The "Facebook Phone"

Facebook and Android are teaming up in April to come out with a Facebook phone. In the past, Android has teamed up with Google to use the network to boost the operating system. Now, Android will introduce a system that puts Facebook in the front and center of the phone. The version will debut on a handset made by HTC. The program doesn’t implement an actual Facebook hardware system, but adds heavy reliance on the app. Other phones in the Android system are actually powered by Google or Amazon.

As of now, HTC is the only company pushing for the Facebook Home device. Some say that this may limit the abilities of the phone because it needs more marketing pitch from stronger networks. Other downfalls are the clash between Facebook messenger and phone’s own internal messenger system. Facebook messenger could take away from the contracts phone companies get from people who sign up for mostly messaging alone.

A Facebook-heavy device could have some benefits for the user. Facebook’s messenger system works as good, if not better than most phone messenger systems. There are lots of apps that are used on phone devices that also connect to Facebook. A Facebook system, I think, could possibly help free up space on the device. I think Facebook would have to try and move this idea to more carriers than only HTC in order to have success with the system. I think the phone would be more advantageous to companies who offer better data plans and unlimited talk and text contracts. This way the companies would not be losing money on talk and text only contracts due to the Facebook system. Facebook obviously is an obsolete brand in a lot of different ways, such as social media, business opportunity, and personal use. Allowing people to be able to access more of the outlet through a heavily reliable Facebook-central device could have great gains for the user, Facebook, and the phone companies. 

So...is this a good idea for Facebook? A number of users are constantly frustrated with the changes Facebook is constantly making and many have begun using Twitter as their main media outlet. I feel like this is a huge move for the brand and can either be a huge success or a huge fail. Only time will tell.

The New Vine App

We've all seen it somewhere by now on one of our many news feeds: Vine. A social media platform exclusively for short videos. The videos can be edited and cut to include small bits of different scenes. They include sound, and are compatible to be posted on other social media platforms. Vine is especially easy to view on Twitter, where users can just view it like they would a photo.

I think vine is pretty cool. It makes you feel (digitally) closer to the person who posted it because you can actually see how they act and what they like to do, as opposed to just reading over a post and going about your day. It's giving your followers and friends a more personal look into what's going on in your life, not leaving people in question. Even Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia has started using Vine as a means of showing Twitter followers the highlights from speakers who visited the college.

Who owns vine? You guessed it: Twitter. Vine is Twitter's way of competing with Facebook and Instagram. The layout is very similar to that of Twitter and Instagram, interestingly enough. Compared to Instagram, Vine is following the same motive. By that I mean entirely devoted to one thing. Instagram: pictures; Vine: videos.

A shortcoming of Vine is that there is no way to censor these videos. At any moment, something can show up that contains violence or nudity. With kids using social media on their phones/tablets at such an early age, the people behind the scenes must figure out a way to prevent this content before they acquire too many complaints from outraged parents.

Vine has the potential to remain popular for a while. Hopefully this will work out in Twitter's favor, not just being a fad that got overrun by the creepy people from Chat Roulette.