Filed under: iPod Family, Internet, iPhone, App Store
First Look: Facebook
Facebook always seems to be on the forefront of iPhone development. They were one of the first social networking websites to have a good web application specifically designed for iPhone, and now they are one of the first big-name social networking sites to have a decent native application on the iPhone. The native application looks very similar to the web-based version, but with a few minor "upgrades." You get photo taking/uploading support, iPhone-esqe photo galleries, and Facebook chat. Facebook chat really works wonders, especially if you have been using the web-only client.
The Facebook iPhone/iPod touch application is available right now for free from the AppStore.
Gallery: FaceBook.app
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Greg said 10:34AM on 7-11-2008
The app is nice and all, but there's no way to view or write on walls!
Reply
ryan said 10:38AM on 7-11-2008
Major oversite about the wall writing.... they'll update it soon... they kind of have to.
chippydip said 11:35AM on 7-11-2008
Yeah, I was pretty disappointed with the app. Not only can you not write on walls (why the heck not? this was the first thing I tried to do!). There is also an annoying bug with the Inbox portion of the app. I tapped into a message to read it and then started to type my reply. When I was about half-way through typing, the main Inbox page refreshed automatically, which bumped me out of the message I was writing and back to the main Inbox screen (losing all my typing in the process).
But, I guess I can at least see friend statuses and stuff :-P
D. Toliver said 10:35AM on 7-11-2008
My only gripe with this app (in it's current form) is no access to the wall. It's always been the quickest and easiest to send a message to your friends, especially if they're not available to chat online.
Reply
Gary said 10:35AM on 7-11-2008
It's a pretty cool app when it works. I had trouble logging in at first and it's crashed my phone twice. I feel like I'm back in the days on OS 8. How can an app crash the phone? Maybe they should bring back the bong sound when it boots. Ah, memories.
Reply
oki said 7:08PM on 7-12-2008
i guess im not the only one with it crashing on my 3g iphone
Jeremy Lacey said 10:40AM on 7-11-2008
I think the App is actually a step down from the Web App. I wonder if releasing an iPhone App was an afterthought and was rushed? However, I agree about FB Chat, and here's to hoping for amazing updates!
Reply
Stu J said 10:48AM on 7-11-2008
I also can't find a mini feed for everyone ... I can only see their status update. So unless I click into their profile, then I can't see any sort of recent activity (photo additions / people attending events / new friends with so & so etc...)
Would like this back, and then leave the status updates to another page.
Reply
Mike said 2:23PM on 7-11-2008
the Facebook blog says they are working on "improving" the app, but I still can't believe it made it out the door without a central news feed and wall posting. As it stands, the web-app is actually BETTER than the actual app, save for the ability to take pictures and upload directly. The lack of a central news feed (status updates only) is just insane.
Joe said 10:57AM on 7-11-2008
No way to edit profile!
Reply
mrtrik said 11:10AM on 7-11-2008
how do you access photo albums?
Reply
Darwin Smith said 11:11AM on 7-11-2008
Kinda makes me mad that the main thing I want to do, which is write on other people's walls, is not available.
Reply
Ryan Riddle said 11:24AM on 7-11-2008
I was terribly disappointed in this app, there is no wall access, there is no way to view anything except profile photos, there is no way to view full profiles, there is no way to edit your profile. What is the point of a native app when it is a HUGE step down on features from the web app???
This was one of two application that I was really excited about (the other being an IM client) so needless to say, right now I'm bummed.
I am really looking forward to some updates on this app (like a complete overhaul) and something more like iChat.
Reply
emil said 11:35AM on 7-11-2008
What does the 'take photo' button do? i mean where does the photo go?
Reply
Elisabeth said 12:49PM on 7-11-2008
a "mobile uploads" album automatically is created and the photo is posted there. that's the one and only plus of this application as i see it, it makes posting pictures much easier. myspace's app wins round one with facebook.
Arin said 11:48AM on 7-11-2008
You also can't add friends...nor can you search for people that aren't in your friend list (like you can in the web app)...you can't view anyone's photo album either unless it was recently put in their feed...
You can chat with people that are online - that's cool, but the rest just kinda stinks...I had to save the webapp as well just to be able to do everything...lame
Reply
Wuddel said 8:34AM on 7-15-2008
Well apparently it can't cope with non-ASCII-characters in names. (German Umlaute!). It does not show the character before. Müller becomes üller ? Not supporting international character sets is so 1990ies.
Reply
Gigi said 11:16PM on 7-23-2008
I can't change my profile there!!!!!
Reply