Much like Twitter focussed on short text messages, Vine brought that to videos. But Twitter is now shutting down Vine, and incorporating it as part of the micro-blogging social network.

But Vine's demise isn't entirely bad news. It lets you explore the several other alternatives that are around, some of which do a better job than Vine ever did. If these five apps are to be believed, Vine's shutdown might be the best thing that happened to you.

1. Streamable (Web): Upload Any Video and Share It Anywhere

Streamable is an incredible tool that not many are using regularly. It's one of those no-signup sites that you can use for free, so as soon as you visit, you are ready to use it. Just launch it, upload your video, and share the URL or embed it anywhere. It's kind of like a better version of YouTube or Vine.

That said, Streamable doesn't have any of the tricks that you used on Vine. It's as simple as it gets, with no frills. Apart from uploading, you can also capture a video via its URL. Streamable works with most popular sites for this.

2. Periscope (Web, Android, iOS): Live Stream Yourself

Another Twitter product, Periscope might be the most natural successor to Vine. The big difference is that Periscope is completely live, while Vine let you edit your video before publishing it.

With Periscope, you can start streaming live with your smartphone camera, and broadcast it to all your followers. People can tune in while you're streaming, or watch the stream later. It can take some getting used to, but after a while, you'll have more fun with Periscope than you ever did with Vine.

The Periscope app or website actually lets people browse people's videos without even needing to sign up. So if Vine was about watching cool videos, you'll enjoy this part. If you're new to the app, we have some practical tips for Periscope newbies.

Download -- Periscope for Android (Free) or for iOS (Free)

3. Coub (Web): Silly Short Videos, Made by Silly People

At its best, Vine was a social network where you browsed six-second funny videos. Some were short sketches, some were real footage set to hilarious background music. The common denominator was that they went for laughs. If that's what you crave, head over to Coub.

Granted, Coub has a much smaller base of users than Vine ever did. But it's still entertaining and has a whole lot of content, spread across categories like movies, gaming, animals, geek, sports, and so on. The "Featured" and "Popular" sections are a good place to start, or you can browse some of the more famous channels.

Creating your own videos is an easy process, where you can add background scores and other details. Unfortunately, there is no mechanism to write text on the videos.

4. Gfycat (Web, Android, iOS): No Sound, But Everything Else Rocks

Gfycat, as the name suggests, lets you create short GIFs, the language of the internet. In some ways, it's the ideal replacement for Vine. It has a vast array of GIFs to entertain you. The only caveat is that these videos don't support any audio.

Right now, Gfycat has introduced an easy tool to import all your Vine videos into GIF [No Longer Available]. You'll probably need to spend some time adding captions where required, though.

The Gfycat mobile apps are brilliant at creating short GIFs, by shooting new videos or converting old ones. You can also add emojis and captions to jazz them up.

Download -- Gfycat for Android [Broken URL Removed] (Free)

Dubsmash is the spiritual sibling of Vine, where the idea is to create short videos and have a whole lot of fun. It's not "serious video making" at all. It's about enjoying yourself and having a good time.

Fire up the app and choose a famous movie quote or a popular song that you love. Wait for the timer and record yourself lip-syncing to it. Edit the video to fit it just right, and then upload it to your favorite social network like Instagram.

Dubsmash has a massive collection of pre-recorded quotes and music to choose from. Plus, you can browse what others have created, which is half the fun of the app.

Download -- Dubsmash for Android (Free) or for iOS (Free)

The Latest Trend in Short Videos

Apart from the video streaming apps above, there's also TikTok. It has turned into a social media sensation. Here's everything you need to know about using TikTok to watch the best videos, create your own videos, and make the most of the TikTok app.

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