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"Photo and video sharing app Path has enjoyed less of the limelight than its Instagram and PicPlz rivals but the team will soon\u00A0drop a new update which could bring users back to the service to try out its new features.\r\n\r\nThe Path team has been busy, most likely\u00A0releasing Path 1.5 in time for the SXSW attendees to put it to the test, adding a new Facebook sharing option, a friend ranking feature and Filters, which are lovingly referred to as &amp;quot;Lenses&amp;quot;.\r\nFacebook Sharing\r\nPath's Facebook sharing function enables users to share their photos outside of the service for the first time, meaning that each time a photo\u00A0or video is captured using the app, it will be posted to your Facebook Wall too.\r\n\r\nPath users that are also on Facebook get some love too. If you decide that Facebook might be a little too public, the team has ensured that privacy settings can be configured so that only the people you want to see it will do so.\r\nPath Lenses\r\nPath has introduced its own version of Instagram's and PicPlz's filters, launching Path Lenses and Path Premium Lenses. Put simply, the new lenses give users a chance to style their photos and videos in real-time, ensuring that its users can see what lenses capture the specific mood or type of environment.\r\n\r\nPath 1.5 will allow users to use the\u00A0Pro, Ansel, Instant, and Diana Lenses for free with additional &amp;quot;Premium Lenses&amp;quot; costing $0.99 each, starting with\u00A0Old Time, The Grid, and 8-Bit.\r\n\r\nPath has committed to releasing additional lenses in the future, further\u00A0customising\u00A0your photos and videos.\r\n \r\n\r\nPath Activity and FriendRank\r\nWith the new update, Path users will be able to see what their friends make of their photos in real-time, giving users a way to see what their friends are viewing but also what they are enjoying.\r\n\r\nStaying close to the friends theme, FriendRank has been added to help users connect with close friends to share their personal moments. With FriendRank, users can connect Path to their Facebook accounts, allowing the service to determine what it thinks are a users top 5 friends. If you are an existing user, Path will the same\u00A0algorithm\u00A0to power the recommendations on the new Friends tab.\r\n\r\nFor Instagram and PicPlz users, the new features will be similar to what you have already experienced. Path excels with its beautiful design, and by offering each user the chance to add only 50 friends, the network is a lot more intimate. Filters (or Lenses in this case) are all the rage and are helping Instagram add 130,000 users every week, Path couldn't afford to be left behind.\r\n\r\nBy charging for Premium Lenses, Path suddenly has a revenue stream. Both Instagram and PicPlz have yet show how they will monetize their platforms, although we are sure they won't be far off.\r\n\r\nPath says that its update is coming soon - we recommend you take a look when it does\u00A0because\u00A0it looks like\u00A0Path has just stepped up its game.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://thenextweb.com/apps/2011/03/11/path-does-an-instagram-adds-facebook-shares-and-filters/>