The Facebook Phone is Official: HTC First & Facebook Home Announced

Facebook revealed their jump into the phone software world with “Facebook Home.” Facebook Home is essentially an Android launcher with a Facebook obsession. Home can be downloaded normally from the Google Play Store but can only work on certain phone which we aren’t happy with. On launch, Home will be available for the HTC One, One X+, Samsung Galaxy Note II, S3, and the S4. HTC also has partnered with AT&T to create the “First.” First is the first phone that comes with Facebook Home right out-of-the-box.

Home has a beautiful interface, which has nice minimalistic features and does not waste any of your precious screen space with unnecessary floaty objects. Right when you turn on the phone you are greeted with your own Facebook news feed as a slideshow wallpaper on your home screen where you can “Like or “Comment” quickly. You can either let it circulate through or swipe it yourself and witness your whole Facebook experience as a home screen. Home can display photos, text statuses, Facebook messages and also your native SMS messages as well.

Messages are handled by a new feature they call “Chatheads” which is basically little circular bobble heads of Facebook friends and phone contacts that pop up on your homescreen when they decide to send you a message. Personally, I love Chatheads.  Chatheads can be moved anywhere along the edges of the phone screen so it doesnt interrupt anything you’re doing and it also constantly stays on the top of any app or activity you’re on so it pretty much goes with you everywhere. Chatheads works with SMS as well and is distinguishable from Facebook messages by the blue(facebook) and green(sms) colors it carries on the text bubbles. Chatheads can easily be exited by hockey-pucking the bobble head down toward the bottom of the screen.

Even though Facebook Home seems to take over your whole phone UI, you can still access native phone apps like Google Now, or the Multi-task app drawer by holding or double tapping the home button as normal. To access your other daily apps you can swipe up to bring up all your apps such as instagram or twitter all while being in the Facebook interface. While your on that app screen you have three very convenient, status, photo and check-in buttons that are placed on the top for getting your quick Facebook fix. The HTC First is set to release April 12th and pre-orders start today. The phone is priced as $99 dollars and is only available on AT&T. Home will be out on the Google Play store for free on April 12th as well. Sadly, Ads will eventually be integrated with Facebook Home but not on launch.

My thoughts on this is pretty much I’m loving it. The people before apps is a great concept for the Home launcher and does intertwine with some peoples lives. The minimalistic and elegant look combined with the, almost necessary, Chathead feature makes this almost a, must-check-out, launcher this April. My concerns with Home is…the content. My Facebook friends aren’t known for posting the best captured or most appropriate pictures on Facebook which is troublesome when that content is being blown up on my home-screen. And their might be some people out there that don’t use their phones for just interacting with people; I know sometimes I like to just scroll through Twitter and Facebook just read random stuff to kill time, not wanting to talk to anyone. Like with all apps, there is no perfect one, so like always guys I would like to know what you guys think with a comment down below! Is this app for you guys? Do you like Chatheads as much as I do? Is this a game-changer for social networking apps?  Thanks guys!