i'm jon crowley

Facebook Apps: Invisible Network Effects

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:24:28 -0400

Facebook is now a network effects company, the same way Google is an algorithm company.

And it’s going to pay off bigger than anyone seems to expect in mobile.

But before I go into that: I know what you’re thinking. The FB mobile app, on iOS and Android, is pretty bad. It’s slow, frustrating, and manages to be both cluttered and short on functionality.

But ignore the flagship FB mobile app. It’s a mess for a reason: it’s an attempt to put everything on Facebook into one place. It’s as bad on iOS as iTunes is on OSX.

Look instead at Messenger and Camera. These fit into a mobile design paradigm that, frankly, Facebook was never designed for. They are single purpose apps, and unlike many mobile apps, they are instantly useful.

This is the secret weapon Facebook has on mobile. Developing a network on anything sucks. Letting one app access your data from another app feels sketchy.

Facebook, on the other hand, has spent the better part of a decade letting you plug your every social connection into it. And, despite complaints, they have a fairly robust privacy management system.

You’re already using Facebook (probably), they just need to remind you why. And being able to instantly populate your phone’s mobile apps with a deep and vetted network you have already approved? That’s a decent why.

Camera seems great, despite being an instagram also-ran. Because it was instantly relevant, with one click. Because it showed me Facebook photos I wouldn’t have seen in the news feed, on desktop OR mobile.

Messenger is much the same. People I couldn’t easily reach on my phone before are now easy to text. One step. No setup.

Beyond this multi app approach, the biggest clue that these apps are a big part of FB’s way forward is the naming.

Facebook isn’t focusing on social networking apps. They’re aiming to replace core functions of your most intimate device, by being less work.

With the end result of making more and more interactions part of their social graph.

TL;DR: I think Facebook is smarter than they look, right now.

mind-cave: SCREAMING. all damn day.

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:03:40 -0400

mind-cave:

SCREAMING.

all damn day.

Take two. (Taken with instagram)

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:40:30 -0400

Take two. (Taken with instagram)

Flixel inception.

Sun, 20 May 2012 16:17:34 -0400

Flixel inception.

The girl barely approves this photo. (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 20 May 2012 14:02:45 -0400

The girl barely approves this photo. (Taken with instagram)

I love comic books.

Sun, 20 May 2012 09:28:54 -0400

I love comic books.

Guerilla charicaturing w/ @s_cubed at #rsneakpeek (Taken with...

Thu, 17 May 2012 19:28:14 -0400

Guerilla charicaturing w/ @s_cubed at #rsneakpeek (Taken with instagram)

Better than doing nothing, indeed.

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:20:04 -0400

Better than doing nothing, indeed.

ramonvillalobos: Kanye West as Batman. This is a quick sketch...

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:25:48 -0400

ramonvillalobos:

Kanye West as Batman. This is a quick sketch that spun out of some ridiculous comments people had about Big Barda being like Beyonce or something.

GPOY

insanelygaming: “Tiger!” Created by winterartwork Available...

Tue, 15 May 2012 08:33:52 -0400

insanelygaming:

“Tiger!”

Created by winterartwork

Available on RedBubble

Always this.

LGA taxi line. Ugh. (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 13 May 2012 20:57:56 -0400

LGA taxi line. Ugh. (Taken with instagram)

Disassembled

Sun, 13 May 2012 13:07:52 -0400

Disassembled

thevolcanoplays: I’ve had this GIF open in my browser for about...

Sun, 13 May 2012 11:43:12 -0400

thevolcanoplays:

I’ve had this GIF open in my browser for about a month and a half, unable to close it.

GPOY

jbowesmusic: That’s a pint glass full of bourbon. You’re...

Sat, 12 May 2012 21:51:07 -0400

jbowesmusic:

That’s a pint glass full of bourbon. You’re goddamn right I earned it this week.

An example of why Bowes and I are bros.

Photo

Sat, 12 May 2012 10:56:33 -0400

Getting up at 6am for work, and then thinking “why did I let myself sleep so late?!?” is...

Fri, 11 May 2012 08:22:03 -0400

Getting up at 6am for work, and then thinking “why did I let myself sleep so late?!?” is a sign of hell week.

"That’s right, Linda. Water is now booze, and everyone’s titty much protally fit-shaced."

Thu, 10 May 2012 21:26:26 -0400

“That’s right, Linda. Water is now booze, and everyone’s titty much protally fit-shaced.”

- Morbo. The best minor character ever.

Difficulties.

Thu, 10 May 2012 19:45:10 -0400

I want to share a photo of my iPhone’s new wooden back (by Monolith) but I don’t own a non iPhone camera…

Morning clouds. (Taken with instagram)

Thu, 10 May 2012 16:19:25 -0400

Morning clouds. (Taken with instagram)

"Same-sex couples should be able to get married.”—President Obama"

Thu, 10 May 2012 05:49:47 -0400

““Same-sex couples should be able to get married.”—President Obama”

- Obama for America:

This is what I’m waiting for. I’m waiting to see what kind of President Barack Obama can be, I want to see what kind of President he IS, when he doesn’t need to worry about re-election.

I’m hoping against hope that when he’s not worried about whether he’ll be able to continue steering the ship for long enough to exit a massive, crushing crisis, he’ll be willing to push a little harder on important (but not survival level urgent) stuff like this.

To be clear, marriage equality, equality in general, is ESSENTIAL. America won’t survive if it continues to let a vocal minority who seem to thrive on ignorance and hate, vilify people who want nothing more than the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

I’m hoping term two Obama is the leader that people of my generation, the world over, thought he could be.

That said, he plays the long game. And that’s why I’m remaining optimistic.