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Facebook launches Messenger for the Web with a standalone browser version

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Facebook is putting that <a href="https://www.messenger.com/" target="_blank">Messenger.com</a>
 domain to good use: The social network just launched a Messenger client
 on the Web that separates it from the Facebook.com homepage. 
 
With Messenger.com, Facebook is clearly gearing users up for its upcoming <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2015/03/25/facebook-messenger-business/" target="_blank">Messenger Business</a> integration, in which users can chat directly with companies about product questions, purchase updates and shipment tracking. 
 
In our quick run-through, it doesn’t appear the <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2015/03/25/facebook-opens-messenger-api/" target="_blank">third-party app integrations</a> announced <a href="http://thenextweb.com/event/f8-2/" target="_blank">at F8</a>
 are available just yet. For example, if you want to share Giphy 
content straight from Web FB Messenger, you’ll have to resort to doing 
it the old-fashioned way: Copy and pasting a link, or uploading the 
GIF image file. 
 
The Web version is currently available in English only – support for additional languages will follow. 
 
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To get started, just log onto <a href="https://messenger.com/login" target="_blank">Messenger.com</a>
 with your Facebook account. The browser will pull in your current chats
 and display them in full-screen, making image, sticker and GIF shares 
more visually appealing. 
 
You can also make calls with the telephone or video button at the top
 right menu bar; clicking either option will open a call interface in a 
new window – akin to what <a href="http://thenextweb.com/google/2015/02/06/google-will-use-hangouts-live-chat-customers-buying-androids-chromebooks/" target="_blank">Google has done with Hangouts</a>. 
 
A gear button on the upper left corner allows you to make setting 
adjustments, such as sound and desktop notifications. You also get the 
option to manage your Blocked list, but this link takes you back to the 
Facebook homepage. 
 
There are no words on whether Facebook will push chat threads from 
its homepage to Messenger.com, or if a desktop client is coming. We 
certainly could envision Facebook developing one if it plans to continue
 building Messenger out as a full platform for chat and social commerce. 
 
Source: thenextweb.com

Facebook launches Messenger for the Web with a standalone browser version

Facebook is putting that Messenger.com domain to good use: The social network just launched a Messenger client on the Web that separate...

Exclusive Photos Of Facebook's Sprawling New HQ, Designed Frank Gehry

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After Facebook assumed the former Sun Microsystems complex in Palo Alto in 2011, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg set out to find an architect capable of handling a grand design for its main main headquarters building. Zuckerberg chose world famous architect Frank Gehry for the job (amid <a href="http://allfacebook.com/menlo-park-officially-approves-west-campus_b114030" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">major concessions to the city of Palo Alto</a>).</div>
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<a class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53274b36ecad04bc09a6d9e8-960/20130419-dsc_8177_cropped.jpg" style="color: #00709a; cursor: url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.cur?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" style="background-image: url(http://static4.businessinsider.com/assets/images/sprites.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME); background-position: -24px -74px; background-repeat: no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 17px; position: absolute; right: 2px; top: 1px; width: 17px;" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Facebook Gehry" border="0" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53274b36ecad04bc09a6d9e8-1200-466/20130419-dsc_8177_cropped.jpg" style="border: 0px none; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></a>Facebook Corporate Communications Exclusive for Business Insider</div>
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If he was looking for impact, Zuckerberg could have made no better choice. Gehry's past designs have become renowned tourist attractions, like <a href="http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain</a>. They are considered some of the <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2010/08/architecture-survey-201008?currentPage=all" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">most important works of contemporary architecture</a> on the planet.</div>
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Photos of the Gehry model that will become Facebook's new HQ have been floating around for a couple of years. But with the building slated for completion next year, Facebook provided these new, exclusive images to Business Insider of what the world can expect from Gehry's latest design:</div>
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<a class="zoomin" href="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/53274b386da8114207d9dac5-960/20121213-dsc_2898.jpg" style="color: #00709a; cursor: url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.cur?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" style="background-image: url(http://static4.businessinsider.com/assets/images/sprites.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME); background-position: -24px -74px; background-repeat: no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 17px; position: absolute; right: 2px; top: 1px; width: 17px;" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Facebook Gehry" border="0" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/53274b386da8114207d9dac5-1200-797/20121213-dsc_2898.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></a>Facebook Corporate Communications Exclusive for Business Insider</div>
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At more than 435,000 square feet, spread across 22 acres, the new building dips and rises <a href="http://allfacebook.com/menlo-park-officially-approves-west-campus_b114030" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">from 45 to 73 feet.</a> It is built above a surface-level parking lot with a massive rooftop green space that resembles a park more than a small corporate outdoor garden.</div>
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Facebook's new building is a powerful example of how people create a sense of space and ownership over their environment. Buildings have <a href="http://1893fair.weebly.com/the-fountainhead.html" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">long been held up as shining example of human innovation</a>. Considering Gehry's new design is just one of <a href="http://greensource.construction.com/features/currents/2012/1207-high-tech-headquarters.asp" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">many expansive new Silicon Valley projects</a>, it feels as if the whole area is gently reshaping its self image.</div>
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<a class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53274b376da8118b06d9dacd-960/20130419-dsc_8140_cropped.jpg" style="color: #00709a; cursor: url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.cur?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" style="background-image: url(http://static4.businessinsider.com/assets/images/sprites.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME); background-position: -24px -74px; background-repeat: no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 17px; position: absolute; right: 2px; top: 1px; width: 17px;" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Facebook Gehry" border="0" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53274b376da8118b06d9dacd-1200-808/20130419-dsc_8140_cropped.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></a>Facebook Corporate Communications Exclusive for Business Insider</div>
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The roof will support a handful of outdoor cafes, barbecues and work benches beneath full-size trees to complete the park-like effect. One building will be <a href="http://allfacebook.com/menlo-park-officially-approves-west-campus_b114030" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">large enough to house 10,000 workers</a> in a single room.</div>
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The building is scheduled to open in the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Facebook-West-designed-by-Frank-Gehry-3814171.php" style="color: #00709a; text-decoration: none;">spring of 2015</a>.</div>
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<a class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53274b34ecad04f10ca6d9e2-960/20121027-dsc_0927.jpg" style="color: #00709a; cursor: url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), url(http://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/icons/zoomin.cur?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME), pointer; text-decoration: none;"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" style="background-image: url(http://static4.businessinsider.com/assets/images/sprites.png?TBI_DEPLOY_TIME); background-position: -24px -74px; background-repeat: no-repeat; cursor: pointer; height: 17px; position: absolute; right: 2px; top: 1px; width: 17px;" title="Click to enlarge"><img alt="Facebook Gehry" border="0" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/53274b34ecad04f10ca6d9e2-1199-235/20121027-dsc_0927.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;"> Read more: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-facebook-frank-gehry-designed-hq-2014-3#ixzz3VuMo8YSU" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: none;">http://www.businessinsider.com/photos-of-facebook-frank-gehry-designed-hq-2014-3#ixzz3VuMo8YSU</a>

Exclusive Photos Of Facebook's Sprawling New HQ, Designed Frank Gehry

After Facebook assumed the former Sun Microsystems complex in Palo Alto in 2011, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg set out to find an arch...

Facebook is making three big bets on the future

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv4pnjHWmh5oDHqiQXlbh_HZwG9oKEAQN8-axuCnTkaI7-Cm-dBlYw-y6Gxx0z74L0jSb5T0Hw1381rsfAb0hwYh5Ru-UDS5oybfS-FSrTAtgvg9uRj0KjXYXSlgXLdN3AxM78bIxvmQ/s1600/mike-schroepfer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNv4pnjHWmh5oDHqiQXlbh_HZwG9oKEAQN8-axuCnTkaI7-Cm-dBlYw-y6Gxx0z74L0jSb5T0Hw1381rsfAb0hwYh5Ru-UDS5oybfS-FSrTAtgvg9uRj0KjXYXSlgXLdN3AxM78bIxvmQ/s1600/mike-schroepfer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Facebook CTO - Mike Schroepfer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
"We're here to talk about the future."

That's how Facebook CTO Mike
 Schroepfer introduced his second-day keynote presentation at this 
week's F8 conference, where he revealed cutting-edge products like 
high-flying drones and artificial intelligence that can learn, and gave a
 real explanation for where the Oculus Rift fits into the social 
network.

Schroepfer laid out three core priorities for the company over the next several years:

Virtual reality: Schroepfer demonstrated how far 
virtual reality has come, comparing Battlezone for the Atari 2600 from 
1980 with a demo of EVE Valkyrie, an intense spaceship simulator coming 
to the Oculus Rift.

"What the heck does this have to do with Facebook?" Schroepfer asked 
himself, voicing the question that's been on everybody's mind since <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-palmer-luckey-spent-the-year-after-facebook-bought-oculus-for-2-billion-2015-3?op=1" sl-processed="1">Facebook bought Oculus</a> back in early 2014.

But for Facebook, he says, virtual reality is just another way to 
connect with people. Sometimes, you're across the country from loved 
ones. Sometimes, parents can't be with your kids. Sometimes, friends 
can't make it for a birthday party.

"I wish everybody could have been teleported to this moment," Schroepfer said.

Connectivity: Getting people online is really hard, Schroepfer
 said. Telecommunications companies amortize the costs over years of 
contracted services, eventually making back the money they spent getting
 people on the grid in the first place. In the developing world, there 
just isn't enough return on investment to warrant their coming in and 
laying down cable.

"This basically mean going to the sky," Schroepfer says.

He showed off the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-is-building-a-fleet-of-giant-solar-powered-drones-2015-3" sl-processed="1">Aquila</a>,
 an Internet-connected unmanned drone with the wingspan of a 737 and the
 "mass of a small car." It would fly over regions of the developing 
world, sprinkling Internet access like so much rain. Schroepfer said the company will have more information to share on Aquila later this year.

Artificial intelligence: As for those better interfaces, Schroepfer said
 that the company's issue is that there's just so much new digital 
picture and video content in the world, with more and more coming every 
single day.

Artificial intelligence is generally accepted as the way 
forward, helping companies like Facebook index and archive all of that 
data in a way that a human would find useful.

"You can start to build a deeper understanding of what's in the content," Schroepfer says.

The problem is that a computer still isn't as a good at identifying what's in a picture as Schroepfer's three-year-old son.

Facebook researchers are hard at work building new AI 
systems that can really learn and be trained and solve basic logical 
problems, all with the end of helping keep track of this deluge of 
videos and content.

So there you have it. Facebook has a lot on its plate, with lots of really advanced science going on behind the scenes.

"That's our goal over the next 10 years," Schroepfer concluded. "I think it's going to be fun." 
 
Credit: businessinsider.com

Facebook is making three big bets on the future

Facebook CTO - Mike Schroepfer "We're here to talk about the future." That's how Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer int...

Facebook explains why it needs Instagram, WhatsApp, AND Messenger

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In a panel discussion at this week's Facebook <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-f8-live-blog-2015-3" sl-processed="1">F8 developer event</a>,
 the head honchos behind Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram sat down to 
explain why the social network owns and operates three apps that compete
 with its own core business. 
 
<div class="p1">
"There's a theory that in five years, all
 your products will morph into one. Maybe it'll be called 
WhatsInstaMessage," said panel moderator Mary Meeker.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
The key, it turns out, is simplicity: Facebook and Facebook Messenger are only getting bigger and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-just-announced-messenger-platform-2015-3" sl-processed="1">more complicated</a>. Apps that do one thing, and do it really well, are the social network's hedge against bloat and user burnout. </div>
 
<div class="p1">
Anybody who can't handle Facebook 
Messenger will probably find something to like about the simplicity of 
Instagram and WhatsApp. And that goes double in the developing world, 
where the cutting edge devices and fast Internet connections required 
for Facebook's full service aren't going to penetrate for some time. </div>
<h3 class="p1">
Learning simple the hard way</h3>
<div class="p1">
But both WhatsApp and Instagram had to 
learn to keep things simple the hard way. As independent startups, both 
originally tried to do too much.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
WhatsApp was originally supposed to be a 
more direct Facebook competitor, letting users post statuses. When that 
fell flat, WhatsApp pivoted to be a super-simple messenger that did one 
thing well, and thrived. </div>
 
<div class="p1">
"Simple, simple, simple has always been our mantra," said WhatsApp founder Brian Acton.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
Instagram has a similar story, trying 
something complicated before stepping back to do something really simple
 "that solves a real problem" in a cool way, Krieger says.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
"If I had a tattoo, it would say 'do the simple thing first,'" quipped Krieger. </div>
 
<div class="p1">
Meeker cut to the burning question, asking how the companies that all do similar things work with each other.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
"How do you take the best of each other without stepping on each other's toes?" Meeker asked.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
WhatsApp: Simple messaging. Acton
 said WhatsApp just keeps its head down and focuses on providing a super
 simple messaging product. He's not worried about the Facebook platform,
 but any resources are there if he needs it, and he's a resource for 
anybody there.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
For WhatsApp, that future is in voice. 
Voice chat just came out for the Android app for WhatsApp, and is coming
 in the next few weeks for Apple iOS devices. But maybe more importantly
 than that is keeping the service reliable.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
"We spend a lot of time on just making it work," Acton. </div>
 
<div class="p1">
Meeker also called out WhatsApp's 
international growth, which Acton attributed to the company's focus on 
fixing problems as customers discover them, making sure the app works on
 the tremendous variety of networks and carriers across the globe.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
This focus on simplicity comes with a downside, however. 
Two separate developers asked the panel for a WhatsApp API so they can 
build apps on top of that platform, too — only to be denied.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
"The user experience is what we must hold sacred," Acton said.</div>
 
<div class="p1">
Instagram: Great things with photos, and better discovery. Instagram
 just doubles down on providing an awesome photo experience, Krieger 
says, where people (and celebrities) can use the core app, the new 
Layouts app, and Hyperlapse to do things with their images and share 
them in a way you can't do with any of the other apps. </div>
 
<div class="p1">
The future, for Instagram, is in 
discovery — finding a single user among the 300 million using Instagram 
is a challenge, Krieger acknowledged. It turns out people like 
Instagram's Discover functionality, where it recommends photos. </div>
<div class="p1">
 </div>
<div class="p1">
Credit: businesinsider.com</div>

Facebook explains why it needs Instagram, WhatsApp, AND Messenger

In a panel discussion at this week's Facebook F8 developer event , the head honchos behind Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram sat do...

Facebook set to launch On This Day feature

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovi1XnYzI2WqWhTOaFRUcl-extB9T-CLSTCo5_Ud03zWCResuhXlXZHRO8IIDgtYaZ0O-KEtFoB8cErsi3pMjoBxsxHbTSlQ7TVSTjWsqtLdgC7ZCdyptnlNxkTou6fpTHZKJRHbKX8w/s1600/Facebook-headquarters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhovi1XnYzI2WqWhTOaFRUcl-extB9T-CLSTCo5_Ud03zWCResuhXlXZHRO8IIDgtYaZ0O-KEtFoB8cErsi3pMjoBxsxHbTSlQ7TVSTjWsqtLdgC7ZCdyptnlNxkTou6fpTHZKJRHbKX8w/s1600/Facebook-headquarters.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
According to Jonathan Gheller, Facebook Product Manager, people often
 look back at old photos and other memories they’ve shared on Facebook, 
and many have told us that they enjoy products and features that make 
this easier. 
 
Due to this need, Facebook has announced a new feature dubbed “On 
This Day”, which is a new way to look back at things you have shared and
 posts you’ve been tagged in on Facebook. Only you can see your On This 
Day page. This is according to Ghellar. 
 
Ghellar adds that: “On This Day shows content from this date in the 
past. For example, you might see past status updates, photos, posts from
 friends and other things you’ve shared or been tagged in – from one 
year ago, two years ago, and so on. Only you will see this content 
unless you decide to share it with your friends.” 
 
According to Ghellar: “To see your On This Day page, you can click on
 the bookmark on the left-hand side of your News Feed, search for “On 
This Day,” or visit <a href="http://facebook.com/onthisday" target="_blank">facebook.com/onthisday</a>. You might also see a story in your News Feed.” 
 
“Once on the page, you can choose to subscribe to notifications so 
you’ll be alerted when you have memories to look back on. You can also 
edit and delete old posts, or decide to share your memories with 
friends.” 
 
Ghellar has confirmed that Facebook is still testing the feature; however, it will begin rolling out globally on web and mobile. 
 
Credit: itnewsafrica.com

Facebook set to launch On This Day feature

According to Jonathan Gheller, Facebook Product Manager, people often look back at old photos and other memories they’ve shared on Facebo...

Facebook is testing a new 'Phone' app

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVl_gKqXmHBVVC6gceyTSFGonvoJ4kLgWbmaRad5njDEnXm6yWkIqyWKP2k3R3HPVhx_kSXq_mwFrkNxcHZNDn6cC0Nc-wEpbkaJgmWQ8GW7IKmezd4mdSFVQ9TROk2Uak6g4As5N14M/s1600/mark-zuckerberg-19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVl_gKqXmHBVVC6gceyTSFGonvoJ4kLgWbmaRad5njDEnXm6yWkIqyWKP2k3R3HPVhx_kSXq_mwFrkNxcHZNDn6cC0Nc-wEpbkaJgmWQ8GW7IKmezd4mdSFVQ9TROk2Uak6g4As5N14M/s1600/mark-zuckerberg-19.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
According to James Cook of the businessinsider.com Facebook is testing a new dialer app that works as a caller ID 
system, displaying information about who is calling you using data from 
Facebook. 
 
<a href="http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/03/20/facebook-appears-to-be-testing-a-dialer-and-caller-id-app-for-android-and-its-called-phone/" sl-processed="1">Android Police was sent a screenshot of a banner in the Android Facebook app</a> which appears to have accidentally been leaked. 
 
Facebook currently has 11 different apps that can be used to access 
different parts of the site. Facebook Messenger lets people send 
messages, Facebook Groups lets people use Facebook groups in a dedicated
 app, and so on. Now, it looks like Facebook wants to add a dialer app 
to its collection. 
 
Here's the screenshot that revealed the existence of the app: 
 
<img alt="Facebook Phone screenshot" border="0" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/55101cc6dd0895bb6f8b4599-800-612/nexus2cee_screenshot_2015-03-20-14-28-432_thumb1.jpg" /><a href="http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/03/20/facebook-appears-to-be-testing-a-dialer-and-caller-id-app-for-android-and-its-called-phone/" sl-processed="1">Android Police</a> 
 
 
Facebook is gradually building apps based around functionality that 
you'd usually find in phones. Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are offer 
greater functionality than normal text messages, and now Facebook is 
replacing the dialer with a version of its own that uses its data to 
create a better experience. People are getting used to using Facebook as
 an extra layer on the phone. 
 
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has 
often spoke of a desire to create a phone which is deeply integrated 
with Facebook, and the company has worked to embed its products into 
phones (most notably the HTC First, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/htcs-facebook-phone-is-clearly-a-flop-2013-5" sl-processed="1">which flopped around the world</a>). 
 
<a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-on-android-and-not-making-a-facebook-phone-2015-2" sl-processed="1">Here's what Zuckerberg said earlier this year</a> about Facebook's failure to create its own phone: 
 
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
It’s something that certainly is a little
 bit stressful. Maybe we can help people out more, or deliver our 
services a little bit better if we had more partnerships with the 
operating systems we were using to build our stuff. But it’s not 
something that I’m that stressed about at this point.</div>

Facebook is testing a new 'Phone' app

According to James Cook of the businessinsider.com Facebook is testing a new dialer app that works as a caller ID system, displaying info...

Facebook introduces Product Ads

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcC9QkR8kHViTrVqtGPskEt0e-R7vB43kq7FMBSKWDFJLwqVHv-d9qHdEeU4gzb8msIG3g4JPF4jTRfvsHgsnDynt4zpkaVYmYJe43yWl4RP67GQ2s_4tR8b05ggcm-D5bR0Ggv8SW3Rsl/s1600/fb-product-ads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcC9QkR8kHViTrVqtGPskEt0e-R7vB43kq7FMBSKWDFJLwqVHv-d9qHdEeU4gzb8msIG3g4JPF4jTRfvsHgsnDynt4zpkaVYmYJe43yWl4RP67GQ2s_4tR8b05ggcm-D5bR0Ggv8SW3Rsl/s1600/fb-product-ads.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
 
Facebook, today is introducing product ads, a solution designed to help 
businesses promote multiple products or their entire product catalog, 
across all the devices their customers use. With product ads, businesses
 can showcase more products and people on Facebook can discover more 
relevant products. 
Product ads offer businesses a number of ways to highlight different 
products on Facebook. Marketers can upload their product catalog and 
create campaigns targeting certain products to specific audiences, or 
let Facebook automatically deliver the most relevant products to people.
 Products can be shown in single- or <a class="_5ov2 _5je5" href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/Multi-Product-Ads-and-Enhanced-Custom-Audiences-from-your-Website" id="u_0_5">multi-product</a> ad units. 
According to Facebook, Product ads also utilize features that help create a better ad 
experience. For example, when an advertiser uses automatic delivery of 
product ads, our system will turn off ads for specific products when 
they’re out of stock. 
 
Read more in this story via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/business/news/product-ads">https://www.facebook.com/business/news/product-ads</a> 
 
PS: Kindly comment and share after reading

Facebook introduces Product Ads

Facebook, today is introducing product ads, a solution designed to help businesses promote multiple products or their entire product cat...

Facebook reveals buy & sell features for groups

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWy6KtbrTpz27jEACYRUHeBIe1BAjDjr2uBc2l1NYHdiRxRaDlTJZ05wi6DtMEAlDh5oN38elGAebSrbts1QmnIlh05FU-dutlXD4HINIMHZJnx8H2Kjlktee_k8gKh10Ajk2BEDeowmwL/s1600/Mark-Zuckerberg-300x225.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWy6KtbrTpz27jEACYRUHeBIe1BAjDjr2uBc2l1NYHdiRxRaDlTJZ05wi6DtMEAlDh5oN38elGAebSrbts1QmnIlh05FU-dutlXD4HINIMHZJnx8H2Kjlktee_k8gKh10Ajk2BEDeowmwL/s1600/Mark-Zuckerberg-300x225.jpeg" /></a></div>
Social media giant, Facebook, has revealed that it has implemented 
improved features for buying and selling in groups – aimed at selling 
goods. 
According to the social media platform: “For Sale Group members can 
choose the “Sell” feature when creating a post. Members can add a 
description to what they’re selling, including a price and set a 
pick-up/delivery location. Sellers can also mark posts as ‘Available’ or
 ‘Sold’ and easily view their catalog of previous items sold.” 
According to Facebook, the below details are examples of people from the global community who regularly use For Sale Groups: 
- Lisa Duncan-Thayer from Florida created Made By Mama Buy/Sell/Trade
 to sell her crochet work and give other local artisans a place to sell 
their handmade items. Now with more than 4,500 members in or near 
Pinellas County, Florida, the group has helped many women turn their 
hobbies into businesses. 
- Professional guitarist Kadu Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro created a 
Facebook Group to help musicians buy and sell instruments. In nearly 
three years, the group has grown to more than 34,000 members. Not only 
has the group enabled Kadu to personally buy, sell and trade musical 
instruments, it’s raised his profile and awareness for his band, Swell. 
These new features are rolling out to Facebook For Sale Groups globally in the coming months across iOS, Android and web. 
Source: www.itnewsafrica.com

Facebook reveals buy & sell features for groups

Social media giant, Facebook, has revealed that it has implemented improved features for buying and selling in groups – aimed at selling ...

Facebook denies social network hack

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqX3ts8BKIDN1bwNJUlrPHSnRkF3qSpXJYpO5GBGMdSOUA8BbBxjGpdhEHBJ12mCiOrhSL0SyyZezXCxxhSVChcUKdtioPCPn432E0csda6O_d_lhnj0GmYPh8OxaD0DXcwE846qapd3W/s1600/Mark-Zuckerberg-300x225.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuqX3ts8BKIDN1bwNJUlrPHSnRkF3qSpXJYpO5GBGMdSOUA8BbBxjGpdhEHBJ12mCiOrhSL0SyyZezXCxxhSVChcUKdtioPCPn432E0csda6O_d_lhnj0GmYPh8OxaD0DXcwE846qapd3W/s1600/Mark-Zuckerberg-300x225.jpeg" /></a></div>
On 27 January 2015 social networking platforms Facebook, Instagram 
and Tinder suffered an hour long outage. The outage resulted in Facebook
 and Instagram users within Africa, as well as the rest of the world, 
being unable to connect to these services. 

While no official statement was released, at the time of the outage, 
infamous hacking group “LizardSquad” stated they were behind the attack.
 This was according to an article published by <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/30306319">BBC.co.uk</a>. However, Facebook has since denied the rumour. 

According to the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/facebook-denies-lizard-squad-hacking-claim-1422342613">Wall Street Journal</a>,
 Facebook denied being the victim of a hacking attack and said its site 
and photo-sharing app Instagram had suffered an outage after it 
introduced a configuration change. 

“The disruption was not the result of a third party attack, but 
instead occurred after we introduced a change that affected our 
configuration systems,” a Facebook spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal. “We moved quickly to fix the problem, and both services are back to 100% for everyone.” 

According to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2927847/Facebook-Instagram-worldwide-hack.html">Mail Online</a>, the social media blackout also affected the dating mobile app Tinder, as well as AOL Instant Messenger and Hipchat. 

The hacking group LizardSquad has claimed responsibility for many 
service interruptions in the past, including: hacking the Sony 
PlayStation Network and Microsoft’s Xbox Live network in December 2014. 
Additionally, LizardSquad came under spotlight after the hackers claimed
 responsibility for the attack of website of Malaysia Airlines. 
 

Source: httpwww.itnewsafrica.com

Facebook denies social network hack

On 27 January 2015 social networking platforms Facebook, Instagram and Tinder suffered an hour long outage. The outage resulted in Facebo...

Facebook Lite for Ghana

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LXzglWrSgCAPwULmV9yzmm6KA0qXRYIm2dnxEbimXk2L_u3EnGBO9CyNDmcP0-rZrWKp6cjs8M3VldYsmomkGh1__KtQvOgfNmUo6F8umcwUuZihkYNxb9EJCG99lC6OUoq-Umv6HSKx/s1600/Facebook-lite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9LXzglWrSgCAPwULmV9yzmm6KA0qXRYIm2dnxEbimXk2L_u3EnGBO9CyNDmcP0-rZrWKp6cjs8M3VldYsmomkGh1__KtQvOgfNmUo6F8umcwUuZihkYNxb9EJCG99lC6OUoq-Umv6HSKx/s1600/Facebook-lite.jpg" width="400" /></a>According to <a href="http://thenextweb.com/">thenextweb.com,</a> Facebook has launched a new Android app geared towards low-end mobile devices and designed to work on 2G networks, reports TechCrunch. The company hasn’t officially announced Facebook Lite, which explains why the free app has only reached between 10,000 and 50,000 installs since January 20 when it launched on Google Play. Facebook Lite is currently available in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The app is a tiny 252KB download. It promises quick load times with efficient mobile data usage and includes Facebook’s messaging features. This isn’t Facebook’s first initiative in emerging markets. The company’s Internet.org app is designed to give users in Ghana, Colombia, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia free access to Web content and Facebook.

Facebook Lite for Ghana

According to thenextweb.com, Facebook has launched a new Android app geared towards low-end mobile devices and designed to work on 2G netwo...

Facebook to test Facebook Lite in Africa

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxMDPv_oym8dQxOIIhjxGO2969KT-qU-vVJrFZlRl9yIBIWJvPxoUic0iya4ccN9VrrLU8WlJwARKDPAGsLUC2oE0Y4EL3CF2emgjlVmzoErmFM7ZK9DS2wWfjw7jT6ATj2kU9YYvn7LJ/s1600/markzuckerberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxMDPv_oym8dQxOIIhjxGO2969KT-qU-vVJrFZlRl9yIBIWJvPxoUic0iya4ccN9VrrLU8WlJwARKDPAGsLUC2oE0Y4EL3CF2emgjlVmzoErmFM7ZK9DS2wWfjw7jT6ATj2kU9YYvn7LJ/s1600/markzuckerberg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
According to a report by <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/25/facebook-lite-rides-again/">TechCrunch,</a>
 Facebook has been testing a new version of Facebook dubbed “Facebook 
Lite.” The app is essentially a simplified version of its mobile 
website, which has been specifically designed for low-end Android 
devices in emerging markets. 
 

According to Facebook, the app was quietly launched in a handful of 
countries in Asia and Africa, including Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, 
South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. A wider launch is 
not a certainty and Facebook could quietly end the project if it does 
not believe it is worth pursuing. 
 

The app was built to accommodate low-end and dated Android devices, 
and users who are on 2G/poor quality internet connections. It’s based on
 Snaptu, Facebook’s feature phone client, but includes some native 
Android features, such as push notifications and camera integration, to 
make the experience a more sophisticated one. 
 

According to <a href="http://thenextweb.com/facebook/2015/01/26/facebook-quietly-launches-lite-app-android-users-emerging-markets/">thenextweb</a>,
 the company hasn’t officially announced Facebook Lite, which explains 
why the free app has only reached between 10,000 and 50,000 installs 
since January 20 when it launched on Google Play. 
 
Source: itnewsafrica.com

Facebook to test Facebook Lite in Africa

According to a report by TechCrunch, Facebook has been testing a new version of Facebook dubbed “Facebook Lite.” The app is essentially...

WhatsApp Is Now Available On The Desktop

<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to Forbes.com,WhatsApp has launched a desktop client service called <a href="http://web.whatsapp.com/" target="_blank">WhatsApp Web</a>.
 WhatsApp Web can be used by scanning a QR code with your phone to log 
in. WhatsApp Web mirrors the conversations and messages from your mobile
 device so your messages will still live on your phone.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 </div>
 
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are several limitations with WhatsApp Web. The biggest 
limitation is that iOS devices are not supported. WhatsApp Web is 
accessible through Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry or <a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/nokia/">Nokia</a> 
 S60 devices. You will need to have the latest version of WhatsApp 
installed on your phone and you have to run WhatsApp Web from the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/google/">Google</a> <a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/google/">GOOGL +2.05%</a>
 Chrome web browser. WhatsApp plans to launch WhatsApp Web for iOS 
users, but that timeframe is unknown. The reason why WhatsApp Web is not
 available for iOS now is due to “<a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/apple/">Apple</a> <a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/apple/">AAPL +0.71%</a> platform limitations.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 </div>
 
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<img alt="WhatsApp Web / Credit: WhatsApp" src="http://blogs-images.forbes.com/amitchowdhry/files/2015/01/WhatsApp-Web.jpg" /></div>
 
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why do you have to take a picture of a QR code to log into WhatsApp Web? WhatsApp uses phone numbers and <a href="http://www.forbes.com/companies/sms/">SMS</a>  to verify users instead of traditional usernames and passwords. This is why you do not see a normal login screen. <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/01/21/whatsapp-comes-to-the-desktop/?ncid=rss">TechCrunch also pointed</a>
 out that it somehow uses your phone for more than just the initial 
login. If you phone dies, then your WhatsApp Web session also 
disconnects.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 </div>
 
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Earlier this week, a third party app built off of WhatsApp called 
WhatsApp+ shut down after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the 
messaging service. WhatsApp also temporarily banned users that 
downloaded and actively used the WhatsApp+ app.  WhatsApp+ allowed users
 to change the colors and background images in chat conversations. It 
also allowed users to block people from seeing when you read their 
messages and offered the ability to increase the size limit of audio and
 video files. WhatsApp+ was downloaded over 35 million times since 
launching in 2012. “Our goal is always to keep WhatsApp fast and secure 
for the people who use it – it’s the most important thing we do,” said a
 WhatsApp spokesman in an interview with <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30912823">BBC</a>.
 “Third-parties that have built unauthorized functionality on top of 
WhatsApp create issues for people including lost messages.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
 </div>
 
<div style="text-align: justify;">
WhatsApp was created by Brian Acton and Jan Koum in 2009. The two of 
them left Yahoo! in 2007 and applied for jobs at Facebook, but failed 
during the interview process. In February 2013, WhatsApp hit 200 million
 active users. One year later, Facebook announced that they <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanmac/2014/02/19/whatsapp-founders-become-billionaires-in-19-billion-deal-with-facebook/">acquired WhatsApp for $19 billion</a>
 — which is the largest purchase of a company backed by venture 
capitalists. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the acquisition of 
WhatsApp was connected to his vision for Internet.org, an initiative to 
develop basic Internet services for developing countries around the 
world. Now WhatsApp has over 700 million active users sending over 30 
billion messages per day. In the product development pipeline, WhatsApp 
also has plans to launch a voice-calling service.</div>

WhatsApp Is Now Available On The Desktop

According to Forbes.com,WhatsApp has launched a desktop client service called WhatsApp Web . WhatsApp Web can be used by scanning a QR cod...

Facebook Takes A Step Towards Its Own Original Content With A New Breaking Tech-News Wire Feed

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxMDPv_oym8dQxOIIhjxGO2969KT-qU-vVJrFZlRl9yIBIWJvPxoUic0iya4ccN9VrrLU8WlJwARKDPAGsLUC2oE0Y4EL3CF2emgjlVmzoErmFM7ZK9DS2wWfjw7jT6ATj2kU9YYvn7LJ/s1600/markzuckerberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxMDPv_oym8dQxOIIhjxGO2969KT-qU-vVJrFZlRl9yIBIWJvPxoUic0iya4ccN9VrrLU8WlJwARKDPAGsLUC2oE0Y4EL3CF2emgjlVmzoErmFM7ZK9DS2wWfjw7jT6ATj2kU9YYvn7LJ/s1600/markzuckerberg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Facebook has launched a tech-news focused newsfeed in an attempt to establish itself as a leading source in tech news.   

<div dir="ltr">
According to a <a href="http://media.fb.com/2014/11/18/introducing-fb-techwire/">blog post</a> announcing the feed, FB Techwire, will “act as a resource for journalists to discover original content on Facebook.”</div>

<div dir="ltr">
That includes 
highlighting breaking news, first-person photos and videos, and 
noteworthy Facebook posts by tech influencers and news organizations.</div>

<div dir="ltr">
Facebook will also 
highlight commentary from verified Facebook journalists and link out to 
stories about Facebook products and new features. Techwire is powered by
 Storyful, a social content discovery and verification tool for 
newsrooms.</div>

<div dir="ltr">
Facebook has become a massively important platform for publishers. It sends more traffic to sites than any other single site. </div>

<div dir="ltr">
And yet, journalists like
 to whittle away their time on Twitter. And whenever news breaks, 
Twitter is the go to source for real-time information. Facebook wants to
 change all of that with its newswire products.</div>

<div dir="ltr">
FB Techwire is an offshoot of Facebook Newswire, which launched with a similar mission in April, and it functions the same way. </div>

<div dir="ltr">
The “Techwire” is a 
Facebook page that you can subscribe to, and “stories” will appear in 
your feed the same way as posts from friends or other news 
organizations.<img alt="FB Techwire" border="0" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/546bc39eecad044523f56049-645-676/screen%20shot%202014-11-18%20at%204.59.05%20pm.png" />FacebookA recent FB Techwire post </div>

<div dir="ltr">
Facebook has begun cross promoting FB Techwire posts on Twitter with a new @FBTechwire Twitter account.</div>

<div dir="ltr">
This is Facebook starting
 to creep into content creation territory. It's unclear if Facebook 
plans to have more control over media, or not. But, by creating its own 
feed it sets itself up to compete with Facebook pages from companies 
like Techmeme, TechCrunch, and, yes, Business Insider.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">
 Source: businessinsider.com</div>

Facebook Takes A Step Towards Its Own Original Content With A New Breaking Tech-News Wire Feed

Facebook has launched a tech-news focused newsfeed in an attempt to establish itself as a leading source in tech news. According to a...

Facebook building 'workplace network'

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8erWQbZssplUD08pN4JnD_TL1GbbejKo1VixnPHSTYSrZYlPoThJ1-0KKGyhyduRTU94uwnX5fw8dNPCsZ7950htWUtANuV8F612GhbM1vbpewXAB_0HJdd9wcgesmBQ8sW-LtkKo9UM/s1600/facebook-professional+network.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie8erWQbZssplUD08pN4JnD_TL1GbbejKo1VixnPHSTYSrZYlPoThJ1-0KKGyhyduRTU94uwnX5fw8dNPCsZ7950htWUtANuV8F612GhbM1vbpewXAB_0HJdd9wcgesmBQ8sW-LtkKo9UM/s1600/facebook-professional+network.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the person on Facebook... social media 
fans may no longer have to get their fix at work in secret if Facebook 
at Work is accepted by employers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="introduction" id="story_continues_1">
Facebook is building a network for professionals to connect and collaborate on work-related documents, <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/db8722bc-6d10-11e4-b125-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3JKAE1fK2">the Financial Times reports</a>.</div>

 Facebook at Work will look similar to its existing social 
network, but users will be able to keep their personal profiles 
separate, the paper says. 

 They also would be able to chat with colleagues, build 
professional networks and share documents, people said to be working on 
it told the Financial Times. 

 Facebook has been contacted by the BBC. 
 

 A spokesman said the company would respond later today. 
 

 The product, said to be in use internally at Facebook 
already, could be a strong competitor to existing services such as 
Google Drive, Microsoft Office and LinkedIn. 

 LinkedIn, which launched in 2003, is currently the largest 
professional network, with 332 million users in more than 200 countries,
 according to its website. 

 Facebook recorded 1.35 billion monthly active users in 
September 2014 - but some employers remain sceptical about the 
usefulness of social media at work, and many have banned it in the 
office. 
 

 'Weak ties'
 "Facebook at Work is likely to bring some benefits to 
companies - but not the ones they think," said Prof Andre Spicer, of 
Cass Business School. 

 "It is unlikely to make employees more productive, but it will help them to be more connected and aware. 
 

 "Social media sites like Facebook help employees to build 'weak ties'. 

 "These are people we would talk to infrequently and don't know intimately. 

 "These weak ties are often a source of important background information." 

 Prof Spicer added that the new tool could also cause problems. 

 "It makes it easier for employees to accidentally leak sensitive information. 

 "It can also be a threat to hierarchy and clash with implicit or explicit chains of command." 
 

 Like its parent site, Facebook at Work could also end up being a time-consuming distraction, he warned. 
 

 "Communication which could easily be dealt with face to face 
is pushed online - adding another potential source of information 
overload," he said. 

 "It can also mean employees spend more time polishing their Facebook profile than actually working."

Facebook building 'workplace network'

Spot the person on Facebook... social media fans may no longer have to get their fix at work in secret if Facebook at Work is accepted b...

Facebook aiming for free internet in Africa

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-_zO1dkmUOQ720JTolJnCS9X9B0s0FK9xGtsfJN8_REsFidZ5Wju1mYFGOlDcSIlQ8mzyrGEDH3LuW_ae9GsU4O6p5dCXPupkFN6MN0g-do41OsjxJ0xewzNxn2pap9ParnPF1yqvuxy/s1600/markzuckerberg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8-_zO1dkmUOQ720JTolJnCS9X9B0s0FK9xGtsfJN8_REsFidZ5Wju1mYFGOlDcSIlQ8mzyrGEDH3LuW_ae9GsU4O6p5dCXPupkFN6MN0g-do41OsjxJ0xewzNxn2pap9ParnPF1yqvuxy/s1600/markzuckerberg.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">According to internet.org, if developing economies had the standard of 
internet access enjoyed in rich countries global productivity would be 
boosted by 25% and 160 million people would be lifted out of poverty</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
According to reports social media giant, Facebook, is in advanced 
talks with Avanti, a UK-based satellite operator regarding a project 
that will essentially provide free internet services in Africa. The 
project is part of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s Internet.org 
initiative, as reported by The Telegraph. 

The deal is expected to be announced in due course. Avanti currently 
operates two broadband satellites over Africa and plans to launch 
another two in the next three years. Facebook has reportedly turned to 
Avanti after its appeal to mobile operators to provide free internet 
access received a cool reception. Neither company would comment on the 
matter. 

According to internet.org, if developing economies had the standard 
of internet access enjoyed in rich countries global productivity would 
be boosted by 25% and 160 million people would be lifted out of poverty. 

By signing a commercial deal with Avanti, Facebook could bypass the 
network operators entirely and cover a massive area of Africa at a 
relatively low cost. 

IT News Africa recently interviewed <a href="http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2014/11/video-interview-internet-connectivity-changes-lives-facebook-vp/">Chris Daniels</a>,
 Facebook’s Vice President for Internet.org. Daniels explains in the 
interview that Facebook’s mission is to make the world more open and 
connected. Daniels also explains that Internet.org also has a mission, 
which is connecting the two thirds of the world that don’t have access 
to the internet. 
 

Source: itnewsafrica.com

Facebook aiming for free internet in Africa

According to internet.org, if developing economies had the standard of internet access enjoyed in rich countries global productivity woul...

Facebook Launches Pseudonymous App “Rooms” That Lets You Create Forums About Any Topic

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lPWjR7lVosGsMhn4mxbH3Nbsj4nU2VBlYiwABfz7TozOYUik6rq3wGTdc4Mb4d4-A83SRfSsgD2W27IBan4R7XPrS1FtfRsNlFazMtbN8-U2PV4cX2tMLWtButxs7OBn4uMwTq0vRssg/s1600/facebook-rooms.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_lPWjR7lVosGsMhn4mxbH3Nbsj4nU2VBlYiwABfz7TozOYUik6rq3wGTdc4Mb4d4-A83SRfSsgD2W27IBan4R7XPrS1FtfRsNlFazMtbN8-U2PV4cX2tMLWtButxs7OBn4uMwTq0vRssg/s1600/facebook-rooms.png" width="400" /></a></div>
t’s not quite anonymous, but forums standalone app <a href="http://www.rooms.me/" target="_blank">Rooms</a>
 is Facebook’s first product that allows you to ditch your real name. 
Rooms lets you set up a mobile-only in-app discussion space about any 
topic, customize the look and moderation settings, set a screen name for
 the room, and choose who to invite to share text, photos, videos, and 
comments with others in the Room. It’s a bit like forums inside an 
Instagram-style vertical feed. Rooms doesn’t require a Facebook account 
or even an email address to sign up. It employs an innovative QR-code 
invite system where people take a photo or screenshot of a Room’s code 
to gain entry.
 
<a href="http://www.rooms.me/" target="_blank">Rooms</a> lets you 
share things that might not fit in the News Feeds of your friends, from 
nerdy niche culture topics to serious discussions about health or other 
sensitive subjects. 

The <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/facebook-readies-app-allowing-anonymity/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0" target="_blank">New York Times reported</a>
 earlier this month that Facebook was launching an app that allowed 
anonymity, which isn’t exactly right, but Rooms does allow people to 
discuss topics in forum-like spaces as the Times wrote. 

Rooms <a href="http://newsroom.fb.com/news/2014/10/introducing-rooms/" target="_blank">was built by Josh Miller</a> and his team from Branch, which <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/01/13/facebook-acquires-branch/">Facebook acquired in January</a>. 

(Read <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2014/10/23/josh-miller-rooms/">my Q&A with Miller</a>
 for more insight into how Rooms was modeled after the early Internet, 
with its distinct spaces, customization, and option to call yourself 
whatever you want.) 
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9P1NjZY98HPGRlrrqzGavyNVgLr6iCIh3t5s9dd0CTfFzze-JT_8CzYHS4adNmBrmp6RW8HmeZwcXzmbdedfNRXuCt1b1qV3o4-uuc6sfZIN6J3MiNSl8bCs3bI_4JlkD_oWROPXMXtBy/s1600/rooms-screenshot-feed1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9P1NjZY98HPGRlrrqzGavyNVgLr6iCIh3t5s9dd0CTfFzze-JT_8CzYHS4adNmBrmp6RW8HmeZwcXzmbdedfNRXuCt1b1qV3o4-uuc6sfZIN6J3MiNSl8bCs3bI_4JlkD_oWROPXMXtBy/s1600/rooms-screenshot-feed1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Miller brushed off comparisons to other apps, saying “Secret and Yik 
Yak are very different products” than Rooms. Rather than being a clone 
of something like Secret, Rooms could host a global forum similar to 
Secret where people share revelations and don’t include any clue to 
their real name. But it could also host disease support groups, book 
clubs, politics discussions, enthusiast communities for sports or tech 
products, or giant collaborative feeds dedicated to certain types of art
 or poetry. 

The standalone app from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/labs" target="_blank">Facebook’s Creative Labs</a> initiative follows newsreader <a href="http://facebook.com/paper" target="_blank">Paper</a> and ephemeral messaging app <a href="http://sling.me/" target="_blank">Slingshot</a>.
 neither of those has seen blockbuster traffic, but that hasn’t stopped 
Facebook from growing the Creative Labs project to test out different 
social app experiences without messing with its main app. 

Where Rooms is truly different from Facebook is that it doesn’t 
import your social graph from either your phone’s contacts, Facebook, or
 anywhere else. Its invite system is designed to make you build a 
community based on interest instead. 

Each Room gets a unique QR Code that can be shared with whoever its 
creator and members want to join them. That could mean keeping it 
super-private to just a few others interested in the topic, posting it 
publicly so anyone can join, or printing it out so people in a specific 
geographic area in the real world can add themselves. There is the issue
 that members could share the invite QR code or publicly post it without
 permission, blowing up a Room. 

To keep trolls from overrunning Rooms, moderators can ban anyone, and
 their device will be permanently banned from rejoining. Facebook will 
also be applying its standard community guidelines to content on Rooms. 
So, if something is flagged for hate speech, bullying, threats, spam, 
nudity, or other disruptive behavior, Facebook can unilaterally delete 
posts, ban members, or even take down entire Rooms. 

In that way, the app strongly differs from the early web, which was 
more of an “anything goes” wild west. That could be considered a 
limitation on free speech, but Miller believes it’s the only way to keep
 Rooms from devolving into a dangerous cess pool of hatred. 
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAK0Wum0YUWBMvOp-p_8v2hksZf30m7sqIq2ptTQjaRyJxVLnuMyCwCWfzm8txRPIiCO00Yc9rKUaauvMVVNv7CoWIJo7FnvlfBrfTGG9l72K0AR-G5oOFGMrHZmXSa1UAsKObXqBLqROB/s1600/rooms-screenshot-like-button.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAK0Wum0YUWBMvOp-p_8v2hksZf30m7sqIq2ptTQjaRyJxVLnuMyCwCWfzm8txRPIiCO00Yc9rKUaauvMVVNv7CoWIJo7FnvlfBrfTGG9l72K0AR-G5oOFGMrHZmXSa1UAsKObXqBLqROB/s1600/rooms-screenshot-like-button.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Moderators have more control over the room, beyond just banning 
unruly users. They can also set a nickname for their room, add a 
background image and even select an emoji that room members can use in 
place of the “Like” button on posts. For example, a Room for a Farmer’s 
Market in the city might choose to use a Strawberry emoji instead of a 
Like button. 

Moderators can also make rooms 18+, in order to host rooms with 
topics not fit for minors. (However, it’s worth pointing out that users 
only have to say “Yes, I’m over 18″ to get in – there’s no actual 
check.) 

Users can optionally associate an email address with their Rooms 
account, so if they lose their phone or change devices they would have a
 way to recover that account, if need be. But this is not required. 

At launch, there will be no native discovery tool for finding Rooms, 
which means you’ll have to get invite codes from other people in order 
to get in – a move which could potentially limit early adoption. 
Eventually, Miller’s team may add Room suggestions to the product. 
That’s why it’s asking Room creators if they want to turn on 
discoverability. 

Explains Miller, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook Chief Product Officer 
Chris Cox asked him how he was going to make sure people’s Rooms didn’t 
get overwhelmed with new members too quickly, and this was the result. 

The Rooms team is also now accepting applications at teams@rooms.me from Room creators who want to help with community growth. 
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhdP6j75lPdjokZiDSlpbs2Xm9XNWW9o0dAcq5lIahdAf1lfPgpUAw4zmcqK2UaCDEbD_gaU56faV6UetkDdW4Zioh4yBvgUBYKeRY1wB27uu0nXkG2SXss43ZnBkmKIaM7sDRGQ8aIBo/s1600/rooms-screenshot-create1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWhdP6j75lPdjokZiDSlpbs2Xm9XNWW9o0dAcq5lIahdAf1lfPgpUAw4zmcqK2UaCDEbD_gaU56faV6UetkDdW4Zioh4yBvgUBYKeRY1wB27uu0nXkG2SXss43ZnBkmKIaM7sDRGQ8aIBo/s1600/rooms-screenshot-create1.png" width="400" /></a></div>
Miller says he won’t judge Rooms based on user count. In fact, he 
purposefully wants it to grow slow rather than have people’s Rooms 
suddenly swell with members and become diluted or unintelligible. 
Instead, he’s hoping the app finds some obsessively loyal users who come
 back every day to discuss important topics to them. 

Not even Miller can foresee exactly what will happen with Rooms. He 
tells me, “I think the coolest rooms will be things we haven’t thought 
of yet. The Twitter guys didn’t know what Twitter would be good for. The
 Snapchat guys didn’t know what Snapchat would be good for.” 

If Rooms fails, it will have taught Facebook a lesson about 
micro-sharing that it could use to inform its News Feed and Groups 
products. But if it succeeds, it could spawn wide-reaching, active 
communities that could never live on Facebook. 

Rooms is<a href="http://www.rooms.me/download" target="_blank"> iOS-only at launch</a>,
 and is available in the U.S., U.K. and a few other English-speaking 
countries. An Android version is tentatively planned for early 2015. 
 
Source: techcrunch.com

Facebook Launches Pseudonymous App “Rooms” That Lets You Create Forums About Any Topic

t’s not quite anonymous, but forums standalone app Rooms is Facebook’s first product that allows you to ditch your real name. Rooms let...