Facebook Home, the new product that the Palo Alto company presented a few weeks ago, is now officially available at Spain, thus being able Download already from Google PlayHowever, many users are criticizing it. The world isn't ready for Facebook Home yet, but the app certainly shows promise.
It is an application for Facebook addicts. And that's true. For me, for example, who doesn't access Facebook very much, and when I do it's simply to contact those close to me, it's not an application that's really useful. However, I am able to appreciate that it is a very important progress in the world of smart phones, and which probably represents the first step in a series of inevitable changes that operating systems such as iOS, Android, Windows and also BlackBerry will have to undergo.
However, that he did it Facebook Home It doesn't make much sense. Now let's think about a 200-horsepower engine. Obviously, it's an invention that can be very useful. But what happens to this engine when we attach it to a bicycle? The poor cyclist ends up realizing that the bicycle has become a surface-to-air missile that will end his life in a matter of seconds. Well, something like that is Facebook Home. A system that has many good things, but it has only one bad thing, and that is that it is useless, except for the two or three users who use Facebook a lot.
What is Facebook Home and how does it work?
Facebook Home is a layer above Android (a launcher) that prioritizes everything that happens on the social network on your mobile. The home screen becomes Cover Feed, a full-screen visual feed of posts, photos, and updates from friends and Pages. You can scroll through them with gestures swipe type, discard content or open it without going through intermediate menus.
It incorporates a carousel of images that advances automatically or with your finger, very similar to browsing the phone's photo gallery. notifications They arrive directly upon unlocking and can be opened by tapping or hidden for later review, reducing steps to access what is relevant.
The messaging system integrates with the Chat Heads: Floating bubbles with the contact's photo that remain visible on top of other apps. You can move them around the screen and chat without leaving what you're doing. Messaging can also be used. integrate with SMS on some devices, unifying conversations.
The classic app icons are left in a submenu that pops up from your avatar with an upward gesture. It's all about social interaction, with tap- and swipe-based navigation designed for intensive Facebook use.
Compatibility, download and requirements in Spain
The download is Delivery to Italy takes one or two business days from Google Play and, for correct operation, it is advisable to have the latest versions of the app installed Facebook and Facebook MessengerFacebook Home began its deployment in the United States and then officially opened to Spain and other markets; they previously circulated Modified APKs from third parties to test it outside the initial area, which Facebook advised against and removed.
- HTC One X y HTC One X+
- Samsung Galaxy S3
- Samsung Galaxy Note II
The company also noted support for models such as HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 and the Galaxy Note family, as long as the phone runs a version of Android modern (such as Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean) and has enough power. Facebook also spoke of a tablet version in later stages.
User experience: advantages, criticisms and consumption
Those who live on Facebook will find in Home an experience fast and direct: Social content is always at hand, messages float, and photos look full screen. However, criticism on Google Play were notable: many users rated it with one star for its intrusiveness (replaces the home screen) and by the absence of widgets classic or Android shortcuts, something that reduces the traditional customization of the system.
Facebook Home download background data to keep the feed updated, which may impact the battery and Internet usage. To mitigate this, include settings for data consumption with high, normal, or low profiles, allowing for a balance of flow and spending. In any case, its offering is clearly geared toward those who use the social network intensively.
Manufacturers, deployment, and the “Facebook Phone”
Facebook showed alliances with HTC, Samsung, Sony, Huawei, Alcatel, Lenovo, ZTE, Qualcomm y Orange, anticipating a progressive expansion. He also presented the HTC First, a phone with Home preinstalled that served as a demonstration of its factory-level integration. Although it was a limited launch, it demonstrated the intention to take the experience beyond a simple downloadable app.
In any case, the application is already available in Spain, and that is a surprise, since its launch is not expected so soon. It is possible that criticism of the application in the United States has made them consider jumping to other countries to see how they receive it there. We will see what happens with Facebook Home, since it is supposed to be the new version of the social network, and that indicates that the old app may eventually disappear.