Facebook Home Reviews: For Facebook Fans Only, Addictive, Too Simple

[MattSepeta]

I want a 2001 space odyssey themed device! Give us HAL!!

But seriously I feel really bad for the kind of person who is so self absorbed a face book app just wasn't quite cutting it!

But it takes all kinds.

 

[WilliamLondon]

It actually makes me sad that anyone could be so addicted to Facebook as to want this.

Amen. Used to work with a guy that spent all his time at work on FaceBook, hiding his phone from the bosses under the counter at times - he spent hours upon hours on FaceBook (while at work). Is this new Home thing for people like him, or is it to turn more people into FB users like him?

 

[RetepNamenots]

Never been so glad to be on iOS.

If only Android users got the choice of whether to use this or not.

Oh, wait.

 

[Nebulance]

I disagree with everything you've said.

My 15 year old niece is on it 24/7
My friends who are from 20s to 40s are on it 24/7

I still wouldn't recommend Facebook Home to anyone as it's a waste of time and productivity (data mining security/privacy issues aside)

one could argue Facebook itself is a massive waste of time too!

 

[cdmoore74]

Didn't Motorola already try this with something called MotoBlur only to basically replace it with stock Android?

Very common assumption from an iOS user. Your on the right path but let me explain.
MotoBlur, HTC Sense and Touchwiz goes beyond what you see from Facebook Home. The intent of Touchwiz for example is to tightly integrate everything from widgets, software, switches, fonts, device drivers, battery tweaks and system wide optimizations. The stock Touchwiz Rom from my Note 2 approaches 1GB in size. A Vanilla Jellybean ROM is under 200mb. If I use a Cyanogen based ROM (the intent is to have stock android) I lose the cool features of my S-Pen, battery life (might not be good as Touchwiz) and none of the services like S-Note or Air-view will work. You may even need workarounds for GPS and Bluetooth because those drivers are so tightly integrated in Touchwiz based Roms.
If you disable Facebook home all that remains is stock Android. HTC Sense is not running under it which for some is actually a good thing. If this phone was running HTC Sense you would see a performance hit. Hence the reason why people mod Android phones for a stock look and feel with better performance than say Motoblur.
And finally I can actually download Facebook home on my Note 2. No different from downloading a Windows 8 launcher or a iOS launcher from the play store. I can completely change the look and feel within seconds without the need to "jailbreak" my device.
And don't pay attention to my battery life. I'm going on 26 hours and I haven't swapped it yet.

 

[Nebulance]

Personally I'm getting out of social media because I think it's a crock of ****.

1. Biggest time wasting of all time. Far surpassing TV a long time ago
2. You're friends don't give a crap about you.
3. It's the most self centered place in the world, especially FB.

this! I think FB creates this 'celebrity effect' as I call it, leading you to think that your mundane thoughts and actions matter, in the same way as is portrayed on TMZ concerning celebrities.

I quote the movie Easy A:

Mr. Griffith: I don't know what your generation's fascination is with documenting your every thought... but I can assure you, they're not all diamonds. "Roman is having an OK day, and bought a Coke Zero at the gas station. Raise the roof." Who gives a rat's ass?

 

[sulpfiction]

The current iPhone app is crap and buggy and crashes a lot. Not that I want a phone geared towards Facebook but the iOS app needs to be redone.

It crashes once in a while, and it's a bit buggy,. But it's FB. It works great for me and totally gets the job done. I just can't see the value of a FB phone. Maybe some for hard core FB addicts will like the phone, but that's about it. And then to have a half baked OS makes even more un-appealing to the normal consumer. This phone might actually be the worst selling of all time. Lol.

 

[white4s]

whoever needs/wants this clearly does not have much of a social life. to have a phone based AROUND facebook? nah

 

[ChrisTX]

The best thing about this phone is according to The Verge, Facebook Home can be uninstalled turning this phone into a budget friendly pure Android experience device.

 

[TWSS37]

Very common assumption from an iOS user. Your on the right path but let me explain.
MotoBlur, HTC Sense and Touchwiz goes beyond what you see from Facebook Home. The intent of Touchwiz for example is to tightly integrate everything from widgets, software, switches, fonts, device drivers, battery tweaks and system wide optimizations. The stock Touchwiz Rom from my Note 2 approaches 1GB in size. A Vanilla Jellybean ROM is under 200mb. If I use a Cyanogen based ROM (the intent is to have stock android) I lose the cool features of my S-Pen, battery life (might not be good as Touchwiz) and none of the services like S-Note or Air-view will work. You may even need workarounds for GPS and Bluetooth because those drivers are so tightly integrated in Touchwiz based Roms.
If you disable Facebook home all that remains is stock Android. HTC Sense is not running under it which for some is actually a good thing. If this phone was running HTC Sense you would see a performance hit. Hence the reason why people mod Android phones for a stock look and feel with better performance than say Motoblur.
And finally I can actually download Facebook home on my Note 2. No different from downloading a Windows 8 launcher or a iOS launcher from the play store. I can completely change the look and feel within seconds without the need to "jailbreak" my device.
And don't pay attention to my battery life. I'm going on 26 hours and I haven't swapped it yet.

Save your breath. This has been attempted to be explained many times since this announcement was made on this forum and people either get it already or don't. The concept of a launcher vs. a skin (ROM) I think has to be experienced to be understood, especially if you've only used iOS and both concepts do not exist in a non-jailbroken state.

That being said, I think the OP was referring to the social tie ins that Motoblur 2.0 had (Droid X, 2010ish Moto devices) as opposed to the ROM itself; but I could be wrong. Motoblur 3.0 ditched that for all intents and purposes if I recall.

 

[ohbrilliance]

Epic failure. I'm totally content with my FB app and would never buy a phone geared around it.

Facebook must be kicking themselves for not running this by you.

 

[iHEARTcartoons]

Like using Facebook the old fashioned way, Facebook Home leaves you feeling just as empty.

 

[stevensr123]

The only decent thing I see about it are those chat heads, it seems like an amazing, fun and unique way of messaging, and so convienant.

Is there anything else on the play store that is similar?


I'm getting the htc one on the 23rd, and would love this extra feature to goon top of sense ui.

 

[dgree03]

Feels good to come back here and see the usual people talking bad about something (FB) that they have no idea about.

The irony is people knocking facebook, while commenting on a forum

What is "Not social" or "Anti-Social" about FB? I imagine in the old day people thought telephones were "Anti-Social".... Or what about the telegraph?! Morse code? Oh my no one can know each other unless it is face to face lol..


Macrumors never ceases to amaze me....

 

[JamesInLA]

Never been so glad to be on iOS.

Because someone made an Android app you don't like?

 

[sulpfiction]

Facebook must be kicking themselves for not running this by you.

So I'm assuming u think this phone is a good idea? And u think it's going to sell well?apparently FB feels that way. But it doesn't take a genius to realize this phone is going to be a total flop.

 

[Tinmania]

He says that like it's a good thing.

Yea but Walt is in the perfect age-bracket for Graybook... err, Facebook.





Michael

 

[thefourthpope]

Please keep this garbage off of my iPhone. Thank you.

Please pull ideas from this into my iPhone. Seamless iMessages (sans jailbreak) would be excellent.

----------

Macrumors never ceases to amaze me....

Just jealous they didn't think of it first

 

[Bill Killer]

So I'm assuming u think this phone is a good idea? And u think it's going to sell well?apparently FB feels that way. But it doesn't take a genius to realize this phone is going to be a total flop.

It doesn't take a genius to actually read the articles and realize that Facebook isn't releasing a phone.

In fact, a genius likely wouldn't be critical of a product that doesn't exist.

 

[Roessnakhan]

Something like Chatheads would be really convenient in iOS (not using Facebook, but the native Messages). Like BiteSMS' quick reply, but I like the idea of them being ever-present. In iOS I could see browsing the web, finding something I want to share, and then dragging it onto the person's avatar.

 

[Squilly]

Seriously, kids don't use facebook anymore.

It's either twitter, instagram or snapchat... not facebook.

I still use Facebook, and Snapchat.

 

[roxxette]

If only Android users got the choice of whether to use this or not.

Oh, wait.

Touche

 

[kicko]

Something like Chatheads would be really convenient in iOS (not using Facebook, but the native Messages). Like BiteSMS' quick reply, but I like the idea of them being ever-present. In iOS I could see browsing the web, finding something I want to share, and then dragging it onto the person's avatar.

I think the best part of this is that you can use chat heads as facebook messenger which also has SMS integrated. I will give this a try but most likely i will run a different launcher/home app of my choice and keep the chat heads enabled. That is really the best feature of this FB Home launcher, you can choose to use it or not.

 

[Ray J]

Microsoft Kin 2?

 

[ohbrilliance]

So I'm assuming u think this phone is a good idea? And u think it's going to sell well?apparently FB feels that way. But it doesn't take a genius to realize this phone is going to be a total flop.

I'm neutral on this. I just found it funny that you write it off as a failure because you personally aren't interested. Props though for saying failure rather than fail