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Previously hidden, stickers are now accessible using an actual button

Sending stickers in Facebook Messenger was possible before today's update, but only using an invisible button that was located just to the left of the "+" button. It looks like Facebook is finally ready to reveal this feature, and has added a smiley face button to access the sticker screen. Multiple pages of smiley face and critter stickers are included in the app, with an optional sticker store that has even more cute critters you can download. Also listed in the change log is a batch of bug fixes, which is always good to see.
This version is available now in the Play Store for all your adorable smiley and critter needs.

Via: Facebook Messenger gets official sticker support

Sometimes a big number is just... a big number

The new "love it or hate it" app out there, Facebook Home, has surpassed a pretty notable milestone in the Play Store today: 500,000 installs. That's half a million installs of an app that many said would appeal to a very small section of people -- those who are presumably "all in" with Facebook. But what does that 500,000 number even mean? Not that much, actually. Any time that someone clicks "install" on the Google Play store, it counts as an install. It doesn't matter if the user never actually launches the app, whether they set it as a default launcher or even whether it stays installed on their phone for more than 10 minutes.

It's kind of like a hamburger restaurant saying "10 million customers served". Well, sure they were served, but did they actually enjoy the food? Lots of users may be taking one bite out of Facebook Home and throwing it in the trash, and the Google Play numbers simply don't reflect that.

The real number we'd love to take a look at isactiveinstalls. How many people have installed Facebook Home, then continued to use it. Given the current ratings it is receiving in the play store -- an average of 2.2 out of 5 -- we have to guess that number is well below 500,000. And without that "active installs" number, we don't believe there's any comment to be made about the success of Home this early in the game.

Via: Facebook Home hits 500,000 installs, but what about active users?

You'll never be lonely when all your friends are just a tap away, but Facebook thinks you'll have more fun when they are right up front

A long plane ride is a pretty boring thing. Sure, you could get out your laptop and work, or keep handing over your plastic for those tiny bottles of entertainment, but Facebook has another idea -- with Facebook Homeand the HTC Firstyou can bring along all your friends. And cats.
While we imagine the average Facebook user's feed will be slightly different (and a lot less safe for work), this is a good ad that gets the idea across. I have a feeling we're going to see a lot more like it.

Via: Facebook shows us what life can be like with Facebook Home front and center

Facebook answers important user privacy questions. Read them before you install or buy anything.

A lot of folks have serious privacy concerns about Facebook's new Home application. Questions about location gathering, message reading, and the general "safeness" of Facebook tracking what you do on your Android phone. We have our own here as well, and have had plenty of internal discussion.
Facebook doesn't want folks to worry, so they released a privacy FAQ about the new product. It's a short read that everyone who might install the app needs to look at, but here are some highlights:

• You can use Facebook without using Facebook Home
• Facebook Home is just another app you install from Google Play. You can uninstall it at any time.
• Facebook Home collects your Facebook activity, location, Facebook messages, and the apps in your Home app launcher. This data is user-identifiable for 90 days.
• Facebook can not collect any data outside of the Home app, unless you use the HTC First -- then it can track what apps generate notifications, but not the content of the notification.

We're not going to judge any of these policies -- that's for you to do. We are going to tell you about them and direct you to the full statement so you can read it and discuss. And you should.

Via: Facebook addresses privacy concerns over Facebook Home

Facebook Home will see better performance and battery life with Qualcomm processors

Facebook has announced an official partnership with chip maker Qualcomm, the result of which will optimize Facebook Home apps on devices that come with Qualcomm processors. Facebook's first official phone, the HTC First, will come equipped with Qualcomm's new mid-range Snapdragon 400 chip (see the full details here).
Optimization will not be limited to just Facebook's phone or newer phones; Qualcomm says it is working with Facebook for optimization with all of Android's Snapdragon processors. Improvements are said to be seen in system-level performance, power usage, and data efficiency.
For the full press release, hit the source link a below.

More: HTC First hands-on, HTC First forums

Via: Facebook partners with Qualcomm for Home optimization

Eric Schmidt criticises David Cameron's proposal that potential rioters should be barred from social media

Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, has criticised David Cameron's proposal to limit the use of social media sites during civil unrest in the wake of the riots that took place across England earlier this month.

Schmidt, speaking at the MediaGuardian Edinburgh International Television Festival on Saturday, said that such a move was likely to backfire, highlighting how when the Egyptian authorities turned the internet off to try and quell unrest earlier this year it merely "enraged the citizens and got them to leave their homes to protest".

Facebook users will also be able to chose to approve or reject any photo they are tagged in before it goes live. Photograph: AP

Facebook has moved to address one of its biggest privacy challenges by finally giving users more control over photos tagged and shared on their profile.

Facebook users could previously be tagged in any pictures uploaded by their friends to the biggest photo-sharing site on the web, which hosts an estimated 100bn photos.

Acknowledging one of the most common requests from users, one of a new swath of feature improvements being rolled out by the site in the next few days a new drop-down menu will now allow users to request their friend remove the photo or even block that friend. Users will also be able to chose to approve or reject any photo they are tagged in before it goes live.

Two further changes will be seen as responses to Twitter and Google's surging social networking tool, Google

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Home Office and police reject proposals including banning suspected rioters from using social networking sites during civil unrest

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