Facebook as of early this month announced and released the Facebook home. Home is a launcher that sits onto of Android and brings out all the Facebook juicy experience from the Facebook app onto the phone’s lock and homescreen. The homescreen is turned into a string of your friends’ Facebook updates.
Unlike the rumors of a dedicated phone manufactured by Facebook, this is how Facebook has chosen to stick it’s too toe into the mobile world and it may find that the water is warm enough to plunge all the way in. But my feeling is that not everyone will be glad to install this Facebook coating onto their phones and here are 5 reasons why;
Data hogging
The Facebook home launcher is beautiful; I must give it that but that beauty all comes at the expense of your sucking your data bundle dry. If you don’t have an unlimited mobile internet plan from your carrier, you face the risk of thinking your Facebook home is working yet it’s not due to limited data or “m-bees” as people like to call it here. Am sure this launcher is a
blessing from heaven for mobile phone operators as they get to squeeze more money from their Facebook loving subscribers. It basically performs background updates and pushing notifications and chat messages to your phone, But the way I look at it, there is a cost to pay for everything that looks beautiful. Don’t get wrong, the Facebook home launcher feels more of beta software than a final version. I would advise on always checking on your data consumption if you decide to opt into installing the Facebook home app onto your phone.
Wild friends with indecent pictures
Not all your friends are like minded and some of those friends will choose to have some unorthodox pictures as their cover photos, posted photos or even their profile pictures. Such pictures can range between pornographic content, dogs, gross photography, racially unfriendly signs or tags, the list is endless. Since these pictures are used by the Facebook launcher whenever they post updates or chat with you, you will always be bound to see these pictures. Imagine your child, nephew, niece or parents lands on your phone and this is the content that appears on your homescreen. # The embarrassment.
Two accounts
For those with more than one Facebook profile this may not be launcher for you. The launcher typically deeply ties into your Facebook app which only allows one log in. So brace yourself to choose which of the two profiles if any is worth your phone.
Facebook Addict
There is no doubt that Facebook has out done its self in terms of UI design for its home on Android. You will find yourself glancing at those gorgeous full sized pictures on the cover feed homescreen and lock screen, liking friend’s statuses more often than you would have done in your regular Facebook app. You will immerse yourself in chatting with your friends more than often using the chat heads feature. And before you know it will be some sort of addiction.
Only available on selected phones
Official your midrange Android phone won’t taste the Facebook home goodness. If you don’t own a Samsung galaxy s III/ 4 or note 2, and HTC one X, X+ , and unfortunately most Facebook junkies here in Africa cannot afford these high-end devices. Luckily due to Facebook’s promise of monthly updates we expect compatibility to more Android phones soon.
Ads
The Facebook CEO was clear that at some point in the future there will be Ads on your facebook home. Well am not a fan of Ads though they bring in the money, but they can get a little annoying. Well I guess we shall start the judgment when we cross that road.
Have you yet installed the Facebook home app on your phone? Feel free to leave comments below
