Facebook has announced that it will be slowly phasing in a new type of inbox and messaging system in the next few months. The new system will enhance the message box that many people now have. It will serve as a way to chat with friends, kind of like the way you do now, but better apparently. But, more importantly, they will provide a way for you to integrate your pre-existing email account to your facebook message inbox.
This is very neat in my opinion. I know a lot of people in the professional world use email, as do I, but facebook is a great way to keep in touch with people that you may not have email addresses for. For instance, I have many contacts from undergrad or church, etc. that I may not have email accounts for. This is a perfect way to contact them instead of searching for their emails. If you can send and receive facebook messages similarly to the way you do emails, then the transition will be seamless.
This is just another way that technology will provide an easier way to communicate. The consolidation and centralization of using just one communication hub will make things easier for users as well.
I completely agree with you Eric, Facebook will definitely rule soon just as Google is taking over everything. I check my Facebook almost the same number of times I check my emails, or sometimes even more. Simply, because I am in touch with a larger number of people through Facebook instead of just plain email.
ReplyDeleteA lot of times, when event notifications our sent out as messages on Facebook we already get email alerts/reminders, that itself is very helpful. I am sure, once they fully integrate the messaging system on Facebook with external emails, we will be able to communicate a lot better and faster.
Facebook is on top of their game!
ReplyDeleteThis is just another inovation that facebook has made. They always seem to be one step ahead of the users needs.
I personally would never have thought of the advantages of an email like communicaiton technique in facebook, but I can certainly see myself taking advantage of it in the future.
Take a look at companies that are considering using a social networking platform to phase out email. So far, they're having problems with compatibility (email works with everything), but things are moving in the right direction. A social networking replacement for email would usher in a new era of Employee Relationship Management systems (as opposed to CRMs).
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I don't think this will really "improve" facebook is that people aren't supposed to be using facebook at work! My friends and I actually just did the OPPOSITE...we had a pretty good thread going on facebook messages, but we were all concerned with checking fb at work or the amount of time we'd be spending on fb to reply to the thread. So we moved it to gmail.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea for their "tween" market or even college & recent grads who are getting their college emails deactivated.
I know it's their brand, but it would help more if they just came up with a way to make facebook not look like facebook ha ha Then you wouldn't need to immediately click on another tab browser when your boss walks by!
-Stephanie Bissell