic side? Mathias Bynens did, at least. He recently noticed that Facebook and Instagram automatically turn many public photos into ASCII art just by adding a file extension to the end of the web link — “.html” if you want a color image, or “.txt” if you’d prefer it in black and white. I’ve tried the trick with a few of my photos (see above and below for examples), and it definitely works — the results have a great lo-fi vibe that could work well for a Facebook background image or even a poster.
As to why Facebook is doing this? It’s not clear yet. This could be for some as yet unknown app or service, or it could just be engineers having fun with code. We’ve reached out to the company, and we’ll let you know if it can solve this mystery. In the meantime, have fun. It’s a simple way to inject new life into photos that might otherwise gather virtual dust.
[Original image credits: the author, Instagram (top, bottom)]
Via: The Next Web, The Verge
Source: Mathias Bynens (Twitter)
Must-have Android apps for your new device [2016]
There are so many Android apps out there that it can be difficult to tell which one is a necessity for your new smartphone or tablet. We here at Talk Android have taken the liberty of scraping through the Play Store in search of some of the best applications you should download on your smartphone first. Take a look after the break!
If you’ve never felt quite ready to enter the world of facebook, now is the time. Connect with family and friends all over the world, never losing touch with your parents in Germany or your son who is away at college. Facebook opens the lines of communication for everyone, making it easier than ever before to keep up with your favorite celebrities, TV shows, businesses, and more. Have a loved one near a tragic disaster? Facebook enables a Safety Check for those near the disaster location to let their family and friends know they’re okay.
Nova Launcher
Nova Launcher is an app that will essentially let you customize what your home screen looks like! You can change your app icons, how you want your apps displayed, as well as adding more screens to fit more apps. Make your smartphone absolutely unique by changing the colors, too. Nova Launcher is free, but for just a few dollars, you can purchase the Prime version, which opens up things like more scrolling and notification options.
Sometimes a handful of words makes a greater impact than a thousand, and with Twitter, we see that in action every day! Share your thoughts or wisdom with the world, or read someone else’s. Keep up with world news and see what’s trending right now, as well watch your favorite celebrities live-tweet special events. Don’t miss out on another giveaway, author-rant, or Q&A. Discover the world of hashtags, and even create your own. Some say the 140 character-limit is limiting, but we think it opens up a whole new world of consolidated thought!
Spotify
Are you use to using your favorite genre-station app, having to skip all of the songs you don’t like, and eventually running out of skips? We know that can be frustrating! With Spotify, you add your favorite songs into a playlist and press play! Yes, it’s that easy, and with minimal commercials. The best part? Spotify is free. Say goodbye to CDs and limiting radio stations. Spotify puts you in charge of what you listen to.
What did the world ever do before Instagram? With Instagram, you document your life, through pictures. You can choose to let the world see your gallery, or just your friends—and you’re not just taking pictures, but you’re taking memories. Your vacation to Cancun, your engagement ring, your dinner at Club 33, or maybe a picture of your kids at the park at sunset—whatever you decide to document, Instagram will save it in their cloud which will protect your memories from the scrapbooks getting wet or your phone dying for good.
Angry Birds 2
It may have took Rovio years to offer a true sequel to the original hit title, but Angry Birds is truly back in Angry Birds 2, and better than ever! In Angry Birds 2, you’ll get the opportunity to choose which bird you use to overcome the bad piggies. There are boss challenges, new power-ups, more dynamic levels, and an option to play against other people. Angry Birds 2 may be free, but they sure didn’t compromise the quality.
SwiftKey Keyboard
Is your Android keyboard too tiny, too boring, or too challenging to adjust to? Make sure to grab SwiftKey Keyboard from the Google Play Store! Swiftkey offers an endless amount of amazing, colorful keyboard designs, as well as incredible adaptive features. Swiftkey gets to know how you type, eliminating your most frequent typos, preparing the next word you’d likely say, and much more! SwiftKey is fluent in over a hundred languages, making it the best keyboard for you, no matter where you are on the map.
Snapchat
Don’t think Snapchat is just for the kids! Far from it. Whether you have a business or you’re just trying to advertise your personal brand, Snapchat is for you! Show your followers your “story” by taking snaps of your everyday life and adding a caption, text, emoji, filters, and even current-location stickers! You can send snaps directly to your friends and even include a time limit on how long the photo can be viewed before it self-destructs. Just remember, whatever pictures you send can easily be saved by a simple screenshot.
ES File Explorer
ES File Explorer is a file manager, and one of the best available today. Easily access or share smartphone files to your computer, and vice versa. With a cloud available for file storing, you’ll never run out of space! You can protect specific files with a password, and you can even use it to view pictures, listen to music and watch movies.
Google Keep
You know the Monday feeling. The one where you bolt out of bed realizing you missed your alarm. As you make coffee, a thousand things you need to remember for the day are running through your head: Don’t forget the meeting at noon. Remember to grab eggs at the store because the Smiths are coming for dinner. Don’t forget the Redbox movie on your way out the door. With Google Keep, you can quickly set reminders and take fast notes at any time! You even have the option to color-code them or share them with others. I can’t count all the times I’ve forgotten to grab a notepad for a meeting and Google Keep has come through.
Zedge
The name says it all. Zedge offers every ringtone imaginable, whether that’s your favorite song or maybe a customized ringtone for each of your contacts (yes, even your boss!). Zedge has a variety of stunning, eye-catching wallpaper, along with a collection of live wallpapers. See the northern lights, motivational quotes, or your favorite emoji every time you pull out your phone. The Zedge app is free and a breeze to use. Definitely an Android-essential!
The Weather Channel
With The Weather Channel app, you can track the temperature wherever you are, as well as stay alerted of any major storms. The app will also notify you of severe weather alerts in your area, so that you can be well prepared. Check on road conditions and pollen levels to make sure your travel route is safe. This app also includes a “Rewards” section, where you can earn mPoints by following and tagging The Weather Channel on social media, playing games, and more!
Anything you come across on the internet, you can save to read later with Pocket. Spend time accumulating your to-read list by saving articles to the app, and pull it up when you’re in the waiting room or on lunch break. Pocket works great for articles you want to finish but are too long to read immediately. Take everything in smaller doses with Pocket, eliminating the dreaded tl;dr syndrome.
LastPass
Lastpass is a secure way to save all of your passwords and personal information in one place. If you find yourself constantly reviewing old emails, out of ideas for strong passwords, or searching tirelessly for a little scrap of paper where you wrote down your password or other piece of information, this one’s for you! When you download Lastpass, it’ll be the last password you lose.
Candy Crush
Candy Crush is all the rage, and we can see why. With so much candy, and so many levels and challenges, Candy Crush is addicting! The developers are always adding new content, providing new opportunities for you to beat you and your friends’ high scores in this candy palooza.
Closing
And that wraps up what we think are the best applications to download after getting a new Android smartphone or tablet! However, it can be difficult deciding which of these applications should go on your smartphone. After all, there are a lot of high-quality Android apps here, but you may not be interested in all of them.
If you’re looking for a quick and fun game to play, Candy Crush might be right up your alley. But maybe you’d rather spend your time on social networks. In that case, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram are all great choices. Need a safe place for sensitive information like account and Wi-Fi passwords? Then LastPass will suit you well!
Whatever the case, there’s something for everybody on this list. And with that, we’d like to turn the mic over to our readers. What are your favorite applications that you might recommend for someone who’s just starting out with Android? Be sure to let us know in the comments below!
Come comment on this article: Must-have Android apps for your new device [2016]
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