PicShop plays the part of Instagram for the PlayBook

One of the most conspicuous apps missing from the BlackBerry platform is the picture app Instagram. A huge hit on iOS, and now Android, Instagram is one of those apps that RIM could use on BlackBerry 10. Then again, there are some alternatives already in App World. If I might be so bold, they’re every bit as good as Instagram. One of them is PicShop. It’s a PlayBook app, so it’s not quite ready for BlackBerry smartphones. That will come with BlackBerry 10′s release. But until then, PlayBook users can take advantage of its many photo manipulation features.

Instagram built its fame on adding filters to pictures. PicShop does that, and just as well as Instagram. PicShop also includes various effects, frames, and overlays as well, so you can really make that photo pop. Taking pics of your friends? Use the red eye remover to make them appear less devilish. One aspect of the app I really enjoy is the ability to add text. This can come in the form of random sketches, as in MS Paint, speech bubbles, or just normal-looking text.

Oh, and it has a meme maker, which is just awesome. That feature will get used and abused no doubt, but it’s still a neat little deal. Maybe you can even get something on Reddit with it. This is where the PlayBook can stand out as a tablet. I’ve had my iPad 2 for a bit longer than I’ve had the PlayBook, and I can count on one hand the number of pictures I’ve taken with it.

The PlayBook, since it is smaller and more portable, goes with me more places. It’s easier to use as a camera, and apps like PicShop make it all the better.

You can get PicShop in App World for $1.99, or you can try the free version.

About the Author

Joe Pawlikowski is the Senior Editor at MobileMoo.com and has been covering the mobile industry full time since 2007. When he's not writing about the tech scene, he can be found discussing his personal love - baseball (and more specifically the New York Yankees) as well as writing on his personal blog.