Snapchat is Fun and Nice, but I am Not Too Crazy about It

Most of us in the class would have tried Snapchat this week and found it somewhat fun and interesting in using the App to capture a photo or video, adding fun filters, captions, doodles or lenses for selfies. At its core, Snapchat is a photo or video messaging App that allows users to send out brief content in the form of "snaps" to their contacts or followers. As a means of communications, Snapchat is easy to use (if you get used to it), and could be effective for businesses, entertainers and personalities to deliver the intended message to their audience or fan bases.

The really funny and unique thing about Snapchat that still stumps me is the fact that snaps would disappear after they are viewed (ok you have actually 10 full seconds to watch and re-watch the snap). First time users may also find the App's main screen to be a little weird and confusing to navigate around, as the App launches right into the camera view and one would definitely have to get used to the buttons and icons around the edges of the screen.

Once I got around the user-interface, my next challenge was finding and adding contacts. Finding friends was a chore, and a key realization at this point was definitely the fact that only a FEW of my friends are using Snapchat! Perhaps I should not be so surprise, as data had also shown that the heaviest Snapchatters belong to the 16-25 age group (I'm 35, so are most of my friends in my network).

Other than sending photos or videos to friends, I also tried the Chat and "Here" features, which essentially connects you to your contacts. Hmm...nothing new or innovative about these functions, so I thought. I think I am rather comfortable with using my other social messaging Apps, such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, etc.

Finally, Snapchat "Discover" is perhaps the only feature that appeals to me, after spending a few days fiddling around with the App. It allows me to find interesting stories from many editorial teams in the areas of Sports, Entertainment, Politics, News channels etc. The really unique aspect of this feature is that each story is presented in a series of snaps, music and text combined, which make the storytelling a little bit more captivating for the audience.