Nexus 7 App Spotlight: 'Facedroid': Facebook For Your Android Tablet Done Right

[Babyfacemagee]

There's no denying that 'Facebook' has become one of the defining websites of our generation.   With close to a billion users worldwide if Mark Zuckerberg's baby were to be considered a country based on population it would come in 2nd after only China.   With the Nexus 7 you basically have two options when it comes to accessing your Facebook account;  You can fire up the browser and use the standard Facebook website, or you can use an app.   Now while using the website directly through your Chrome browser is doable, the Facebook site isn't really designed for touchscreen input.   The buttons are too small, the chat is a nightmare to navigate and it's just not real fun.   So the next option would be to use the official Facebook app right?   Well...if you've used Facebook's Android app we probably don't have to tell you that it leaves a LOT to be desired.  In a word...it kinda stinks.   So what's a Facebook addicted Nexus 7 owner to do?   The answer is 'Facedroid', hands down the best Facebook app available for your Nexus 7.

facedroid brings all the functionality you enjoy on the Facebook website & delivers it to your Android tablet in a way which makes it easy to share & browse everything you enjoy on Facebook, including:
•   Access your Facebook news feed & friends list at a glance
•   View your Facebook profile & your friends' Facebook profiles
•   Share your Facebook status updates
•   Share other people's Facebook posts (i.e. videos, photos, links)
•   Comment, like & tag photos
•   Write on your friends' walls
•   Chat in real-time
•   Friends list with VIP friends at the top (long-press a friend to add them as a VIP) then Online friends also displayed
•   Widget allows super fast voice updates to your Profile or Pages you Admin (additional widgets coming soon)
•   Pages: View Facebook Pages and post from Pages for which you are an Admin
•   Places: Check-in to places, see where friends checked-in etc
•   Send & receive messages
•   Search/browse your list of friends and check out their info, wall, photos and videos
•   See who's birthday it is & write on their wall
•   View and respond to friend requests & event invitations
•   Long-press photos to save to device
•   Long-press posts to delete (only posts made in facedroid)

'Facedroid' was designed from the ground up to be a tablet app.  The spacing and location of menus and buttons are perfect, the sizing is just right.   All the features and access you are used to from the Facebook website are available right on your Nexus 7...and it looks gorgeous.   From uploading pictures, to chatting with your friends to commenting on their status updates...it's all here and done right.  Now 'Facedroid' was developed by Platinum Apps and they've announced that as good as 'Facedroid' is already...they are planning a 'major update' real soon that will make it even better with a number of improvements such as the ability to turn notifications on/off, photo pinch to zoom, pull to refresh, marking messages as 'read'  plus performance improvements and optimization specifically for the Nexus 7 and other 7 inch tablets. 

If you're a Facebook user (and who isn't these days) I highly recommend you use 'Facedroid' as your 'goto' app for using Facebook.   It's the best $1.99 you'll spend today and with a bunch of cool improvements for the Nexus 7 just around the corner it'll quickly become one of your most-used apps.   Grab it in the Google Play Store at the link below and let me know what you think in the comments.

'Facedroid' In The Google Play Store

[daraldf]

I wish there was a demo version of this app before I spend my last two dollars of play money from Google for buying my N7. I'm not opposed to paying for apps but the reviews I've read on the store from Nexus 7 owners aren't overwhelmingly positive.

Darald
 

[Babyfacemagee]

The latest version only came out on August 1st and the one Nexus 7 comment on this latest version is very positive for what it's worth.  With a Nexus 7 optimized version coming soon you'll probably be ok but I understand your concern.  It's not perfect by any means but it beats the atrocious 'official' Facebook app by a long shot.

[martyh]

>>With a Nexus 7 optimized version coming soon you'll probably be ok but I understand your concern.<<

So, if we purchase the current version of Facedroid, does it get automatically updated when the N7 version you mention above is released?

Thanks.
- mh

[Babyfacemagee]

I assume so since previous updates have been free but just to be sure you can ask the developer and see what he says.  The developer contact info is on the Google Play  Facedroid page I linked above.

[daraldf]

I'll keep it on my radar and check it out when they release an optimized version for the N7. It looks promising.

Darald

[platinumapps]

Hi everyone,
I'm Dave from Platinum Apps - we've had a few e-mails from Nexus7Forum members about facedroid so I wanted to stop by and say hi.

In response to queries from a few of you, YES the upcoming update will be optimised for the Nexus 7, and YES if you purchase the app right now, you will get the update for free. We also have HEAPS more planned for future updates which will also be free so grab it now and enjoy the ride as we work on making facedroid even better.

As far as timeframes for release, I can't tell you exactly when this major update will be released, however we're getting pretty close now so I'm hoping to have it done within the next 2-3 weeks, hopefully sooner. Best to keep an eye on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/facedroid) as we provide updates there pretty regularly.

I'll leave you with a screenshot of facedroid running on the Nexus 7. What do you think?

Also, if you have any questions about anything to do with facedroid or any of our other apps, just let me know & I'll be happy to get back to you.


Dave

[Babyfacemagee]

Thanks for coming by Dave!  Facedroid looks good in the Nexus 7 shot you provided and I think a number of forum members will be excited to hear that the update will be free for current Facedroid users.  Keep up the good work and good luck with finishing the update.

BFM (admin)


**FYI- Dave from Platinum Apps has told me to pass a message to everyone in the forum that when the new update to Facedroid comes out there will probably be a slight increase in price.  Since the update to the new version is free you'll probably want to grab it before the update at the current $1.99 price unless you don't mind paying a little more after the Nexus 7 optimized version is released.**

[tsruggles]

I'm having trouble understanding the free update topic. The update will be free to current users? If we don't buy the app until it is updated, what will we be paying for exactly? Right now the app is two bucks. Is the price going up once the update is released? Is there typically a charge for app updates that I have never noticed before?

EDIT: I just saw the final line of the previous post.

While its admirable to offer a "free" update to drum up business, I'm not really into gambling too much.

I just spent 13 minutes with the app before refunding. Without exact numbers on the price increase, I'm not interested in paying to see how much changes in the new version. The ui was a bit too clunky for my taste and it seems like a lot of trial and error would be involved to figure out what all of the controls do. IMHO, it isn't worth keeping it in its current state.

If the price goes up twenty cents after the update and things are laid out a bit better, I'd spring for it then. I just don't jump at buying something that is not worth that much to me on the promise of a spectacular update and an unknown price increase.

[platinumapps]

Just to clarify pricing, currently the app is $2 and will include free updates. After we release this coming update, a few weeks later we will be putting the price up (likely $2.49) and then we have another major update coming a month or so later and then after that we will likely increase the price further.

The reason for this is that we wanted to start out with the price low to encourage people to try out the app and provide us with feedback to help us make it even better. As it becomes more feature-complete we plan on increasing the price, but don't plan on going to the $4.99 price point of some other third-party Facebook apps as we still want it to be affordable so everyone can use it.

[tsruggles]

Just to clarify pricing, currently the app is $2 and will include free updates. After we release this coming update, a few weeks later we will be putting the price up (likely $2.49) and then we have another major update coming a month or so later and then after that we will likely increase the price further.

The reason for this is that we wanted to start out with the price low to encourage people to try out the app and provide us with feedback to help us make it even better. As it becomes more feature-complete we plan on increasing the price, but don't plan on going to the $4.99 price point of some other third-party Facebook apps as we still want it to be affordable so everyone can use it.

There is new info every time I refresh! Will the price remain the same immediately after the update? Am I correctly reading that the price won't increase until a couple weeks after the update? I want to keep an eye on this app for sure but I have a small fortune invested in Facebook apps that I never use.

[platinumapps]

We will launch this coming release at the same $1.99 price, and likely put the price up soon after, within a week or 2.
I hope that clears it up for you.

[tsruggles]

It does. I can't imagine that this is an easy task for you since every other Facebook app including their own is basically worthless. I'm just going to go broke trying to find one worth anything. Sure wish I could sell my Facebook apps and recoup some of my money.

[platinumapps]

Yeah we realise just how bad some of the other apps are, especially the official one, which is why we're working hard to make sure facedroid is the best app we can possibly make it, so hopefully the coming update will be a big step in the right direction, then we've got another big update to follow a month or 2 later which will also bring some huge improvements and additional functionality.

[S.Prime]

First thanks to Dave at Platinumapps for taking the time to visit our forum and advise us of the plans for Facedroid. I plan to purchase the app and support the development of what will hopefully become the first functional Facebook app for Android.