With Facebook, Twitter, iPhones, and everything else tech-savvy collegiettes have gotten used to using, instant communication with anyone and everyone is easier than slipping on your favorite new summer wedges. We hear a lot of talk about the world getting smaller, but what use is having the world in the palm of your hand if it can’t help you connect with the people in your life you really care about? Yeah, Twitter’s great if you want to know what Tyra Banks had for dinner last night (Indian Dal, in case anyone’s wondering), but is 140 characters enough room for your sister to tell you everything about her bad day at work?
Path co-founder and CEO Dave Morin was asking the same questions when he launched the latest in electronic communication—now with a personal touch. Morin told the Wall Street Journal that his initial inspiration struck when he realized his own Facebook was packed with people he rarely interacted with, and “it doesn’t necessarily help you go deeper with those few people you really care about the most.” Facebook may be great for checking up on where your old classmates ended up or who your ex is hooking up with now, but in terms of actually building connections, regular wall posts don’t really cut it.
With Path, all of your communications are private, giving you the intimacy of texting with the fun of Facebook, thanks to tons of video and photo filters, not to mention customized stickers. Some stickers are free, and some are available for sale in the app store, but they’re all designed by Path’s artists to be super fun and completely adorable and are basically the next step in emoticons. Plus, to ensure that personal touch, your Path friends are limited to an exclusive 150 people, which really makes you think about who you actually care about staying in contact with.
Besides providing an awesome new way to talk to your friends, Path also serves as a personal journal. Even better, this is one diary you don’t have to worry about hiding under your bed, thanks to cloud storage technology that makes sure your private thoughts stay private. Path’s name comes from the idea of recording the “path” you decide to take in life, and, since it’s available for iphone and Android, you can take it with you wherever you go, just in case something so amazing happens you can’t wait to record it. Make a journal entry, tell your BFF, and take a gorgeous picture the second it happens. We’ve all had days we never want to forget, and whether it’s your first day on a new job, finally talking to that cutie at Starbucks, or just enjoying some great beach weather, Path makes meaningful memories and connections possible.
And, don’t worry, if there’s something in your Path you really want the whole world to see; you can share directly from the app straight to Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter, and Tumblr.
Plus, the interface is super easy to use. A single tap on the corner of your screen gives you the option to take a photo or video, name your location, share what music you’re listening to, write a status, or even record when you go to sleep or wake up. Like Facebook, you’ll still have a profile pic and a cover photo, but, as an upgrade, “liking” is no longer your only option for reacting to a friend’s post. Path lets you choose from comment, smile, laugh, gasp, frown, or love, making sure you let your friend know exactly what you think about her new hair color. And, for those times your friends are “super busy with work” and forget to text, Path gives you the option to “nudge” them as a gentle reminder that you want to know how they’re doing.
I’m not saying any of us are ready to ditch Facebook altogether, but Path is definitely a great asset to add to any collegiette’s social media collection. Look for Path online and in the App Store today!