Facebook Introduces New 'Home' Screen for Android Devices, Arrives April 12th

[thefourthpope]

Why does it need a home screen? Seriously…

Oh man, I love LockInfo (thanks again, evasion!) because it turns the lock screen into a useful sort of home screen. I can check and respond to texts and emails, see my calendar events, and customize it to receive other notifications as I (not Apple) see fit, all without unlocking, finding the app, and waiting for it to load/update.
Obviously the big distinction in this case is that LockInfo lets me pick what I want, and I have Facebook turned off except for a few friends; Facebook Home would clearly be Facebook-centric. But that's my personal reason for wanting something similar.

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Lame. An announcement for this was unnecessary.

Posting this announcement on MR front page was unnecessary.
I'm sure whatever the FBrumors equivalent is (high school?) was thrilled.

 

[Datalinks]

I don't care what my friends are doing all the time..

 

[Hastings101]

Not something I'd use but for a hardcore always on Facebook user it'd be pretty cool.

 

[Applefanboy8153]

One would hope it has a lock screen to prevent anyone to turn your phone on an gain access to it (As mentioned before, I am more worried about things that the phone could post for you or at a minimum tells FB about you - better triple check all the hidden 'privacy' options that might get introduced and set to 'public' by default)

Well, according to a friend of mine, all messages are displayed on lock screen also Facebook is considering an optional update status bar on the lock screen, what I dont understand is why dont they just display a user's password?

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Zuck has drawn the line in the sand.

As much as I don't like the guy, timing is on his side. There's a lot of iPhone users that've waited patiently for Apple to get into the present with the 4.7 ~ 4.8" display size.

They now have one more reason to stop waiting & buy Android. With the very nice Galaxy S3 going on sale at half off, Apple may lose more customers that they can fathom.

It's my understanding I'm in a very rare position, not being a Facebook member. There was a lot of buzz about Facebook Home at work today.

Of the 80 people in my building alone, at least half are already on Android, with the rest on iPhones yet they are obsessed with their Facebook activities. All very well paid, switching to Android is easy for them. Quick too, since its a money is no object purchase. Upgrade eligible or not.

After the reveal of "Home" today, I heard a lot of excitement and interest expressed.

This... Ought to be extremely interesting.

Well, for starters droids have malware and viruses also the market place is open so any freaky guy can upload viruses on to an android based store or a website which receives many droids.
Facebook's all new "People Based" home screen is so stupid as they display all the personal stuff as notifications on your lock screen, any person with access to your phone could post a status update from your lock screen!!!(it is an optional feature according to my friend). Also many people are now switching back to iPhones because not only do the top end droids feel flimsy and cheap, they are huge...huge, very huge..making it kinda difficult to fit into a slim fit jeans or into a packed pocket, believe me it barely fits into a cargo pant's pocket (They are huge BTW, the pockets). I used a note II for a month and I loved the screen at first but soon I began to feel uncomfortable with it's size and flimsiness. Also having used Apple products for years, I have observed that they perform with the same speed as they do on their first day to the very end of their life...same is the case with an iPhone whereas you can experience a slowdown within a week of purchase in a droid.

 

[Mike MA]

That won't help them.

 

[vmachiel]

Yeah.. It's cool and all, but more and more people I know (including me) are using facebook less and less.

Too little too late i think

 

[SeaFox]

Based on my facebook feed, it'd be a phone that would display nothing but baby pictures, wedding/engagement shots, and unfunny eCards 24/7.

Have you considered having a Facebook account really gains you little value for all the personal information you sell for nothing?

Maybe you're waking up to the fact you don't really need it.

 

[HMF]

Bad news here

Facebook Home have for me a few bad things:

1st: It will eat up your bandwidth and battery, by constantly loading these content via server (Wi-fi, LTE, 3G).

2nd: it seems a security breach showing all these messages on home screen. (Imagine that your phone is stolen)

3rd: On this presentation you didn't see the advertising, but for sure on future versions there will be ads annoying you and also eating up your bandwidth.

4th: Facebook is also know for been a great tracking device, and now they also have access to your phone contacts, something that most people avoid to mix for security reasons.

5th: Imagine that you and your girlfriend decide to make a hot video just for you or take that hot picture and keep that private. How do you know that Facebook is not seem that straight away??? This Facebook phone looks like a losing privacy device for lazy people. An App you close and open the way you want too, not this.

 

[SeaFox]

2nd: it seems a security breach showing all these messages on home screen. (Imagine that your phone is stolen)

Maybe those people shouldn't be posting those things on Facebook to start with if they want them to be "secure". This is the Internet after all.

 

[Frazzle]

Well, 'people' is simply a dumb, unproductive and ill-informed concept to organise your info around. Social media is nice, but over 75% of my activities on the phone are not related to specific people. Newsfeeds, games, utilities, private banking, remote control, mobile parking, navigation, music listening, watching tv, city guides... All nothing to do with specific people.

Same goes for Twitter, as I like to experience it as a river of news, info etc. Just imagine having all the people you follow show up as separate 'contacts' - horrible.

That, plus all the usual gripes about privacy on FB, would make the appearance of this on a phone a definite 'pass'. I hope iOS remains free of this nonsense.

 

[freeny]

After looking at this a second time, it's clearly an attempt by Facebook to stay relevant in a world that has moved on. So sad.

Oops wrong post.

 

[theanimaster]

That is CRAP. Aside from potentially eating up the battery and RAM more, it defeats the purpose of FULL SCREEN APPS, which is what Apple was on about in the first place when they introduced the feature in Mountain Lion.

I prefer fullscreen apps. There's nothing difficult about double-clicking the home button to get to some other app on the iPhone (not sure the same can be said about Android though).

 

[roxxette]

That is CRAP. Aside from potentially eating up the battery and RAM more, it defeats the purpose of FULL SCREEN APPS, which is what Apple was on about in the first place when they introduced the feature in Mountain Lion.

I prefer fullscreen apps. There's nothing difficult about double-clicking the home button to get to some other app on the iPhone (not sure the same can be said about Android though).

Its a good thing that its not available for you on iOS right ?

Regarding multitask/change app on android most have a dedicated onscreen button to display the app switcher.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Oh man, I love LockInfo (thanks again, evasion!) because it turns the lock screen into a useful sort of home screen. I can check and respond to texts and emails, see my calendar events, and customize it to receive other notifications as I (not Apple) see fit, all without unlocking, finding the app, and waiting for it to load/update.
Obviously the big distinction in this case is that LockInfo lets me pick what I want, and I have Facebook turned off except for a few friends; Facebook Home would clearly be Facebook-centric. But that's my personal reason for wanting something similar.

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Posting this announcement on MR front page was unnecessary.
I'm sure whatever the FBrumors equivalent is (high school?) was thrilled.

I understand that and I have a friend who is a surgeon and I believe he uses the same App you mentioned since he needs to do things asap while keeping his stuff safe (to the best he can). I on the other hand use my phone for less than others do so a home screen is no big deal other than be it Apple or any company one should be able to have a choice what is or isn't where they want it and how. This answer makes sense, more so than… it looks old, dated and the so on or not even answering the question, thank you

I guess using an iPhone my first thing is getting great calls (it is a phone) and then having contacts, email and text follows with audio recording and testing for photo/video compositions, notes and last since it really lags in comparison, iCal.

 

[Artful Dodger]

So you think it's perfect? I suppose u wont be upgrading to iOS 7

You're missing out

Ha, no, no your answer isn't but that is subjective, neither is iOS. Sure I'll be upgrading once feedback let's me know how well it flows (I still need my phone and basic stuff to work well). For what I do it has always worked well though being a phone seems to get in the way, laughs…

Let's answer the last part Office Space style… I wouldn't say I'm missing out other than getting the question answered, then again let's just repeat and rinse

 

[johnjefferson]

That looks like an utter nightmare. I use my phone as a tool more than a social hub. Call me crazy.

Then its obviously not for you I think this will be awesome as I use Facebook as a tool to make money.

 

[rainydays]

I feel like they are trying to make it a bigger deal than it is

Unlike Apples presentations

 

[Mr. Milk]

Facebook claims users turn on their phone 100 times per day

I don't believe it.

I turn on my phone more than 100 times daily.

I also reboot my Galaxy S III more than 100 times daily

 

[chadley_chad]

Yeah, in your mind. FB is an utter complete waste of time and it's just another way for Zuckerburg to grab information about you, your friends and family and internet habits.

Yep! You have your opinion and I have mine; but come on, you know if it was made for Apple more would be singing its praises! As for grabbing information, Facebook grabs no more than Apple and most other companies do. Research t!

 

[mapledress]

Why Facebook choose mobile phone maker htc to help him make the phone, not Samsung?

 

[thefourthpope]

I guess using an iPhone my first thing is getting great calls (it is a phone) and then having contacts, email and text follows with audio recording and testing for photo/video compositions, notes and last since it really lags in comparison, iCal.

Funny you should order it this way. I was excited for the iPhone specifically because I wanted to stop carrying an iPod, phone, and my PDA. In fact, I think that's how it was billed in the original spiel. I'm continually disgruntled with iCal, but haven't found a compelling replacement that has the desktop integration and account syncing (so wife and I can see/share/edit calendars). Maybe iOS 7...

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Has anyone else read the Atopia Chronicles? This is how it begins....
Amazon link

 

[sniffies]

I once had a chat head, but I put some topical cream on it, and it went away in a few weeks.

 

[Ray J]

Objectively speaking, that is one of the ugliest things I've ever seen.

 

[Artful Dodger]

Funny you should order it this way. I was excited for the iPhone specifically because I wanted to stop carrying an iPod, phone, and my PDA. In fact, I think that's how it was billed in the original spiel. I'm continually disgruntled with iCal, but haven't found a compelling replacement that has the desktop integration and account syncing (so wife and I can see/share/edit calendars). Maybe iOS 7...

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Has anyone else read the Atopia Chronicles? This is how it begins....
Amazon link

iCal is really terrible, I just put in all my best man's work info (he's in the Air Force) just to make sure everything gets planned out for my wedding and yesterday I look, I did have it going 3 days on 2 off and so on but iCal only shows the start day and no end day even though it's there Don't get me started on limiting colors for subjects/events…

So yeah, I feel your pain, when we are trying to make sure everyone has all the same info for one event, no, not playing well at all so I have given up on it at this point. It use to work well for basic stuff but that is questionable these days

I also changed over as you mentioned but my gym has a policy against phones being used due to jerks taking unwanted pictures of others so I still have my Nano for that. The rest is similar just different programs since not having to carry around a phone, small cameras, sketch pads and so on really helps but if I had FB setup my phone would explode so I have all that turned off. I guess I got sick of some things fast but having the iPad with a better iOS would be great.

Good luck with a calendar option, if either finds a good app pm the other so at least two of use can keep some sanity Thanks!!!

 

[Compile 'em all]

Have you considered having a Facebook account really gains you little value for all the personal information you sell for nothing?

Maybe you're waking up to the fact you don't really need it.

I use FB daily. I have friends all over the world, and FB is THE best way to stay connected with all of them and see what they are up to. To me, FB is priceless. If your friends live in a country going through a revolution, FB becomes the ultimate _news_ feed.

The concept of home on Android is convoluted but I could be imagine for a lot of people, it will be of great use.