Mobile WorkHorse

By Al Sacco
About this Blog:

Al Sacco writes about (and drools over) anything and everything mobile or wireless as it applies to the global workforce--with a focus on BlackBerry smartphones

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Al Sacco

BlackBerry Users Get (Barely) Updated Facebook App, v1.5

Posted April 22, 2009 to Mobile/Wireless |
. What's this?

The new, free Facebook for BlackBerry application, v1.5, is now publicly available. An unofficial version of the new Facebook app leaked last month, and I gave you my first impressions then, which were less-than-positive, to say the least. Unfortunately, the official release is no better. The problem: It’s just a polished version of the two-year-old Facebook BlackBerry app.

screen shot of Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5
Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5

As far as I can tell, little or no cosmetic changes have been made to the Facebook 1.5, which is now at v1.5.0.31, since it leaked. That earlier version, which was compatible only with BlackBerry devices running OS v4.6--think: Pearl 82xx, Bold and Storm--was v1.5.0.25.

On the whole, it’s worth the upgrade to Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5, because it does pack some improvements. For example, messages and Friend requests now appear in your BlackBerry Messages folder. And you can now integrate information from your Facebook calendar with your BlackBerry, so events you plan to attend and Friends’ birthdays appear on your device calendar.

You can also choose to integrate your BlackBerry and Facebook contacts, so related information is pulled from Facebook into your BlackBerry address book. The app lets you tie photos of your Facebook Friends to BlackBerry contacts. And you can request additional contact information, like phone numbers, from your Friends, or create entirely new BlackBerry contacts, directly from the Friend List within the app.

Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5
Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5

But everything is else nearly identical to the earlier version; the landing page for Facebook for BlackBerry 1.5 is the same as v1.2 of the application; still no access to your Facebook groups, event invites, requests, test, quizzes etc.

I’m still hanging onto hope that Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5 is just an interim “fix” between v1.2 and v2.0, but I’m not holding my breath; if the next Facebook BlackBerry app takes nearly as long to reach the masses as v1.5, Facebook itself might be a thing of the past by the time we see even a leaked version.

Download Facebook for BlackBerry v1.5 from BlackBerry App World or surf on over to RIM’s site and let me know your thoughts.

AS

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