I used Threads by Meta, and it is basically Instagram with the soul of Twitter

'A cheap rip-off' or 'the Twitter killer', whichever side of the fence you're on, the launch of Threads must have surely made your day an eventful one. And it's certainly not cheap.

The long-awaited clash between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk seems to have finally commenced. While the cage match remains uncertain, their corporate battle is now in full swing.

Elon Musk, the Twitter titan, swiftly fired back at a tweet taking a jab at Threads.

It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter, than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2023

Threads managed to gather over 10 million users on board within a mere seven-hour span. Talk about hitting the turbo boost button on popularity!

When asked if Threads will be bigger than Twitter, Mark Zuckerberg responded, "It'll take some time, but I think there should be a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. In other words, Zuckerberg subtly hinted at the grand ambition of creating a bustling public discourse hub that would make Twitter look like a mere gathering of feathered songbirds.

so you see this 👀 pic.twitter.com/IITiu0R4P9

— Aniket Mishra (@aniketmis) July 6, 2023

Speaking of the eventful day so far, all thanks to my triumphant acquisition of Threads.

Now, let me spill the beans about my experiences with this new kid on the block.

Instagram + Twitter = Threads

In simple terms, Threads is like a fusion of Instagram and Twitter, flaunting an Instagram-esque appearance with a Twitter alter ego.

• To hop on the Threads bandwagon, all you need is your Instagram account and you have your Insta friends on it too. Sorry, no alternate identities are allowed!

• Threads aims to be a microblogging platform reminiscent of Twitter, where you can shower threads with likes, reposts, replies, and quotes. Feel free to spice things up with links, photos, and videos up to five minutes long. Lights, camera, action!
• Once you dive into Threads, prepare for a minimal neat feed. Although you may encounter some unexpected faces at first, it's like a surprise party where you'll eventually find your groove.
• Hashtags? Not in this Threads universe! Unlike Twitter, Threads doesn't play that hashtag game, all you have, is the timeline. But hey, you can unleash your creativity by sharing up to 10 photos in a single post, just like good ol' Instagram. Twitter did not let you do that, remember?
• The bar at the bottom looks like Threads jumbled up a few icons.
• Also, there's no Direct Messaging on Threads like on Twitter. So your DMs will have to wait.

• Thread's 500-character count is a massive upgrade over Twitter's cramped 280-character space.
• Threads seemed to have missed its "save draft" feature, unlike Twitter and Instagram. It's like watching a play where one actor missed their cue, leaving the audience eagerly anticipating the next move.
• Threads requires a triple-tap of the enter key to initiate a thread while Twitter prefers a single click on its plus button. Each platform has its own groove, but, let's hope Threads learns a few smooth moves from Twitter.
• The retweet option from Twitter seems to have found a place in Threads. The difference is for you to see.

• Meta's master plan with Threads is to rescue users from the labyrinth of Twitter's dwindling usability. As Elon Musk's grip tightens on Twitter, Threads emerges as the knight in shining armour.
• It's for time to tell if privacy concerns and Meta's notorious reputation can dampen a writer's joyride on Threads. They confess to sharing personal information and integrating it with other apps. Sneaky, sneaky!
• Meta, however, pledges allegiance to user safety, wielding Instagram's community guidelines like a protective shield.
• Wait for the cream! Threads, as of now doesn't host ads.
• Despite setting shop in over 100 countries, privacy concerns are making the Euro folks wait.

To sum it up, Threads is like the cool rebel sibling who cunningly borrowed the finest traits from both worlds and is now determined to shake up the social media scene.