Instagram Vs. Vine

I've been using the photo sharing app Instagram for about a year or so now and, even though I don't post nearly as much as some people, I enjoy using it because it's a unique type of social networking in that it only focuses on posting photos (unlike Facebook, which is cluttered with just about everything.)

A couple months ago I heard about Vine, the iPhone app that is basically Instagram for six-second videos. I thought that idea was just as creative and unique as Instagram so I was really excited when Vine came to Android so I could try it out. Unfortunately I haven't posted many videos (or "vined," as the young people say) but I have seen enough of other people's videos to be a fan of the app.

A couple weeks ago Instagram introduced a feature that allows posting videos so they can compete with Vine's service. As much as I love Instagram, this kind of annoyed me and I feel compelled to write about it.

I do understand that there is a strong rivalry between Instagram and Vine, which is because Instagram is owned by Facebook and Vine is owned by Twitter. Those two companies have their own rivalry going on (I have no idea why, considering they are completely different and plenty of people use both.)

However, I was irritated that Instagram is now doing video because I was excited to try this completely new and different thing (like all people, I love whatever is shiny and new) and now Instagram is providing a similar, and arguably better, service so now I am forced to decide between the two. I know I could just use both, but that would just be too much to worry about.

I am also annoyed because I am tired of having to hear about all of this competition between services that shouldn't be competing. I understand competition between Facebook and Google + (you remember Google +, right?) But the rivalry between Instragram and Vine is similar to the aforementioned rivalry between their parent companies, because they really weren't the same. Similar? Sure. But not necessarily the same. It's not as if Vine also had photo sharing.

I'm sure it is beneficial for Instagram to do video because it attracts more use so, from a business standpoint, I completely understand why Instagram introduced video. But, I just wish, in this case, Instagram had just kept doing only photos and let Vine have their thing.

What's in a Name, Google?

Google rolled out its new service called "Google Play" this week, replacing the Android Market with an all-in-one eStore that sells apps, e-books, games, movies and music. Google Play consolidates the over three-year-old Android Market with the company's other digital media selling services, such as Google Music.

Google Play logo. Image credit: Google

A more detailed account of Google's major shift in branding can be found in this CNET article. The point of this post is not to analyze Google's latest business move, although I do believe the change is a smart strategy for Google to take, considering its services have been fragmented (as the CNET article said) for a while. In fact, Google definitely has even more work to do when it comes to creating one cohesive brand. Although, for Google--a massive company that has its hand in everything these days--I imagine that would be a difficult endeavor. But that is a whole separate issue. The real focus is this post is the name Google chose for this new brand: "Google Play." In my opinion, Google could have picked a better name for its eStore. I actually don't see why they couldn't have just kept the original name. I'll admit "Android Market" doesn't sound as catchy as Apple's App Store, but it's been around for a while and everyone is used to it.

However, if Google executives felt they really had to change the name of their eStore, I feel like there must be better options than "Google Play." Unfortunately I can't offer up any suggestions since marketing/advertising isn't my specialty, but I'm sure Google has a team of marketing geniuses that are more than capable of coming up with something better. 

The main reason I don't like the name "Google Play" is because when I first heard it, I was reminded of Sony's Xperia Play (better known as the PlayStation phone), the smartphone/handheld game console released last year. Maybe it's just me but the word "Play" added to the title of any digital media service makes me think solely of video games and not of all the other media included in "Google Play." I guess people do "play" movies and music, but I don't generally make that word association. This name change is almost as bad as when Netflix tried to break off the DVD by mail part of its business into a separate service called “Qwikster.” (I won't even get into how ridiculous that was.) Again maybe it's just me but looking on my Android phone and seeing "Play Store"  rather than "Android Market" just won't be the same.