I've just watched the new video for 'Facebook Messages'. It's some how trying to convince me that this new feature is like having a nostalgic 'Box of Love Letters' like my Grandma and Grandad shared in the War.
I hardly think think that keeping messages about 'what do you want for dinner from Tesco's tonight?', or 'what time can you pick the kids up from school', constitutes a romantic love letter? To be honest, I'm not sure that I'd want to keep a running commentary of my everyday life online. I don't do that with text, chat or email messages now, so why would I bother in 'Facebook Messages'?
Surely not everyone wants to keep every minute detail of their everyday life saved for prosperity?
Whilst it's a nice concept that we can choose to contact people by messaging, SMS, or email from one interface. Essentially it's still using the premise of an 'Email Address'. So it is email?
Well to be honest looking at the BETA screens it's just an inflated version of the current messaging system. Yes, it's uses an '@facebook.com' address, but let's face it it's not 'GMAIL'. I think it's competing much more with the likes of 'Blackberry Messaging' and 'WhatsApp', rather than an email client.
Facebook says - "Ignore that a given friend or family member prefers SMS or email or chat—just send the message your way and he or she will receive it their way."
To send a text, your friend needs to have text messaging enabled. You can now archive 'Conversations' and the layout of 'Replies' functions seems much more intuitive. The new feature is also invite only, so to start using it you have to have a friend 'invite' you!
I'm still not convinced that this new feature is the replacement for old love letters, but it's certainly an enhanced way within Facebook to facilitate friendships and communications.
Take a look at the video:
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