You Want Instagram-Like on Your Blackberry? We Have Pikubo Now

One of the uniqueness that may make other cell phone users envy at iPhone users is Instagram. Yes, Instagram is phenomenal. It reaches over 2 million users in less than 5 months. Instagram attracts iPhone users because it gives room for photography lovers to have their own social media. Its editing ability turns a regular photo into unique one with a little touch.

Yep, there’s no need for complicated software to turn a regular photo into interesting one. Even more, it is for free. Now for you Blackberry users, you can use photo editing application and show it on Twitter, it is called Pikubo.

Pikubo, a Blackberry application, is collaboration between Apps Foundry and Etolabo which is newly launched. If you look at its website it looks similar with Twitpic. The difference is you can give effect and frame on the picture, like monochrome and lomo. It is not a coincidence if  Apps Foundry headed by Willson Cuaca while Etolabo based in Japan founded by batara Eko collaborated, where both of them are Managing Partners of East Ventures, which funded a number of startups in Indonesia.

Pikubo can be used by Blackberry version 5 and 6 users. After installations, you can directly use Pikubo using your Twitter account. On the front page, it looks like Pikubo application automatically scan the people you follow and automatically make them your Pikubo friends.

Now let’s get to the point, how to upload your pictures to Pikubo and share them via Twitter. After selecting "Upload & Share" menu, you can take new pictures or use the ones on your  file and edit them. Unfortunately, it takes quite a long time accessing your SD Card because Pikubo loads all your images into thumbnails. I hope the next version will be more developed on this area.

You can give effects or rotate the pictures taken from camera or the one available on your SD Card to make them look more interesting. There are lots of effect and frame available. For effect, Pikubo have Lomo style, Contrast, Nostalgia, Monochrome, Beautiful Skin and Whitening Skin. I have to admit I kinda like the Lomo effect they have and it becomes my favorite.

The next you can apply Frame. They have various Frames available, based on the models like Rainbow, Sparkle, Star and other. Framing, as I predicted, will be liked more by the ladies. Next, after inserting caption and klik Upload button, the edited picture will be directly shared through Twitter account. The uploaded pictures can be commented directly through the application.

In Pikubo’s reach, which is starting to get popular in Asia (almost 178 thousands of users like their Facebook page), this Blackberry applications developed by Apps Foundry can reach popularity from Pikubo users that used the web’s service or add users from Blackberry users (including the ones in Indonesia) who want to have application like Instagram on their handset. It is indeed because of Blackberry platform’s limitation, Pikubo application doesn’t look and as fun as Instagram, but at least this application can fulfill your needs on photo editing application on Blackberry that can be said very rare or even doesn’t exist. Please do inform me if you come across similar service.

Monetization system can be seen on Pikubo application is advertisement banner. For the next version, I’d like a faster access to my front page, faster access from SD Card, and if possible a more interesting font. Let see if Blackberry users, said to be over 3 millions in Indonesia, will like this application as much as facebook and Twitter. If you are interested to download Pikubo, free, please visit http://www.apps-foundry.com/pikubo/ from your Blackberry browser.

Translated by Nita Sellya.