Last weekInstagramlaunchedits open API, supporting real-time interaction of photos shared through their popular iPhone app. Developers using the API can now receive notifications when users posts photos, track photos posted with a specific tag, learn of new geo-tagged photos, and utilize a feature called “Geographies,” a latitude and longitude and a radius. When announced, Instagram provided ademoof what a web interface using the API could look like. This morning we have our first glimpse of one developer’s use of the API,Gramfeed, a site where Instagram photos are presented in a Twitter-like feed....

Grapevineis an interesting new project by developerBen Johnsonthat takes data from sources you specify, such asTwitter, groups them into topics, and notifies you when something is trending within that topic. Twitter already has trending topics, but there’s no customization to account for own interests. Grapevine’s intent is to let you do just that, and to specify your own sources–not just Twitter. Grapevine is a Ruby server, so you’ll need to be familiar with the language to set it up and customize it for your own needs....

Graphic design apps are now as fundamental as Excel — here’s how non-designers get up to speed Design is for everyone You’d be surprised at how often non-designers could use design to make their jobs more effective. “Imagine you’re a business manager, and you have an idea of how you think you can improve a certain business process internally,” says Van de Wiele. “And imagine that you’re gathering a meeting and you need 15-20 minutes to quickly convey your point — and then all of a sudden, you think of a better way to visualize your idea....

Comic book fans hadn’t had many places to turn on the Internet until Boulder-basedGraphiclycame along. The startup, which focuses on being a publishing and reading platform for comics of all sorts, has taken off since its inception at TechStars in 2009. The most important aspect of Graphicly to the reader has been the ability to leave comments, letting you connect and converse with other people who enjoy the same comic. According to CEO Micah Baldwin, “it has become clear to us that what creators and fans want is a better way to connect with each other and share stories....

Great leaders shoot straight with their teams — especially during a crisis Honesty is the answer. Transparency must be a priority Regardless of whether you’re facing fierce headwinds, transparency should be a core value that drives everything you do. This has always been part of the DNA at my company. In good times and bad, we strive to be an open book about company plans and cash positions. In a downturn, you may not want to share bad news with your team....