Bubblegum brings Instagram functionality to Windows Phone and it's a joy

Bubblegum is a new app from ii Microsoft employees, Sriram Krishnan (Plan Managing director for Microsoft'southward Windows Azure; likewise of Browser Plus fame) and Aarthi Ramamurthy (Program Managing director for Microsoft's XNA) which, though we hate to brand comparisons, is an Instagram clone. Instagram, for those who don't know, is a very pop photo sharing app/site for the iPhone that allows you share pics with your friends, add furnishings to the photo and fifty-fifty see information technology on a map.

While we don't have Instagram on WP7, Bubblegum seeks to fill that gap by offer basically those same features. Merely with the launch of Flickr for Windows Telephone literally on the same day as Bubblegum'south, we have to inquire, is it necessary? At first blush (and on paper), the respond is no.

But then something happened: we downloaded and tried it. And truth be told, information technology's an exceptional experience. Smooth transitions, excellent graphics and superb integration with Twitter, Foursqaure and Facebook make it quite compelling and tough to ignore. How information technology works is yous sign upwards for an account (on the phone, it's very quick) which so logs y'all in to the network. From there you lot can add friends (manually search for their name or tap into your Twitter/Facebook contacts). Information technology's that latter part that's really neat: y'all type in your login info for Facebook or Twitter and information technology finds just those contacts who are also on Bubblegum (for me it was Manan and Microsoft'due south Charlie Kindel)--you lot can and so follow them to see their photo uploads in your stream. As for effects, you have Black&White, Woodstock, Frosty, Grunge, Tilt Shift, Cyano, Aurora, History (sepia), Betty (it's better than butter).

The whole thing is similar Twitter merely without the drama. It's focused on the visual instead of the text.

Oh and there's a Yoda quote in there, which totally wins nerd points. The two developers responsible are a husband and wife team who have a geeky sense of sense of humour and it just gives this app feeling of fun. Sure, in our social-networked lives with 900 services, it'due south not clear we need some other, but Bubblegum at to the lowest degree makes the argument for i more. The app is free in the Market here and we urge y'all to merely take it for a spin--information technology could be our own homespun next-big-thing on Windows Telephone.

ps I'chiliad listed as "malatesta" on there.

via: @ckindel; additional info: MobileCrunch

Bubblegum brings Instagram functionality to Windows Phone and it

Minecraft Preview can now be downloaded and played on Windows

New ways to exam

Minecraft Preview tin at present be downloaded and played on Windows

On Monday, Mojang Studios announced Minecraft Preview, a new Minecraft game that will allow players exam upcoming changes and updates before they release. Minecraft Preview will eventually replace the current Minecraft: Bedrock Edition beta program.