By SOMINI SENGUPTA | New York Times – 4 hours ago
MENLO PARK, Calif. — Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, said the company has developed new software to showcase the social network on mobile devices powered by Google’s Android operating system.
“Today our phones are designed around apps, not people,” said Mr. Zuckerberg at a news conference at Facebook’s headquarters. “We want to flip that around.”
Home converts the Facebook news feed into the home screen on the user’s phone. Pictures take up most of the real estate, with each news feed entry scrolling by like a slide show. Messages and notifications pop up over the home page. To “like” something on the newsfeed requires no more than a double-tap. Facebook apps are within easy reach, making the phone essentially synonymous with the Facebook ecosystem.
The company will not show ads immediately on the phone home screen, which Facebook is calling Cover Feed, but it is very likely to do so in the future.
The first phone with the new package installed will be made by HTC and be sold in the United States with AT&T service for about $100, starting April 12. Users of some other HTC and Samsung Android phones will also be able to download the software starting on that day, with Facebook planning to roll it out more broadly to other Android devices in the coming months.
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Facebook Shows Off Its Flavor of Android
Userlevel 7
+56
Userlevel 7
So, the long rumored "Facebook Phone" becomes a reality.. sort of. Zuckerberg's denials are technically accurate, as Facebook is not actually producing the phone under it's own name, but he was nonetheless a bit misleading.
As for me.. I will pass. I do not like live content of any type streamed onto my phone home page continuously.. horrible battery waster and annoying.
As for me.. I will pass. I do not like live content of any type streamed onto my phone home page continuously.. horrible battery waster and annoying.
Userlevel 7
+56
Also hard on your Data Plan a Pocket Book! :@
TH
TH
Userlevel 7
Yes.. that too! I am on unlimited Data due to a special almost 2 years ago... but that contract is about to end and I will be back to limits... GRR.@ wrote:
Also hard on your Data Plan a Pocket Book! :@
TH
Userlevel 7
+26
Facebook app as it is is a battery drain. Not to mention it always locks up my phone and tablet.
Userlevel 7
Well, I don't know if it's just my impression but I think the golden years for Facebook are almost over regardless on how they strive to, including this "Facebook phone".
Userlevel 7
+26
Agreed... and this "promoted posts" crap is making lots of people miss status updates and stuff and it makes people get emotional like thier friends are ignoring them and makes them feel bad.@ wrote:
Well, I don't know if it's just my impression but I think the golden years for Facebook are almost over regardless on how they strive to, including this "Facebook phone".
Userlevel 5
Then we'll just need to wait for the next "New Thing" hype to show up, so we can all go after that.
Userlevel 7
+26
It was gonna be google plus but that didn't take off like we all hoped. I liked it better then facebook@ wrote:
Then we'll just need to wait for the next "New Thing" hype to show up, so we can all go after that.
Userlevel 7
You get one of these handsets and put a stock rom on it to get rid of all the facebook stuff. The hardware is decent enough on the handset. Would make a smart buy in that case.
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
You get one of these handsets and put a stock rom on it to get rid of all the facebook stuff. The hardware is decent enough on the handset. Would make a smart buy in that case.
I have admitted previously my own downfall as a frequent Facebook user... but I refuse to allow it to control my phone experience. If the price of a "Facebook Phone" was dirt cheap (Highly subsidized) I would consider getting one for the low price and doing the rom replacement...
Userlevel 7
I wish it would be a user choice to have or not to have installed Facebook and similar. Unfortunatelly it's not going to happen until Facebook, Twitter etc. will be funding mobile manufacturers. Thank God we have clever folks from xda-developers.@ wrote:
You get one of these handsets and put a stock rom on it to get rid of all the facebook stuff. The hardware is decent enough on the handset. Would make a smart buy in that case.
Userlevel 5
Zuckerberg doesn't do "dirt cheap" unless he can make a buck off you some other way.
It's the reason I've steered clear of Facebook. Somehow they are trying to extract too much information out of you so they can make money of your data. To be honest this seems to be the same practice as Google, all they want is your information so they can make money off it by selling you out to whoever is paying.
I'm not as naive to think that they don't have anything on me, but at least I'm trying to make it hard for those companies to get a clear picture on me.
Maybe this will be the future, but not if I can help it.
It's the reason I've steered clear of Facebook. Somehow they are trying to extract too much information out of you so they can make money of your data. To be honest this seems to be the same practice as Google, all they want is your information so they can make money off it by selling you out to whoever is paying.
I'm not as naive to think that they don't have anything on me, but at least I'm trying to make it hard for those companies to get a clear picture on me.
Maybe this will be the future, but not if I can help it.
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