Tomas Chlebek Application Instagram has gained more than 2,5 million users since its launch on the App Store and has become very popular. In addition to the possibility of taking photos and adding interesting effects to photos, Instagram has become an interesting way of using free time, not only on the iPhone and iPod, but also on the iPad. The emergence of a program for Mac was therefore only a matter of time.
Klient Instadesk tries to bring all the features of an iOS app to the computer screen. It looks exactly as you would expect from a desktop client for Instagram. The user interface is in the typical Mac spirit and looks similar to iTunes. On the left side we find a column with links. We can download all new images from followed users, news, popular images, popular tags (hashtags) within which you can search. They are under the heading below Profile links to your own photos, followed and following users.
The last item is Albums, where we can create our own image groups, in which we can include not only our own photos, but also photos of other users by simply dragging and dropping.
While browsing, we notice a simple history below the top bar that keeps us in the loop about where we are. We can "like" an image that catches our eye without opening it, or start a slideshow providing settings for the image display length, transition method and size. When viewing an individual photo, you can share it, "like", save it to your computer, comment, open it in a browser, or start a slideshow.
A search box is always present in the upper right part of the application. This is not the normal system search as we know it from Mac. Although its use is not very wide, it can sometimes be useful (for example, to filter out one specific user from the subscription, search for one photo theme, etc.).
Of course, Instadesk isn't the only possible way to view Instagram images on your computer. There are also more or less successful web browsers (Instagram, Instawar...). If you decide to invest €1,59 in this program, you will not only get a polaroid icon in the dock, but also faster loading, a familiar and pleasant user interface and a few interesting and useful functions. The web clients look nice and are really usable, but I wouldn't hesitate to say that for serious viewing of Instagram on a computer, Instadesk is a better choice, especially due to the cleaner environment and speed. It not only transfers functions from the iOS device to the larger screen, but also makes effective use of its larger area.
Instadesk - €1,59
It has many shortcomings, it seems sewn with a hot needle - you can't use common system tools like PG down PG up, you can't switch the display of the "feed" to a grid, then you can't copy any comment in text form from it for further use, and you can't click through, for example, with " hashtag" that someone used, you have to remember it and type it again. Comments cannot be deleted or "Like" returned. So it really bothers me... still I use it because it is much faster than web alternatives, which in my opinion are more functional (webstagram, gramfeed...)