It’s no secret that manufacturers are installing better and better cameras into our smartphones. To go alongside the improved optic and lens quality, we’re also getting better software, which includes anything from improved ways to set manual settings through to image processing and of course, social media, such as Instagram, SnapChat and 500px as examples. It’s not just the manufacturers that are looking at camera and photography on our devices, as today I bring you news that the Super! service and website has now been taken out of beta. Super! is the brainchild of Biz Stone, Twitter co-founder and entrepreneur. Super! is a little difficult to elegantly describe, but think of it as a little bit like Twitter’s microblogging ideology taken to the next level and where posts must always include an image. Once you have signed in or created your account, you can use the application to stalk find your friends from other social networks, then you’re ready to start the fun! You can use your own image or Super! can provide you with one if you so desire. Whatever the image, you then overlay it with a caption or meme. Ideas here include “My Favourite” or “The Sexiest” and my favorite, “Definitely Don’t.” You complete the sentence and sign the post with your tag, then publish it and Super! You’re done.
The application is available now from the Google Play Store. It’s brightly colored and easy to navigate, which means even those of us not necessarily blessed with the most artistic of skillsets (ahem) can put something together easily and quickly. The background is context sensitive and aware of what you use – the image you see above of a cheesecake isn’t one from my personal collection, but it’s one that Super! imported from its own library of images. It’s a simple idea but the application is well executed and fun to use. If you’re worried about your artistic prowess you’re about to anonymously post if you want, or of course you can use your account and name. The application includes filters for images but it’s not obvious how you access them (tap on the picture); it’s a case of trying the application to see what happens.
By all accounts, the beta was a lot of fun for those brave souls trying the new social network and we hope that this continues. In my brief time with the application, I could see how the images it produces could quickly fill our inboxes but will often raise a wry smile. Perhaps it’s time I give my office colleagues another reason to look forward to working with me?!