Sebastian Vogelsang's New Instagram-Like App on Bluesky's AT Protocol

Have you ever wished for a simpler version of Instagram? Well, hold on to your hats because there's a new app on the block! Sebastian Vogelsang, a clever developer, is creating a fun new app called Flashes. This app is built on top of Bluesky's AT Protocol, which means you can use it just like Instagram, but with a twist! Flashes will show only photo and video posts, while text-based posts will be filtered out. It's like going back to the days when Instagram was just about sharing cool pictures and videos. But wait, there's more! Flashes and Bluesky will work together. Posts you add to Flashes will also appear on the main Bluesky client, and vice versa. This means your photos and videos will be seen by even more people. In Flashes, you can share photo slideshows with up to four pictures or videos that are one minute long. Pretty neat, right? Bluesky has been growing, thanks in part to Elon Musk's involvement with X (formerly Twitter). However, it's not as big as apps like Instagram or TikTok yet. It's estimated that Bluesky has around 27 million active users. Growing a social network to a massive size is tough, but Bluesky has the potential to keep growing steadily. One of the cool things about Bluesky is that it has an open protocol. This means anyone can build their own apps that use the Bluesky social graph. It's like having a big playground where everyone can create their own games. While Bluesky has slowed down a bit recently, it's still planning some exciting stuff. It raised $15 million in October and is thinking about launching paid subscriptions. This is different from most social networks, which make money by showing ads or collecting user data. So, if you're looking for a simpler, more straightforward way to share your photos and videos, keep an eye out for Flashes! It should be launching in the coming weeks. If you want to stay updated, just follow the Flashes account on Bluesky.