Official Facebook app (ultimately! ) available for Windows 8
Official Facebook app (ultimately!) available for Windows 8.1 users
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Senior Editor, PCWorld | Oct 17, two thousand thirteen 6:21 AM PT
For all the improvements Microsoft has made in bolstering the Windows Store’s app selection, one insistent question has held back the company’s fantasies of grandeur: "Yeah, but where’s Facebook?" Indeed, the largest social network in the land has been a conspicuous no-show in Microsoft app market—until now.
After playing around with the app for a while, I can securely report that it’s well, pretty much exactly what you’d expect; Zuckerberg didn’t rewrite the rule book with this one. That said, the Windows 8.1 Facebook app is enormously functional, rocking a three-pane design with your settings, groups, and viewing options on the left, your main news feed front-and-center, and a list of your Friends and their talk availability on the right. The exact look varies slightly depending on the menu you’re on, but the options pane remains consistent on the left side.
Writing something fresh or uploading a picture coaxes a Charm-style pane to slide in from the right side of the screen, where you’re free to spill your heart’s innermost secrets.
Composing a fresh message brings out a right-side pane.
While the look of the app undoubtedly screams "Facebook," it also trickles Microsoft’s unique modern UI style, with acute edges and tiles galore. Pinning the app to the side of the screen ditches the side panes to concentrate on your news feed, with the "three horizontal lines" options button familiar to users of other Facebook mobile apps appearing in the topmost tray. Again, however, the exact look can vary depending on the Snap ratio you use.
Facebook for Windows 8.1 lacks one crucial Microsoftian feature, however: Share Charm integration. If you see an interesting tidbit in the modern version of Internet Explorer eleven (or any other modern app), you can’t open the Charms bar and seamlessly share it to Facebook. That’s a major frustration, witnessing as how sharing links is such a major part of the Facebook practice.
The Facebook app’s apparent Windows 8.1 exclusivity is another bummer—it isn’t appearing in the Windows Store on my Windows eight machines. And you may run into problems even if you’ve upgraded to Windows 8.1, as senior Microsoft editor Mark Hachman has yet to coax the Facebook app into actually downloading onto his Surface, tho’ that may just be opening-day server jitters. Spectacle also seems slightly sluggish, however not overly so.
All in all, however, the Facebook app for Windows 8.1 is a fine very first demonstrating for the must-have social network, and it fills one of the most gaping fuckholes in the Windows Store’s app selection. Microsoft still has a ways to go before the Windows Store can go toe-to-toe with Android or iOS, but it’s certainly headed in the right direction.
Senior editor Brad Chacos covers gaming and graphics for PCWorld, and runs the morning news desk for PCWorld, Macworld, Greenbot, and TechHive. He tweets too.
Official Facebook app (eventually! ) available for Windows eight
Official Facebook app (eventually!) available for Windows 8.1 users
Your message has been sent.
There was an error emailing this page.
Senior Editor, PCWorld | Oct 17, two thousand thirteen 6:21 AM PT
For all the improvements Microsoft has made in bolstering the Windows Store’s app selection, one insistent question has held back the company’s desires of grandeur: "Yeah, but where’s Facebook?" Indeed, the largest social network in the land has been a conspicuous no-show in Microsoft app market—until now.
After playing around with the app for a while, I can securely report that it’s well, pretty much exactly what you’d expect; Zuckerberg didn’t rewrite the rule book with this one. That said, the Windows 8.1 Facebook app is utterly functional, rocking a three-pane design with your settings, groups, and viewing options on the left, your main news feed front-and-center, and a list of your Friends and their talk availability on the right. The exact look varies slightly depending on the menu you’re on, but the options pane remains consistent on the left side.
Writing something fresh or uploading a picture coaxes a Charm-style pane to slide in from the right side of the screen, where you’re free to spill your heart’s innermost secrets.
Composing a fresh message brings out a right-side pane.
While the look of the app certainly screams "Facebook," it also trickles Microsoft’s unique modern UI style, with acute edges and tiles galore. Pinning the app to the side of the screen ditches the side panes to concentrate on your news feed, with the "three horizontal lines" options button familiar to users of other Facebook mobile apps appearing in the topmost tray. Again, however, the exact look can vary depending on the Snap ratio you use.
Facebook for Windows 8.1 lacks one crucial Microsoftian feature, however: Share Charm integration. If you see an interesting tidbit in the modern version of Internet Explorer eleven (or any other modern app), you can’t open the Charms bar and seamlessly share it to Facebook. That’s a major frustration, observing as how sharing links is such a major part of the Facebook practice.
The Facebook app’s apparent Windows 8.1 exclusivity is another bummer—it isn’t appearing in the Windows Store on my Windows eight machines. And you may run into problems even if you’ve upgraded to Windows 8.1, as senior Microsoft editor Mark Hachman has yet to coax the Facebook app into actually downloading onto his Surface, however that may just be opening-day server jitters. Spectacle also seems slightly sluggish, tho’ not overly so.
All in all, however, the Facebook app for Windows 8.1 is a excellent very first displaying for the must-have social network, and it fills one of the most gaping crevices in the Windows Store’s app selection. Microsoft still has a ways to go before the Windows Store can go toe-to-toe with Android or iOS, but it’s undoubtedly headed in the right direction.
Senior editor Brad Chacos covers gaming and graphics for PCWorld, and runs the morning news desk for PCWorld, Macworld, Greenbot, and TechHive. He tweets too.
Official Facebook app (eventually! ) available for Windows eight
Official Facebook app (eventually!) available for Windows 8.1 users
Your message has been sent.
There was an error emailing this page.
Senior Editor, PCWorld | Oct 17, two thousand thirteen 6:21 AM PT
For all the improvements Microsoft has made in bolstering the Windows Store’s app selection, one insistent question has held back the company’s fantasies of grandeur: "Yeah, but where’s Facebook?" Indeed, the largest social network in the land has been a conspicuous no-show in Microsoft app market—until now.
After playing around with the app for a while, I can securely report that it’s well, pretty much exactly what you’d expect; Zuckerberg didn’t rewrite the rule book with this one. That said, the Windows 8.1 Facebook app is utterly functional, rocking a three-pane design with your settings, groups, and viewing options on the left, your main news feed front-and-center, and a list of your Friends and their talk availability on the right. The exact look varies slightly depending on the menu you’re on, but the options pane remains consistent on the left side.
Writing something fresh or uploading a picture coaxes a Charm-style pane to slide in from the right side of the screen, where you’re free to spill your heart’s innermost secrets.
Composing a fresh message brings out a right-side pane.
While the look of the app undoubtedly screams "Facebook," it also trickles Microsoft’s unique modern UI style, with acute edges and tiles galore. Pinning the app to the side of the screen ditches the side panes to concentrate on your news feed, with the "three horizontal lines" options button familiar to users of other Facebook mobile apps appearing in the topmost tray. Again, however, the exact look can vary depending on the Snap ratio you use.
Facebook for Windows 8.1 lacks one crucial Microsoftian feature, however: Share Charm integration. If you see an interesting tidbit in the modern version of Internet Explorer eleven (or any other modern app), you can’t open the Charms bar and seamlessly share it to Facebook. That’s a major frustration, eyeing as how sharing links is such a major part of the Facebook practice.
The Facebook app’s apparent Windows 8.1 exclusivity is another bummer—it isn’t appearing in the Windows Store on my Windows eight machines. And you may run into problems even if you’ve upgraded to Windows 8.1, as senior Microsoft editor Mark Hachman has yet to coax the Facebook app into actually downloading onto his Surface, however that may just be opening-day server jitters. Spectacle also seems slightly sluggish, tho’ not overly so.
All in all, however, the Facebook app for Windows 8.1 is a superb very first demonstrating for the must-have social network, and it fills one of the most gaping slots in the Windows Store’s app selection. Microsoft still has a ways to go before the Windows Store can go toe-to-toe with Android or iOS, but it’s certainly headed in the right direction.
Senior editor Brad Chacos covers gaming and graphics for PCWorld, and runs the morning news desk for PCWorld, Macworld, Greenbot, and TechHive. He tweets too.
Official Facebook app (ultimately! ) available for Windows eight
Official Facebook app (ultimately!) available for Windows 8.1 users
Your message has been sent.
There was an error emailing this page.
Senior Editor, PCWorld | Oct 17, two thousand thirteen 6:21 AM PT
For all the improvements Microsoft has made in bolstering the Windows Store’s app selection, one insistent question has held back the company’s fantasies of grandeur: "Yeah, but where’s Facebook?" Indeed, the largest social network in the land has been a conspicuous no-show in Microsoft app market—until now.
After playing around with the app for a while, I can securely report that it’s well, pretty much exactly what you’d expect; Zuckerberg didn’t rewrite the rule book with this one. That said, the Windows 8.1 Facebook app is utterly functional, rocking a three-pane design with your settings, groups, and viewing options on the left, your main news feed front-and-center, and a list of your Friends and their talk availability on the right. The exact look varies slightly depending on the menu you’re on, but the options pane remains consistent on the left side.
Writing something fresh or uploading a picture coaxes a Charm-style pane to slide in from the right side of the screen, where you’re free to spill your heart’s innermost secrets.
Composing a fresh message brings out a right-side pane.
While the look of the app undoubtedly screams "Facebook," it also trickles Microsoft’s unique modern UI style, with acute edges and tiles galore. Pinning the app to the side of the screen ditches the side panes to concentrate on your news feed, with the "three horizontal lines" options button familiar to users of other Facebook mobile apps appearing in the topmost tray. Again, however, the exact look can vary depending on the Snap ratio you use.
Facebook for Windows 8.1 lacks one crucial Microsoftian feature, however: Share Charm integration. If you see an interesting tidbit in the modern version of Internet Explorer eleven (or any other modern app), you can’t open the Charms bar and seamlessly share it to Facebook. That’s a major frustration, witnessing as how sharing links is such a major part of the Facebook practice.
The Facebook app’s apparent Windows 8.1 exclusivity is another bummer—it isn’t appearing in the Windows Store on my Windows eight machines. And you may run into problems even if you’ve upgraded to Windows 8.1, as senior Microsoft editor Mark Hachman has yet to coax the Facebook app into actually downloading onto his Surface, however that may just be opening-day server jitters. Spectacle also seems slightly sluggish, however not overly so.
All in all, however, the Facebook app for Windows 8.1 is a good very first showcasing for the must-have social network, and it fills one of the most gaping fuckholes in the Windows Store’s app selection. Microsoft still has a ways to go before the Windows Store can go toe-to-toe with Android or iOS, but it’s certainly headed in the right direction.
Senior editor Brad Chacos covers gaming and graphics for PCWorld, and runs the morning news desk for PCWorld, Macworld, Greenbot, and TechHive. He tweets too.