title: How to handle images better in Android
body: <p>In the microblogging application I am developing I wish to show an user image beside each post in the timeline. The images are small in size(max 50*50 dip) and are not more than 10 in number. I've two approaches in my mind. </p>
  
  <p>1) Allow user to chose an <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2507898/how-to-pick-a-image-from-gallery-for-my-app-in-android">image from Gallery</a> on signing up. Send the image to the server and on subsequent signups load the image from the server. I'm worried whether this approach is doing too much unnecessary work.</p>
  
  <p>2) The same method is same as above in first step but this time the image is not send to the server but a key value associated with the image is sent to the server. On subsequent signups, after obtaining the key from the server the specific image is loaded from gallery.</p>
  
  <p>I am not sure whether the second approach is possible. Any corrections on this aspect would be much appreciated. </p>
  
  <p>Also, Is it possible to store an image in SharedPreferences?</p>
  
  <p>Any new approach to handle this problem better are welcome.</p>