Zynga CEO and founder Mark Pincus just took the stage here at D10, and in a wide-ranging conversion with Kara Swisher, he sidestepped conversation about Words With Friends and Farmville long enough to touch on the murky world of console gaming. In a bid to quell any potential surprises at E3 next month, Mark said outrightly that his company is not interested in getting into the console world. "We're aiming for you," he said while pointing at Swisher. "We're going after the mainstream market. There's too much friction [in the console world]."

He also made clear that he tries to not look too far ahead of where the world really is. When talking about the undeniable shift to mobile, he made clear that there's still a huge amount of desktop traffic on Zynga's games -- "lots of people play while bored on conference calls at work," he quipped. It's an interesting viewpoint in a world where PSN and Xbox Live Arcade has given independent developers all new distribution platforms to reach users, but it also highlights the outfit's intrinsic attachment to Facebook in particular.

Continue reading Zynga CEO Mark Pincus says 'no thanks' to console gaming, isn't worried about a life detached from Facebook

Zynga CEO Mark Pincus says 'no thanks' to console gaming, isn't worried about a life detached from Facebook originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Swollen with cash following its IPO, Facebook is looking to expand its headquarters in Menlo Park. Its plan to triple its workforce there from 2,200 to 6,600 people was approved by local officials last night, removing the previous cap that allowed a maximum of 3,600 messy, resource-consuming humans. In lieu of the added burden on the city, Facebook will have to contribute $850,000 per year for ten years, plus a one-time payment of $1,000,000. The start of a surge towards greater products and profits, or the beginning of a complacent corporate decline? We'll let the stock market decide.

Facebook allowed to triple size of its HQ, pays $10 million for the privilege originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 05:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, it looks like secrecy isn't the only thing that Apple is doubling-down on these days. Speaking at D10, Tim Cook said that that Apple is "doubling down on Siri," adding that "you'll be really pleased with what you see in the coming months on this." He did also acknowledge that Siri currently has its shortcomings, but said that "customers love it," and that "what makes Siri cool is that she has a personality." When it came to a largely non-existent iOS feature at the moment -- Facebook integration -- Cook said to "stay tuned," noting that he has "great respect for them," and that he wants Facebook's hundreds of millions of customers to have "the best experience" on the iPhone and iPad.

Tim Cook: Apple doubling-down on Siri, 'stay tuned' on Facebook developments originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 23:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Despite amassing something close to a billion users, Facebook has mainly stayed true to the startup mantra of staying focused on a few core things. In this case, that has been promoting openness and sharing among friends and, increasingly, the world at large. Such was the case for its rival Google at the launch of the search company's IPO. Since then, however, the company has launched a pair of operating systems powering handsets and tablets around the world, a digital media store selling everything from apps to books, and its own social sharing service (at least twice).

With the vast capital infusion that comes with an IPO, Facebook has an opportunity to expand far beyond its own site and Like buttons that now line up in a row next to sharing buttons using Twitter and Google+. The company certainly has no love for Google and has kept Apple at arm's length, but it has had a strong partnership with Microsoft, which made a financially shrewd $240 million investment in Facebook back in 2007. Windows Phone would be a poorer experience were it not for its tight Facebook integration. The giant social network would gain from entering the device market or spinning its own version of Android as Amazon has done, but there would also be significant challenges to striking out into its own ecosystem.

Continue reading Switched On: Facebook's ecosystem dilemma

Switched On: Facebook's ecosystem dilemma originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 21:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If the HTC Status' dedicated Facebook button fell shy of satisfying your obsessive social networking needs, sit tight: the house of Zuckerberg may be building a slab of tech just for you. According to the New York Times Bits blog, those old Facebook phone rumors are making a comeback. A handful of Facebook employees and engineers familiar with the matter reportedly say that the firm is collecting former Apple engineers, specifically, ones that worked on the iPhone and iPad. Like Zuckerberg said, mobile is the company's top focus, and one employee says the man at the top is afraid of getting overlooked in a sea of apps. "Mark is worried that if he doesn't create a mobile phone in the near future that Facebook will simply become an app on other mobile platforms." Facebook has focused on deep integration with other devices for some time, but a dedicated handset could take the freshly public company in new directions. Reports suggest that the rumored device is still in its infancy, and there's no word on form factor or OS, of course. Up for some speculation? Check out the source link below for Bits' full take.

Facebook reportedly back to building phones, recruiting former iPhone engineers originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Perhaps there aren't enough places for you to play Words With Friends or FrontierVille, who are we to judge? Maybe what the world needs right now is playable Angry Birds in your Facebook news feed. Instead of just an invitation to join Cow Clicker, maybe you need to be able to play it straight from the homepage. Well, now you can. And that's all we have to say about that.

One more place to play Farmville or one more reason to quit Facebook? originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 May 2012 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook could be looking to buy Opera browser originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook has kept itself rather busy in the last month or so with such tasks as going public and purchasing popular photo-sharing app Instagram, but that doesn't mean it stopped working on other projects in the meantime. This realization is apparent with the launch of Facebook Camera, a photo-centric application that chooses to remain separated from the company's general mobile representation. It's still connected with the social network, of course, but it brings a fresh user interface and some light Photoshop-esque features to the table: filters, cropping, zoom, twist and so on. We had the opportunity to grab the new app and take it for a spin on an iPhone, so check out the gallery and continue below for our first impressions.

Gallery: Facebook Camera hands-on

Continue reading Facebook Camera hands-on

Facebook Camera hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Some have called Microsoft's Facebook app for Windows Phone a red-headed stepchild to the Android and iOS darlings, but it's making up for lost time in good fashion with a 2.5 update. Those who live a Metro life now get full Facebook conversation threads with group support, so they're not left out of the loop when a friend mentions the pub he wanted to visit two days ago. Along with this more conversational addition, it's now possible to tag a friend or a place in a post using plain "with" and "at" statements, and the seemingly inescapable Like button has reached comments for Windows Phone owners. There's more control over posts and active post links in the mix as well, so you'll find a surfeit of social mingling when you update at the Windows Phone Marketplace link below.

Facebook for Windows Phone rolls in threaded messaging, tagging, kitchen sink originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 15:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for yet another way to share photos on Facebook? Then you now have a new option to consider courtesy of the company itself, which has today rolled out its new Facebook Camera app for the iPhone and iPod touch. It promises to let you share and view photos faster than within the main Facebook app (not to mention give you higher-res photos), and you'll also get a variety of Instagram-style filters (15 in all) as well as some basic editing tools -- features that were apparently developed independently by Facebook itself and not borrowed from Instagram, which it hasn't yet completed its acquisition of. As with Facebook's other apps, it's completely free, and you can grab it right now at the App Store link below.

Facebook releases new filter-equipped Camera app for iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If there's some video chat corollary to Moore's Law, ooVoo is adhering to it. Almost a year to the day after announcing six-way calls, the company is expanding its offerings to include 12-way chats on both Facebook and ooVoo's iPad app. It would seem that on FB, at least, that means true 12-way, face-to-face conversations -- an obvious one-up to Facebook's native video calling app, which is powered by Skype. On the iPad, however, that 12-way claim comes with a substantial quid pro quo: while you can partake in chat with 12 people at once, you can only view up to four people's streams at a time. Moving on, folks using ooVoo on Android or the iPhone will notice some UI tweaks starting today, while people plugged into the desktop version will be treated to a more drastic overhaul. Rounding out the list of newsy bits, the ability to record and upload video chats to YouTube, Facebook and Twitter is now free. You can get your update on now at ooVoo.com, the Apple App Store or Google Play, and we've got one last screen shot after the break to help illustrate what's on tap.

Continue reading ooVoo opens up 12-way chat on Facebook and the iPad, gives other apps a facelift

ooVoo opens up 12-way chat on Facebook and the iPad, gives other apps a facelift originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With E3 2012 right around the corner, Reggie and co. want to make sure your oft-distracted eyes catch every drip drop of the impending Wii U news flood. Much like it did last year, Nintendo's yet again taking to media outlets old and new for coverage of its All-Access Presentation, scheduled for June 5th at 9AM PST, that should prove an unavoidable must-see for any gamer bred on the house that Mario built. Whether you take your news via flat-screen or monitor, the gaming giant's got a solution to sate your preferred means of consumption, making its press conference available ad-free on Spike TV and MTV2, or online with a Facebook-hosted live stream. Of course, you can always set your browser to the Big N's own dedicated site on the big day to keep abreast of its next planned dive into the deep Blue Ocean. Check out the presser after the break for all the necessary informational bits.

Continue reading Nintendo plans virtual wall of E3 coverage, wants no eyeball left behind

Nintendo plans virtual wall of E3 coverage, wants no eyeball left behind originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As expected, Comcast is kicking off the rollout of its new X1 (previously beta tested under the name Xcalibur) DVR platform. The announcement was made at the Cable Show in Boston, and that's where it will be available first, some time in "the coming weeks" with a few other major markets following soon after. We've had a few peeks at the new UI over the last year or so but now we have a full gallery of shots of both the DVR software and accompanying X1 remote app that will be available first on the iPhone. The new guide looks very similar to the existing Xfinity TV remote apps for phones and tablets, formatted for HD screens and with support for recommendations from your social network and support for apps like weather, TV, traffic, Facebook and Pandora to start. The new set-top boxes it runs on have built-in tru2way and internet support, as well as RF remotes instead of IR.

Meanwhile, the X1 remote control app adds motion and gesture control to the current set of features, as well as more direct interaction with what's on screen, since it can be used to swipe through pages, type into menus and pause currently video with a shake. As far as pricing, Comcast says it will be available to new Triple Play customers with HD/DVR service at no additional cost -- no word yet on what that means for everyone else. Check the gallery below for a look at the new software, and check the press release after the break for more info.

Update: Check out a video of CEO Neil Smit demonstrating the new UI on the show floor after the break.

Gallery: Comcast X1 DVR and iPhone remote app

Continue reading Comcast officially launches next-gen X1 DVR platform and iPhone remote app (update: video)

Comcast officially launches next-gen X1 DVR platform and iPhone remote app (update: video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook likes Karma app, buys the whole darn thing originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 16:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We largely steer clear of companies going public here at Engadget, but Facebook and its zillions of users warrants an atypical tip of the hat. The outfit has announced that starting tomorrow, 421,233,615 shares of its common stock will be up for grabs at a price to the public of $38 per share. It'll trade on the NASDAQ under the symbol "FB," with the outfit offering 180,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and selling stockholders offering 241,233,615 shares of Class A common stock. Closing of the offering is expected to occur on May 22nd, subject to "customary closing conditions." And with that, we'd like to congratulate a plethora of new billionaires on... well, being billionaires. Don't work too hard, guys and girls.

Celebratory video is after the break.

Continue reading Facebook IPO is official: $38 per share, on sale tomorrow under ticker symbol 'FB'

Facebook IPO is official: $38 per share, on sale tomorrow under ticker symbol 'FB' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you're pining for another way to keep tabs on your Facebook pages while out and about, you're in luck -- that is, if you live in Australia, New Zealand or Ireland. Stealthily launched yesterday for iOS, Facebook's Page Manager app lets administrators keep an eye on page-specific notifications and Page Insight (read: number of likes, shares, views, et cetera) in addition to the normal management fare already available in Facebook's official app. For those in other territories dreaming of using the app, hope is not lost. As a late addition to Ireland's iTunes' Store after its initial appearance for Aussies, it looks like the app is following protocol by holding out on most of the world with its initial launch. As for page owners wielding other operating systems, there's no word on when your app's coming down the chute.

Facebook Pages Manager for iOS sees soft launch, stats junkies rejoice originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung's CES blitz included a tease of five new camcorders, but precious little in the way of launch details. Some of the mystery has ended, as two of the camcorders -- the QF20 and W300 -- are at last hitting US stores. The QF20 caters to the Internet crowd and, for $350, will let you upload your 20x-zoomed 1080p videos straight to Facebook, Picasa or YouTube without thrusting a computer into the process. If you're more concerned about your camera surviving a rafting trip than producing viral videos, the W300 will give you dustproofing, 15-foot waterproofing and 6-foot shockproofing in a pocketable form for a more frugal $160. We're still waiting on launches for the camcorders' closely-related F80, Q20 and W350 (pictured) cousins, but for now you can catch full details of the QF20 and W300 after the break.

Continue reading Samsung ships QF20 camcorder with WiFi, toughened-up W300 pocket cam

Samsung ships QF20 camcorder with WiFi, toughened-up W300 pocket cam originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 20:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We get the impression that Facebook is on a big mobile photo sharing kick: just weeks after it bought Instagram for a cool billion, the social network has just hired the staff behind Lightbox. The two-man team of Nilesh Patel and Thai Tran is bringing its mostly Android- and HTML5-focused knowledge over to Facebook, where it's hoping to reach many, many more people. You'll have to wait awhile to see what the Lightbox team brings to Facebook's ever more mobile platform, but you'll also want to hurry if you want to keep anything hosted on Lightbox: the service shuts down on June 15th. As a consolation for the shutdown, the startup's code is being posted to GitHub so that the fruits of its efforts live on in open-sourced form.

Facebook snaps up mobile photo sharing firm Lightbox, decides Instagram isn't enough originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We don't know about you, but most of us Engadget editors live in a perpetual state of inbox insanity. Keeping on top of voicemails, text messages, emails, IMs, Twitter DMs, Facebook and Google+ messages -- to name just a few -- is a herculean yet unavoidable task. As a result, personal messages often get drowned out in a sea of work-related correspondence.

Sounder is an app that aims to ease the inbox pain a little by providing a simple and immediate way to speak with those people that matter. Pick a few important Facebook friends and the app lets you talk to them directly at the push of a button via VoIP. The goal is to keep you connected to the folks closest to you. Sounder -- which launches today for free -- supports the iPhone and iPod touch, with iPad, desktop and Android versions in the works. A $0.99 in-app upgrade enables a super slick "flip-to-talk" feature which lets you reply without waking your phone -- just turn it over and speak.

After meeting founders Nancy Broden (of Twitter fame) and Michael Fortson (former Qik Director) at SXSW, we got the chance to take an early prototype of Sounder for a spin and came away impressed with how simple yet effective it is. Since our demo in Austin, the company's been busy fine tuning the app and putting in the final touches -- like that "flip-to-talk" functionality. Want to know more? You'll find some screen shots in the gallery below and our hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Sounder hands-on

Continue reading Sounder launches, we go hands-on (video)

Sounder launches, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Maybe it was inspired by the other app's most recent update, or perhaps by Zuck's newly-minted commitment to mobile applications. Regardless, Facebook's redesigned its iPhone / iPod and Android apps along with its pocket-sized site, clearly taking some design tips from none other than its fresh acquisition, Instagram. As you can see in the image above, the news feed is now showing one large post rather than the usual two or three (at least on the iPhone / iPod variant), this mainly due to pictures now being up to 3X larger than before. Facebook didn't note any other major changes, and there was no mention on when, or if, this snap-driven design will make its way onto some of those not-so-mobile devices. Be sure to keep an eye out for the redesign, as it's said to be rolling out as we speak.

Facebook redesigns mobile site and apps, takes a tip (or two) from Instagram originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's this? ASUS is teasing a mystery product shrouded in shadows on its Facebook page. From the looks of it, the piano-black hardware is mounted vertically onto a brushed metal cantilevered stand that just oozes style. Our vague, uninformed reckonings make us wonder if it's not an art-deco styled EeeBox, a desktop PC you'd be ashamed to hide under your desk, or the prettiest router we've ever seen. Either way, we'll keep our eyes peeled and in the meantime, you can cast your own idle speculation into the comments below.

Update: Ah, and here it is: the SBW-06C2X-U 3D Blu-ray writer that supports 6X Blu-ray writing speed! Thanks, Kiran.

ASUS teases mystery product on its Facebook page (update: it's a 3D Blu-ray writer!) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook has been making a lot of promises during a tour to drum up interest in its ever-nearing IPO, but the one gadget-heads have been wanting to hear the most, a commitment to its mobile apps, has been elusive -- until now. Everyone's favorite hooded CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, is telling investors in his home 'burg of the San Francisco Bay that mobile is front and center in his company's plans. We're hoping that means new app features, although Zuck is likely referring to money-making as well: shareholders are jittery knowing that Facebook makes most of its money on web ads that it's not running on smartphones and tablets. Paid titles in App Center will go a long way towards scratching that itch, mind you. As for us, we'll just be happy if Facebook takes less than a year and a half to produce a major tablet app.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says mobile apps the top focus, we say it's about time originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 May 2012 03:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're no stranger to e-bikes here, but most of the examples we've seen so far have very much been meant for A-to-B rides. Audi's aiming to fix that with its e-bike Wörthersee prototype. The carbon fiber transport not only has a strong 2.3kW motor -- the most powerful ever in a bike, so says Audi -- but can use that power for tricks. You can flick the Wörthersee into a wheelie mode and either shift your weight around or leave it fully automatic, depending on the fierceness of your stunt skills. Not that it'll be a timid ride if you prefer to keep both wheels on the ground, as a motor-assisted pedaling mode will take you up to 50MPH, and you can still ride at 31MPH if you're not keen on using your legs. That's faster than the already speedy Grace One City we tried, folks. The vorsprung durch technik also comes through a smartphone tie-in, although in a much more stunt-savvy way than the app- and tuning-focused Ford E-Bike Concept: it tracks video and trick runs, both for its own game system and for bragging rights on Facebook.

With a very light 3.5-pound carbon fiber frame and a quick 2.5-hour charge-up time, the e-bike Wörthersee sounds like a wild ride that will charge quickly enough for a spin on your lunch break, but we wouldn't rush to put down a deposit. Audi is calling the prototype a "show bike," which is a sign than the design as-is won't show up at the local sports store. We'll let you know if the Wörthersee or a more pragmatic descendant makes the leap to a dealer.

Continue reading Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone

Audi e-bike Wörthersee lets you pop wheelies eco-style, plays nice with your smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook proposes more transparent privacy policy, wants to know what you think of it originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Finding ways to throw money at Mark Zuckerberg is notoriously difficult, but a new 'highlight' feature could be just the trick. Currently being tested with a small population of users, it allows an ordinary member to pay $2 to ensure that their latest status update crops up in more of their friends' news streams. Ordinarily, the degree to which a status update is streamed depends on the number of likes or comments it has, which ensures that users generally only see the juiciest gossip, but paying this little premium would cause Facebook's algorithms to distort that in your favor. In other words, it's money replacing popularity, or simply -- sigh -- life.

Facebook testing 'highlight' feature, lets users pay $2 to promote their status updates originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 06:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you were hoping that Facebook's buyout of Instagram would wrap up quickly and let you directly integrate your heavily filtered photos into Timeline, you might be disappointed. Citing the ever-present "people familiar with the matter," the FT believes the Federal Trade Commission is orchestrating a competition probe. These kinds of investigations are common for most deals over $66 million -- we suspect the $1 billion Instagram pact qualifies -- but could add six months to a year to Facebook's originally planned spring closure date. The deal is still expected to go through, and you can keep tilt-shifting your photos to death in the meantime; just don't expect those shots to blanket friends' Facebook walls anytime soon.

Rumored FTC probe could delay Facebook / Instagram deal, Toaster filter will have to wait originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I never wanted to join Facebook. I never wanted to join anything online, really. I was coerced into creating a Xanga at some point, and eventually -- when Facebook opened up to NC State email addresses -- I begrudgingly created an account there, too. I had a "thing" about opening my life up to the internet. I knew already that prospective employers would inevitably go digging through shots of me celebrating at an NCSU basketball game and spike my resume in the trash can beside his or her UNC degree. More than anything, though, I just didn't care what anyone else was doing. I kept a handful of comrades close to my chest, and everyone else was a mere acquaintance. At the time, I blamed it on the 21 hours of courses I was taking entirely on Tuesdays and Thursdays -- who has time for online networking when you're in an educational torture chamber? -- but now I realize the truth: I never wanted Facebook to be a social network.

Continue reading Editorial: Facebook's my digital scrapbook first, social network second

Editorial: Facebook's my digital scrapbook first, social network second originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Visions of the iPad as a modern-day Etch A Sketch have so far been primarily decorative: they've been more about remembering youth than recreating it. That's why Ari Krupnik & Associates' officially-sanctioned Etcher iPad case project on Kickstarter stands out. Those knobs? They work, and they're Made for iPad certified. And, as the Etcher is a product of the digital era, your creations in the custom-written app can be saved and shared to Facebook, Flickr or even YouTube as a time lapse video. Shaking the Etcher will still erase your image -- it just doesn't have to disappear forever this time.

Your pledge level determines not only what variety of Etcher case you get, but how much control you get over the project. Committing $45 is all it takes for the nostalgic red, but if you spend $60, $75 or $100, you'll have the additional options for blue or a special backer-only color. Those at the $100 level get to vote on what color they and the $75 pledge-makers will see. A $175 outlay will provide early access to the software development kit as well as a say in what open-source license the code will use. Moving up to $210 or $360 will give you that control as well as an accordant five or 10 Etcher cases. If you like what you see, you have just over a month to contribute and make the iPad drawing add-on a reality.

Continue reading Insert Coin: Etcher, the fully functional Etch A Sketch iPad case

Insert Coin: Etcher, the fully functional Etch A Sketch iPad case originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 May 2012 08:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook is no stranger to letting members use real money in web apps, but only for in-app purchases. Its new App Center on the web and in mobile versions will let you buy web apps that have an up-front cost to use rather than shoehorning you into a freemium or subscription model. The portal will even have its own shopping portal, although it'll mostly be based around -- surprise -- recommendations coming from your social network profile. The addition should, in theory, lead to premium games and other apps that wouldn't fit into the Facebook Credit mould. Facebook is taking developer beta sign-ups now, although the apps themselves will have to wait.

Facebook starts App Center beta, readies itself for paid web apps originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 18:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Your friends just don't get it. While they're still bumming around in Nikes, dorms and doomed relationships, your life has recently become more serious. That's why you sometimes need to hide from their constant, mindless barrage of messages, and also why you probably won't install the newly updated Facebook Messenger app v1.7. In line with FB's "mobile first" strategy, it debuts key new functions on iOS and Android, including instant and compulsory "seen by" read receipts as well as optional "sent from" notifications. So, in addition to knowing how aloof you've become, they'll be able to track you down and slap your face.

Facebook Messenger update makes it even harder to blow people off originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 18:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Investigators at the FBI supposedly aren't happy that social networks like Facebook or Google+ don't have the same kind of facility for wiretaps that phones have had for decades. If claimed industry contacts for CNET are right, senior staff at the bureau have floated a proposed amendment to the 1994-era Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) that would require that communication-based websites with large user bases include a backdoor for federal agents to snoop on suspects. It would still include the same requirement for a court order as for phone calls, even if US carriers currently enjoy immunity for cooperating with any warrantless wiretapping. As might be expected, technology firms and civil liberties advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation object to deepening CALEA's reach any further, and Apple is thought to be preemptively lobbying against another definition of the law that might require a government back channel for audiovisual chat services like FaceTime or Skype. The FBI didn't explicitly confirm the proposal when asked, but it did say it was worried it might be "going dark" and couldn't enforce wiretaps.

[Image credit: David Drexler, Flickr]

FBI reportedly pressing for backdoor access to Facebook, Google originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 14:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Been itching for Facebook's iPhone-dedicated Messenger app to make its way over to the iPad? ? Maybe for the iPhone variant to finally reap the benefits of Skype video chat integration as well? Well, according to 9to5Mac, Camp Zuckerberg is testing both in-house, with the latter planned to hit iPhones this summer. According to the site, one of its trustworthy tipsters was able to grant it access to beta versions of the new apps, and it has the pictures to prove it. Unsurprisingly, the Messenger app for iPad is described as simply a sized-up port of the iPhone version, but surely the bump would be appreciated by many if it ever gets officially released. Perhaps more interesting, though, is having Skype video chat baked into the iPhone version -- tapping an arrow next to a contact initiates your video session, and 9to5Mac reports that it's "smooth most of the time." Of course, it's always worth taking such leaks with a grain of salt, but hit up the source link below if you'd like to find more information and screenshots of the apps in question.

Facebook's iPhone Messenger to get video chat, enlarged variant for iPad? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the off-chance you're among those bemoaning the limits of sharable personal information on Facebook, the social network has some good news. This time out, however, sharing is a bit more serious, potentially affecting the more than 114,000 people in the US alone who are waiting for an organ donation. Zuck and co. today announced that it has added organ donor status to its Timeline view. Users can add where and when they signed up and share their donation stories. "[W]e believe that by simply telling people that you're an organ donor, the power of sharing and connection can play an important role," the company wrote in a blog post today. You can also use the feature to find a link to an official donor registry in your area. For more info, check the source link below.

Continue reading Facebook adds organ donation to Timeline Life Events

Facebook adds organ donation to Timeline Life Events originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 10:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Friendster's as good as dead to the western world (it hasn't really crossed our radar since 2002), but Forbes reports that the site is still huge in Southeast Asia -- though not for the reasons you might think. It was the original social network when in launched in 2002, but its acquisition by e-payment provider MOL Global in 2009 led to its reincarnation as a top online gaming destination for countries such as India, Indonesia and Malaysia. The new Friendster just officially emerged from beta as a game-centric site, and the remaining vestiges of its social networking past -- you can still add friends, after all -- are gamified with reward points. Moreover, owner MOL Global has added e-payments to the mix, letting users buy Friendster Coins to purchase virtual goods. Given predictions that the Asian gaming community will exceed 1 billion by 2016, the site's future is looking rosier than ever. That might lessen the sting of being plum blown out of the social networking game by the big dogs.

Friendster reborn as a gaming site, wishes Facebook cared originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Facebook app for Windows Phone is certainly serviceable, but it's never really been anything to get excited about. In fact, it wasn't really something you looked forward to using and it's been slow to add the features considered standard on competing mobile platforms. Well, with the soon to land version 2.5, that capability gap will get quite a bit smaller. It hasn't hit the Marketplace yet, but when it does it'll bring support for group chats, threaded messaging, tagging in posts and the ability to like or delete not only posts but comments as well. The photo pages have also gotten a visual refresh and you can now tap on links in posts to go straight to the relevant content. For a few more details hit up the source, and keep checking the Marketplace for updates -- Facebook Microsoft promises it won't be long now.

Update: We mistakenly attributed development of the app to Facebook when, in fact, Microsoft is the developer of Facebook for Windows Phone.

Facebook for Windows Phone getting a major refresh originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Facebook just filed an amended S-1 (that all important document that officially announces its public offering plans) with some new financial info. Now included in the charts and graphs is everything you wanted to know about Q1 of 2012 at Facebook (but were afraid to ask). The new SEC filing reveals that revenues are way up at the social network over last year (a whopping 45 percent higher than Q1 of 2011), but down slightly from last quarter (six percent), settling at a more than respectable $1.058 billion. Of the cash it took in, $872 million of it was ad revenue, which is down from Q4 of 2011 ($943 million) but up significantly from Q1 of last year ($731 million). Facebook was even able to slap a per-user amount on its 900 million active monthly members -- $1.21 -- that's the average revenue for each person with an account at the site. Of course, membership has continued to grow, with 532 million stopping by daily, up from 372 million just a year ago. As for that Instagram purchase, it looks like the widely reported $1 billion figure wasn't entirely accurate -- at least not when talking cold, hard cash. Only $300 million was turned over in immediately spendable currency, the rest of the deal involved 23 million shares of common stock. If you're a sucker for financials hit up the source link.

Facebook updates S-1, adds Q1 earnings, revenue up 45% over last year originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft has agreed to sell on around 650 patents to Facebook in a deal worth $550 million. The Haüs of Zuckerberg will stump up the cash in exchange for various social networking patents that were registered by AOL (disclaimer: Engadget's parent company) and sold to Redmond for $1 billion a fortnight ago. Microsoft will hold onto the remaining 275 in its portfolio and cross-license those that it's sold on, but not the 300 patents that AOL licensed but kept hold of. The social network will likely utilize the portfolio to better defend itself from litigation like the lawsuit brought by Yahoo back in March. If you're interested in reading the phrase "protect Facebook's interests over the long term," then head past the break for the official word from the men who invented poking.

Continue reading Facebook paying Microsoft $550 million for 650 patents, Ballmer clicks 'like'

Facebook paying Microsoft $550 million for 650 patents, Ballmer clicks 'like' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Since breaking ground in Western North Carolina some 16 months ago, Facebook has been running at full speed to get its newest data center online. This week, Zuckerberg & Co. flipped the switch. The new facility, located in Forest City, touts the "first major deployment" of the outfit's Open Compute Project web servers and will be the first "live test" of the OPC's outdoor air-cooling design. It tends to get pretty warm around those parts and humidity levels are a bit outside of ideal data center conditions. The Carolina facility will mirror the projected power utilization effectiveness (PUE) of FB's Oregon data center at just a smidge above 1 - somewhere between 1.06 and 1.08 to be exact. In other words, this means the ratio of power used by the structure and the actual power sent to the hardware is almost perfect with minimal energy loss. No matter, it'll still be using plenty of power. A second identical building is slated to open on the site later this year, but for now, hit the source link for a bit more info on the initial launch.

Continue reading Facebook flips the switch on its North Carolina data center, cooled with balmy mountain air

Facebook flips the switch on its North Carolina data center, cooled with balmy mountain air originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Chin up, friends. The week is coming to a close and a fresh issue of our tablet mag is hot off the e-presses. Front and center this week, Microsoft's Bill Buxton discusses the future of the Natural UI. We also feature the start of Reaction Time, a regular column from Joystiq's Editor-in-chief Ludwig Kietzmann. Here, he'll tackle the current state of gaming from week to week. Also new this time around, a look back at the hands-on opps that we've had over the past seven days and Switched On continues its look at smartphone growth. The HTC One V, Titan II and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) get put through their paces while Darren Murph offers some thoughts on Facebook's role as a digital scrapbook. IRL offers a regular peek into our gear habits, the Stat breaks down screen resolution, DigitalRev's Kai Man Wong runs through the Q&A gauntlet and Box Brown has the Last Word on Angry Birds Space. So what are you waiting for? Head on down to the link of your choice to begin your download.

Distro Issue 37 PDF
Distro in the iTunes App Store
Distro in the Google Play Store
Distro APK (For sideloading)
Like Distro on Facebook
Follow Distro on Twitter

Distro Issue 37 chats with Microsoft's Bill Buxton on the future of the natural UI originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sergey Brin wasn't too happy with how his critique of Apple and Facebook was represented in the media following an interview he gave to the Guardian. In a post on Google+ (hey, if he won't use it, who will?) Brin lamented that, "my thoughts got particularly distorted... in a way that distracts from my central tenets." The founder believes that undue attention was given to his complaints about Facebook and Apple's "restrictive" walled gardens, when he sees oppressive governments and state-sanctioned censorship as much larger issues. Of course, while Brin does say he admires his competitors, he never truly backpedals from his criticism or says that it was taken out of context. To let Sergey explain himself, hit up the source link.

Sergey Brin clarifies Apple and Facebook critique, says statement was 'distorted' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.