Introducing Instagram Direct • Hacker News Board

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#21

Post by leokun » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 3:53 PM UTC

kevando wrote: post #11

I think snapchat's timeout feature is a novelty that attracted users, but people ultimately just want to send private messages to their friends. Not everything needs to be broadcasted, and that's part of the OG instagram userbase - people that wanted an alternative to the facebook feed. What's wrong with texting though? My friends and I have been texting and group texting images and short video for years. Why do peop…

Not having to manage and deal with all the images people send you all the time is not a novelty. Smartphones all assume that every picture you have on your phone is a prize that you want to save forever. Snapchat gives people a way to send pictures that just avoid all that.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#22

Post by fro » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 3:54 PM UTC

The best thing about this update might be that we finally get pull-to-refresh on the home feed.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#23

Post by kevando » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 3:58 PM UTC

leokun wrote: post #21

kevando wrote: post #11

I think snapchat's timeout feature is a novelty that attracted users, but people ultimately just want to send private messages to their friends. Not everything needs to be broadcasted, and that's part of the OG instagram userbase - people that wanted an alternative to the facebook feed. What's wrong with texting though? My friends and I have been texting and group texting images and short video for years. Why do peop…

Not having to manage and deal with all the images people send you all the time is not a novelty. Smartphones all assume that every picture you have on your phone is a prize that you want to save forever. Snapchat gives people a way to send pictures that just avoid all that.

See that's what I'm saying. Someone texts you a photo, it doesn't go into your photo list. It stays in your text convo. I'm all for data management and removing clutter, but I can think of 500 items to clear out before I consider private photo messages from my closest friends.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#24

Post by state » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 3:58 PM UTC

Does anyone use the shared photostreams in iOS 7?

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#25

Post by salient » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 4:01 PM UTC

bluetidepro wrote: post #2

I'm very interested to see how this goes against SnapChat. I think it could either ruin SnapChat for good, or not make any impact at all because of the fanbase loyalty to SnapChat. It will be interesting to see, that's for sure. Also, I haven't seen a clear explanation on their implementation when you try to "direct" someone that has not updated their app (don't have the Direct feature) yet. Does it warn you, queue t…

I think it will fail, hard - just like Facebook Poke did. And that was when Snapchat was very, very early. Now it has a ton of momentum behind it, and this is hopeless.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#26

Post by kayoone » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 4:01 PM UTC

ojbyrne wrote: post #3

Hipsters drive AMC Pacers these days? How not surprising: http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1...

wanted to say the same thing. Great product and good marketing and all, but that video is so dripping of hipsterismn, they even have hipster cars in there.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#27

Post by salient » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 4:03 PM UTC

presty wrote: post #13

the blog's hosted on tumblr? hm..

The alternative was a Facebook Page, probably, so...

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#28

Post by smoorman1024 » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 4:03 PM UTC

Reasons to continue using Snapchat.

1. They are the brand that reinvented the sharing model. They are more likely to stick to their core values 2. Facebook/Instagram can use the information about who you send to to expand their already vast profile of you. 3. Based on Snapchats word, your images are truly deleted from their servers after they've been viewed.

That said, I'll be testing out Instagram direct to see if it is truly a superior product but I imagine if they think of something good Snapchat will copy it and I will go back to my brand du jour.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#29

Post by leokun » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 4:05 PM UTC

kevando wrote: post #23

leokun wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not having to manage and deal with all the images people send you all the time is not a novelty. Smartphones all assume that every picture you have on your phone is a prize that you want to save forever. Snapchat gives people a way to send pictures that just avoid all that.

See that's what I'm saying. Someone texts you a photo, it doesn't go into your photo list. It stays in your text convo. I'm all for data management and removing clutter, but I can think of 500 items to clear out before I consider private photo messages from my closest friends.

I don't know what kind of smartphone you are using but every photo someone texts me ends up in my Android gallery.

Re: Introducing Instagram Direct

#30

Post by personlurking » Thu, Dec 12, 2013, 4:07 PM UTC

southpawgirl wrote: post #15

"I am going to write an app that allows the user to send pictures to their contacts!" I guess one must have a fair bit of userbase karma + mystique to successfully reinvent the wheel, to make a funnier-to-use wheel that actually gets used.

Slightly related.

I don't really think we need social networks as they're now understood. About 10 years ago when MSN Messenger was popular, I had the idea of having an interactive contact list for one's cell phone. One where I could see that my friend is "in the shower, out in 10" or where I could send a picture to a contact, etc.