Facebook Home is out today in the Google Play Store for those fortunate enough with one of the five Android-based phones to download it.
Well, maybe not so fortunate.
I just installed Facebook’s newest add-on, which puts Facebook photos, updates, messages and services at the forefront of smartphone homescreens.
Less than 30 seconds later, it was off my Galaxy S3. Sorry, Facebook — I just don’t want to see you every time I open my phone.
“No matter what you’re doing, your friends are always right there with you,” Facebook tells us in the promo video above.
They’re not lying. And it’s kind of annoying.
There are many things I love about my smartphone sans-Facebook Home: Seeing my calendar and Gmail widgets (widgets are disabled with Facebook Home). Immediate, one-swipe lockscreen access to my phone’s dialer, messaging, email, camera and browser (these are gone with Facebook Home installed). My own personalized lockscreen picture (Facebook Home replaces your lockscreen with your friends’ pictures).
If you’re literally on Facebook all day long and can’t seem to operate without it, Facebook Home will be good for you. It allows you to access all of the social network’s features without actually opening the app.
But I’m just not one of those. And according to the initial mediocre ratings on the Google Play Store, there are several that think the same.
Facebook, I like. Home, not so much. They say change is good, but for now, I’ll stick with the salivating picture of fresh sushi as my background.
Previously on GeekWire: Microsoft pokes fun at Facebook, says new ‘Home’ is like Windows Phone in 2011
