Your first look at Facebook 1.5 for BlackBerry
For a while now there has been talk of Facebook 1.5 for BlackBerry. Back in November we cited a report which indicated a January release, something that obviously did not come to fruition. However, we can say with absolute certainty that Facebook 1.5 is just around the corner because we manged to get our hands on it courtesy of one of our RIM ninjas. A lot of the new features are ones we’ve already gone over, but some are more recent additions and actually pretty interesting, though not necessarily for a good reason.
Now we know your time is important and the only BlackBerry content you’re really interested in is our amazing giveaway that is offering up a Bold, a Storm, a Curve 8900 and 500 BlackBerry unlock codes, but if you’ll take but a few moments out of your day you might just learn a thing or two. We promise it’s short and sweet.
Three Somewhat Major Enhancements
When starting up Facebook for the first time a Setup Wizard pops up on the screen and lists options to control the three biggest changes to Facebook for BlackBerry — the integration with the BlackBerry Message, Calendar and Contacts applications.
BlackBerry Message Application Integration:
Truth be told, this is probably the single greatest feature of the Facebook 1.5 app. In previous builds, when a Facebook message/poke/whatever was received one was forced to navigate their way to the Facebook application itself, open it up and check what you’ve received. But with 1.5 you can bypass all of this by enabling the BlackBerry Message application option and view every Facebook message from the convenience of your inbox.
BlackBerry Calendar Application Integration:
The title of this feature pretty much sums it all up: all of the Facebook events you’ve RSVP’d to and all of your friends birthdays are downloaded to a calendar labeled “Facebook”. Again, this is completely optional but we’re not too sure why someone would avoid taking advantage of this feature. In fact, we’re confident that this feature will save at least a few relationships a year (yes ladies, he has no more excuses).
BlackBerry Contacts Application Integration:
This feature, which we’re torn about internally, allows users to integrate Facebook friends with existing BlackBerry contacts. Phone numbers, work details, and most profile pictures from Facebook are added to the BlackBerry Contacts application. The great thing about this is if you would like to apply this feature to only a select few you are able to do so by “linking” or “unlinking” whomever you wish. And if your Facebook friend does not have their phone number listed and it’s not already in your Contacts then the app allows you to request that they share it with you.
Everything Else is Hum-Drum
Design and GUI:
We’re very disappointed with the design effort that went into Facebook 1.5. In fact, there clearly wasn’t any. Save for a few animated transitions between a limited amount of screens, the application still looks exactly like it did on an 8100 Pearl when it came out in October 2007.
Call Friends from the Friends Screen:
Now it’s possible to call friends who have their numbers listed on Facebook or whose Facebook profile is linked with their Contact profile on your ‘Berry. This is perfect for those who have friends who tend to tweet slanderous things and need to be straightened out.
Comment on Status Messages:
One of the more popular Facebook features is the ability to comment on friends status messages. This functionality was not available in previous versions of Facebook for BlackBerry, but that is simply because the feature is newer than the application updates. We’re very pleased to see this has been packaged in with 1.5.
Change your Listed Phone Numbers:
At this point in time it’s not possible for users to edit their Facebook profiles from a mobile device. However, Facebook 1.5 introduces an option to edit your mobile and landline numbers so that your friends can keep tabs on your ever changing numbers (if only Google cared about GrandCentral). Umm, is it really expected that someone is going to change his or her phone number so frequently that this is necessary? If you can wait a few hours to get to a computer to change update your favorite movies after seeing the latest flick then surely you can wait until that time to change your listed phone numbers. Besides, your friends can just message you and ask you to call them.
Improved access to Facebook’s WAP site:
One of the most irritating things about previous builds has been the fact that whenever you wanted to view a friend’s profile on the WAP site by way of the application, you would have to enter your sign-in credentials for the WAP portal. Thankfully this isn’t the case any more because so long as you launch the WAP site via the application you will not have to enter credentials ever again.
Conclusion
The new intergration with the BlackBerry Message, Calendar and Contacts applications is quite enjoyable, but we’re really disappointed that nothing more substantial will be included. With that said, Facebook 2.0 is in the works but if it took us this long to get to where Facebok 1.5 is today then we have to confess we don’t have much hope for anything but the same old, same old. Then again, by the time Facebook 2.0 is expected to be released the less powerful units on the market like the Pearl will be pretty much be antiques, meaning that RIM and Facebook can safely roll-out a more enhanced application platform-wide.
I cannot believe people are so excited about this – i dont wish to sound like an Apple fan but i have had a Storm since its launch date in the UK and it has been nothing but a let down – it wasnt developed properly and it still isnt up to speed or as fault free as the iPhone.
This 1.5 “update” just seems like a shambles – have any of you used the Facebook app on the iPhone – yet again it totally dwarfs the capabilities and functionality of thei “update” – when are RIM going to pull there fingers out???
Wow, that looks a lot better. Since getting my Storm 9530, I’ve thought that the FB app was a little on the soft side. Those screen grabs looks great.
lol another Bold giveaway, I wonder if the winners will actually recieve the prize this time??
Still. Too little enhancements. I will give them the botd and try it.
The inbox feature is already on Blackberry 1.3 is it not? I know I answer my messages thru it. All the other stuff definitely sounds promising.
seems to be a pretty nice upgrade…but WHERE’S THE CHAT? the iPhone users got it..why can’t we
Wow now I can waste hours of my work day, using a faster more efficient 1.21 gigawatts of facebook power!!!
Looks nice. Simple. Not too bubbly like iPhone apps are.
Not really sure why people continue to compare BB and iPhone. They are in totally different categories from one another.
kinda would like facebook chat as an option.
If we only had a username and password….
http://www.blackberry.com/devicesoftware/entry.do?code=facebookbeta
hmmm nice find on the above link.
maybe someone can break in
When is this out?
Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaail, RIM. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaail.
Give me something akin to the iPhone app – something that supports all the major functions of Facebook including that chat thing.
DO IT FOR ME, RIM
@Peter: There was actually a very good Facebook app for Windows Mobile stripped out of one of the WM 6.5 ROMs earlier today.
http://pocketnow.com/index.php?a=portal_detail&t=news&id=6978
I’m liking the new features and will download once released but am disappointed due to the amount of time FB took to actual put this out for testing.
I would definitely be excited if the GUI was updated to reflect the changes of the Blackberry OS 4.6…well, we’ll see what 2.0 brings.
can’t wait!!!
Well this should hold me over until I get my Palm Pre.
you are so right about the hijacking of emails!! and whats with the sporadiac functionality, my app stops updating me for days and i have to uninstall and reinstall ugh!!
i’m happy its coming out but was def expecting more!
What about chatting with Facebook contacts that are online at the same time as you are? Will this be available on the upgrade?
hi all
What password do I use toget into face book it does not tell me anythig about password and eimail address
Dissapointed again..
Expected an app similar to iPhone’s … 
@Peter said, “When are they going to make a good Windows Mobile client?”
Try the new Facebook app that xda-developers pulled from the new Windows Mobile 6.5 OS!
http://bit.ly/xoNl
That app looks pretty cool. I only wish I had a Blackberry!
For those getting mad at the lack of a full blown upgrade you have to realize this is a .5!!!
If it were a full blown UI and function upgrade it would be version 2. This is like an expansion pack, it’s just a few new bells and whistles.