Facebook Home

errlloyd

I don't really see a thread on this.

Facebook home was announced the other day, along with a dedicated smartphone from HTC, called the first.

BBC article

Techradar review

Effectively it seems to be a new UI. Homescreens get replaced with some sort of notifications window, and your lockscreen and wallpaper will become your friends cover photos on a slideshow of sorts. All apps will presumably have to be accessed through the app drawer, and widgets look like they'll cease to exist.

There are some privacy concerns, but honestly I am kind of sick of talking about privacy. It gets old.

I am probably a social networking hyper user, I'd be interested to try it out, its released in the states on Friday, I hope its not too long getting here.

Gorilla Rising

I'd never in a million years use this. Looks awful. Plus, ads on the lockscreen/screens in general - no thanks.

Seems like a desperate attempt to get into the mobile market - you can't blame them for that though - FB has reached saturation and has lost some users of late.

It could prove popular among younger mobile users though.

Atomic Pineapple

fortune wookiee wrote: »

I'd never in a million years use this. Looks awful. Plus, ads on the lockscreen/screens in general - no thanks.

Seems like a desperate attempt to get into the mobile market - you can't blame them for that though - FB has reached saturation and has lost some users of late.

It could prove popular among younger mobile users though.

I agree, stick it on a cheap phone and watch it sell to teenagers but anyone else looking for a true smartphone experience would do well to keep away, Facebook can't even write a decent android app, I dread to think what they make of a launcher/skin type app.

aSligoDub

I had hoped fb was going the way of the bebo with users realising how little there is to it. cant see this os catching on..

Alpha Dog 1

I've never used Facebook, but if they do a decent job on it and market it correctly they could make a killing.

opinion guy

Burn it with fire!!!!

Blazer

Goingto try it out just to see what it's like.
I'm wondering how long Google will allow them to use it though once it starts to cut into their share.

Very interesting article on it detailing how it affects Apple but how it affects Google even more.
Its from the cult of Mac I know but some valid points in there..
http://www.cultofmac.com/222454/how-facebook-home-screws-apple/

Dudda

I won't be using it but the chat heads (terrible name) feature looks useful. I'd like to see WhatsApp, Viber, Skype, Google talk etc copy that type of overlay (with option to disable it of course) as it would be quicker to reply to messages rather than the current system where you switch between apps to reply and then switch back to what you were at.

This could be one of those "pull to refresh" type of features that's easy to use so everyone implements.
Of course as it's not released yet it could be terrible in practice. Time will tell.

Professey Chin

Blazer wrote: »

Goingto try it out just to see what it's like.
I'm wondering how long Google will allow them to use it though once it starts to cut into their share.

Very interesting article on it detailing how it affects Apple but how it affects Google even more.
Its from the cult of Mac I know but some valid points in there..
http://www.cultofmac.com/222454/how-facebook-home-screws-apple/

Doesn't really cut into Googles share very much since the play store and the rest of Googles apps are still there. It's a fine line they're walking but they don't have the market ecosystem to go on a full fork like amazon, at least not anytime soon.

Dudda

The apk has leaked for anyone wanting to sideload it
http://www.theverge.com/2013/4/8/4196034/facebook-home-beta-download-nexus-4-leak

rubberdungeon

FACEBOOK users are to face charges if they want to message people outside of their social network.

The social networking site is planning to charge users up to €12 if they contact people who are not "friends" or friends of "friends" – with the cost rising depending on how famous their target is.

The cost of an individual message could be as little as 85c to ordinary Facebook users but could rise to €12 for celebrities. Facebook says it is introducing the payments to prevent spam being sent to users of the network.

The fee structure will reportedly be decided by a mathematical formula that takes into account a number of factors, including the number of followers a user has on Facebook and how many messages they receive.

But social media commentators have expressed concerns that the charges are only the beginning of a pattern of using such web services as a source of revenue.

Facebook has always boasted that the site is "free and always will be."

For the moment, users can message anyone who uses the website for free but, if these charges are introduced, users will have to pay if they want to message people who are not friends or friends of friends.

Messages to non-friends will go to an alternative message box and be treated as spam. When a user decides to accept the fee, they are requested to pay immediately using a debit or credit card.

However, the company dropped a scheme allowing users to pay $100 (€77) to contact celebrities, including Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

"The system of paying to message non-friends in their inbox is to prevent spam while acknowledging that sometimes you might want to hear from people outside your immediate social circle," Facebook said.

"We are testing a number of price points in the UK and other countries to establish the optimal fee that signals importance. Part of that test involves charging higher amounts for public figures, based on the number of followers they have.

"This is still a test and these prices are not set in stone."

The cost of messaging a celebrity will vary according to their popularity and is bound to become an instant measuring tool between the famous and the wannabes.

The scheme has already been tested in the United States.

Facebook began charging users on a pilot basis in the US in December last year and has decided to begin rolling out the system on a global scale.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/facebook-users-to-be-charged-for-messaging-nonfriends-29180057.html

Telchak

Have it installed on my Note II. It's actually not half as bad as I expected, runs fast enough.

Thankfully people's crappy cover photos that appear behind status updated are kind of darkened, so it kind of hides how bad some of them are. For it to be really good though, I'll just need to follow more attractive people and photographers

errlloyd

My facebook home launcher is just some page that says "Find me on the builds page" how do I get around it.

EDIT: For anyone else, even though the installation says the facebook app you are downloading is the same as the one you have installed, you still need to delete your facebook app.

EDIT: Second edit, really bad time to download facebook home, its pretty much all just thatcher comments. It does make getting away from breaking news impossible!

Dudda

errlloyd wrote: »

Second edit, really bad time to download facebook home, its pretty much all just thatcher comments. It does make getting away from breaking news impossible!

A Margaret Thatcher Phone? Careful, it will probably remove all your credit.

Gorilla Rising

Blazer wrote: »

Goingto try it out just to see what it's like.
I'm wondering how long Google will allow them to use it though once it starts to cut into their share.

Very interesting article on it detailing how it affects Apple but how it affects Google even more.
Its from the cult of Mac I know but some valid points in there..
http://www.cultofmac.com/222454/how-facebook-home-screws-apple/

Hmm strange article. I wouldn't say they're playing Apple as this article suggests.

I've read a few others; some denounce FB Home and some say it's a kick in the teeth to Google and Apple. I think it just depends of how tolerant you are of FB and how much you use it and enjoy it.

I can't imagine Facebook home being so interesting that people would jump ship from an iPhone to and Android phone. I doubt even half of Android users would even use this themselves.

There so many more important factors to consider when getting a phone or whether or not to stay with iOS or move from Android to Windows etc.

Mimikyu

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wotzgoingon

Just got that update as well. Chat heads is pretty cool.

Mimikyu

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wotzgoingon

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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I don't get you. How do you mean?

wotzgoingon

I understand now. I went into settings.

daithimac

I'm getting a message that it is not available in my country when I go into play through the settings on facebook.

nedd

daithimac wrote: »

I'm getting a message that it is not available in my country when I go into play through the settings on facebook.

There is a thread on xda on how to install it. Have it a few hours now and while it is different I don't think I will stick with it for daily use.

shuyin1

Messenger app update is very useful. Great idea to have new messages combined and overlayed over an opened app.

Sonics2k

Download here for anyone interested. http://db.tt/x6VYXIna

Been using Facebook Home for a few hours now.

Quick review, but I'll try to and write something up better.

It's certainly smooth, nice and minimalistic, easy to use and is quite pretty.

However, I find myself wondering why bother with it. All it really does is plant my news feed on my lock screen (the first image I saw was a giant picture of a friends massive blister on his foot), and let me post updates from the Home Screen, something I can already do.

And on top of this, it's just a wallpaper running over Touch Wiz, and makes no effort to make this less obvious, unlike Nova Launcher.

A final positive is Chat Heads for Messenger, but this isn't exclusive to Facebook Home. It is an amazingly handy function.

Mimikyu

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mossie

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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Yeah, on and off within 30 seconds for me. Could see my teenage niece loving it, but not really for me I think.

errlloyd

Sonics2k wrote: »

However, I find myself wondering why bother with it. All it really does is plant my news feed on my lock screen (the first image I saw was a giant picture of a friends massive blister on his foot), and let me post updates from the Home Screen, something I can already do.

This is dead weird, first picture I got was a massive blister on a friend's thumb.

waynegalway

Tried it out for a day or so. Turned it off then.

I won't delete it, though, just yet. Fb had said they'll bring out updates every month, so with improvements it could be good.

For example, if you could use folders in the app section. Also, the cover feed is okay, but the posts it shows are a bit random. Some were recent, others days old. You'd think it would default to most recent first and then go chronological back like your desktop news feed.

And there's no way to easily get to your news feed from the launcher. One way is to click on the profile pic in the cover feed, which brings you to that persons wall and then go to your feed from there. The only other way I could see was to go into the app drawer and select the main Fb app. Clumsy to say the least.

But, with time and improvements it could be alright.

thebman

What real advantage does it offer over the apps though?

It just seems pointless to have a Facebook home. No website/app is that embedded into my life that I would replace the launcher for my phone with one that has embedded support for that wesite/app.

The share button is in most apps so I never really find myself in a situation where I want to share something and don't have the option.

thebman

thebman wrote: »

It just seems pointless to have a Facebook home. No website/app is that embedded into my life that I would replace the launcher for my phone with one that has embedded support for that wesite/app.

That hardly makes it pointless. Just because it's not embedded into your life or mine doesn't mean that that is the case for everyone. Facebook Home will certainly suit a large demographic.

MiCr0

anyone else found a solution to the missing chat head option in facebook messanger?

waynegalway

MiCr0 wrote: »

anyone else found a solution to the missing chat head option in facebook messanger?

How do you mean?

Here's how I found it on Messenger on my phone:

Open the Messenger app
Go to Settings
Click on Notifications
Last option on that menu is to turn on/off Chat Heads

Not sure what you mean by "missing". It's there on the latest version if you look.

If you mean it's there and turned on but not working for you, that's a different thing. I'd suggest uninstall/reinstall in that case.

MiCr0

waynegalway wrote: »

How do you mean?

Here's how I found it on Messenger on my phone:

Open the Messenger app
Go to Settings
Click on Notifications
Last option on that menu is to turn on/off Chat Heads

Not sure what you mean by "missing". It's there on the latest version if you look.

If you mean it's there and turned on but not working for you, that's a different thing. I'd suggest uninstall/reinstall in that case.

I've got the latest version, I'm just missing the option on the menu. Its been reinstalled and cache cleared a few times. There's plenty of others reporting the same problem

waynegalway

MiCr0 wrote: »

I've got the latest version, I'm just missing the option on the menu. Its been reinstalled and cache cleared a few times. There's plenty of others reporting the same problem

Strange alright. I expect they'll fix it soon if it's a known issue. I can't see Fb hanging around in this. They want Home and Chat heads to work, after all.

waynegalway

It's up on the Play store now. It's exactly the same version as the one available here on Friday.

Ivefoundgod

Chat heads not working on my Galaxy S3 either, doesn't show up in the options of the messanger app. Its strange, I was almost certain I saw the option when I downloaded the update and enabled it but I must've been dreaming.

MiCr0

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Chat heads not working on my Galaxy S3 either, doesn't show up in the options of the messanger app. Its strange, I was almost certain I saw the option when I downloaded the update and enabled it but I must've been dreaming.

I've got the exact same behaviour and same result

elderlemon

Working on my S3. Just check the two check boxes in settings/sms.

MiCr0 wrote: »

I've got the exact same behaviour and same result

Ivefoundgod

MiCr0 wrote: »

I've got the exact same behaviour and same result

Its a strange one. Same thing with my nexus 7, no option there either.

Mimikyu

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errlloyd

Captain Morgan wrote: »

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I've accidentally ended up with some mad middle ground. My lock screen is the one with go launcher, I unlock and it will go to fb home, then I press the home button to get to my regular launcher, not ideal, and I am not arsed fixing it.

Zascar

I have not used the full home app, but the chat heads thing works brilliantly. I really like the new font too. I wish WhatsApp could do the same thing

nedd

I stopped using FB home but still using Messenger as my SMS app so i can use Chat Heads. Have to say that Messenger is not good enough for an every day SMS app. I am thinking of switching back to Chomp even though i do really like the Chat Heads.

I might try using FB home as a lock screen for a while and see how annoyed i get with it.

Mimikyu

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Ivefoundgod

MiCr0 wrote: »

I've got the exact same behaviour and same result

Just an update, I got the chat heads working by opening up messenger and long pressing on a conversation, then tap "pop out chat head". The option then showed up in the notifications settings in messenger. Working now.

MiCr0

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Just an update, I got the chat heads working by opening up messenger and long pressing on a conversation, then tap "pop out chat head". The option then showed up in the notifications settings in messenger. Working now.

I just get the options to archive or delete :-(

Ivefoundgod

MiCr0 wrote: »

I just get the options to archive or delete :-(

Aww, that's ****. It's the same on my nexus 7, I only have it working on my phone.

MiCr0

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Aww, that's ****. It's the same on my nexus 7, I only have it working on my phone.

Just reinstalled, the version from 25th April and now chat heads is there :-)