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Twitter Rolls Out New Features; Looks To Ape Instagram
If there is one thing that our favourite social media sites do regularly, it is changing and adding and subtracting features. We all know change is necessary and change is inevitable, but these sites run on the diktat that change is constant and must happen every two days! Be it Facebook’s TL changes or LinkedIn’s image make-over, there is news about ‘new’ feature updates and ‘improved’ appearances at least once a week from any social media platform.
This week, it is Twitter that has announced a stream of changes and improvisations to its web and app offerings. These changes, which are yet to be fully rolled out, make one think how much the bird wants to resemble and fit-in with the layout of the biggies – namely Facebook and Instagram.
Here’s a low down on the ‘new’ features:
- More Photos and Videos
Up until now, whenever you searched on the web, you could see a series of tweets related to the keywords (person, hashtags, or an event). From now on, you will be able to see photos and videos that are relevant to that particular keyword. For example, if you type in ‘sunset’ in the search bar, you will be greeted by beautiful sunset pictures.
This new update is done keeping in mind the fact that there is a lot of value that comes from seeing pictures than just 140 characters. When I typed in ‘sunset’ in the search bar of the Twitter for iPhone app and the website, the pictures popped up immediately.
However, I wasn’t greeted by pictures on either of these platforms when I typed in ‘Obama’.So, the feature is yet to be fully functional.
- Email Tweets
We can share tweets we like by retweeting them to our followers. But what if we want to share the same with people or groups who are not on twitter? Twitter has come up with a solution for the same by allowing us to email tweets!
Yes, email! All you have to do is click on the ‘more’ option next to the ‘reply’, ‘retweet’, ‘favourite’ options below a tweet and voila! You can now email a tweet. This feature is available on the app as well the web platform.
- Large Photo Previews on Mobile Devices
Earlier, when there was a photo attached to a tweet, one had to click on link to see the picture in large. However, from now on, on iPhone and Android devices, one can use the larger preview versions of the photo on the feed itself.
However, I couldn’t view the same on my TL. Feature yet being rolled out, I guess.
- Twitter Cards
Twitter has upgraded its version of Discovery for iPhone and Android devices. So from now on, you will be able to ‘see Tweets in Discover with links to news and photos rather than the former story previews which were not interactive.’ This feature ensures that more information –photos, links, – is now available on one screen without having to click too often.
While some of these changes are sure going to be useful (emailing tweets), I don’t understand why Twitter has to make this conscious effort to look more and more like Instagram (more visual) and Facebook (cover photo). Before we know it, each platform which started out unique will be nothing more than a me-too. Don’t you agree?
Image Courtesy | techli
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2012-11-16 09:06:18
Source: http://www.watblog.com/2012/11/16/twitter-rolls-out-new-features-looks-to-ape-instagram/
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