Facebook Review

Love it or hate it, there's no denying the huge impact that Facebook has made on the internet and the world in general. It ensures that we can all communicate with each other easily, no matter where we're located, and in a much easier fashion than pretty much anything that's gone before it. That's not to say that, much like the website, the Facebook app is flawless, however. It certainly comes with some bizarre niggles and a constant update cycle might prove off-putting to some. Still, it's a near essential app for many, myself included.

Easily set up, the app gets straight into what users want from it: the news feed. This screen full of information, displaying the latest status updates from friends and companies alike, has gone through many changes since its creation. Currently, it's not perfect either. It's easy to browse with a swipe of a finger, but the latest update has lost the ability to view by Most Recent or Top Stories which is quite an irritant. It does, at least, bring with it the lists feature making it easy to view the News Feed according to certain groups of friends or business contacts.

Elsewhere, it's much more smooth sailing. Chat is there, although big fans should probably also download Facebook Messenger. Slide to the left and it's possible to view messages, events and groups. In each case, everything is clearly laid out and it's a breeze to like or comment on an entry. Even privacy functions are clearly displayed, for each individual post as well as via the side bar which offers more extensive security features. Apps also play a more pivotal role here, thanks to the many Facebook apps that now have their own iOS product, linking together neatly and conveniently.

In terms of uploading potential, finally, it's possible to easily add photos to individual albums rather than as part of a Mobile Uploads group. Something that was quite awkward previously. Check-ins and text based updates are similarly easy to use.

Ease of use being the main thing going for Facebook. Sure, it's not perfect, like the site, but it's steadily getting there. With new, enhanced chatting features, plus minor features being tightened up, it's a much more attractive proposition and still the best way of keeping track of one's Facebook account, while on the move.