Gear Diary Facebook for Android Updates Brings Return to Tablets! photo

One of the annoying things about tablets is lack of support for smartphone apps. For iPad users the ’1x/2x’ screen doubling for iPhone apps is the bane of their existence, and for Android tablet users they often find that their favorite apps simply aren’t available on the Android Market. Facebook is one of the worst offenders of this – though they ironically have one of their best versions for the now defunct webOS platform!

Today brings a fresh update for Facebok for Android solves one of those issues by restoring it to the tablet market for Android devices!

AndroidPolice notes the updates:

Users now have access to the same privacy controls for posts as in Facebook’s online interface and can tag friends and places as well. The update also brings improved messages and notifications, fixes for performance issues, and a couple of interface changes including redesigned profile and group walls, and a swipe interface for photo browsing. The developers have also added some other subtle enhancements such as pull-to-refresh capabilities iOS users are already so used to.
Last but not least, the updated Facebook app is back on the tablet Market from where it mysteriously disappeared a few versions ago. About time!

On my Acer Iconia Tab A100 (7″) I was able to install and get going easily enough, but found the update did little more for me than simply allow the app to run. It looks like a stretched out smartphone app, and the 7″ size seems even worse in terms of redraws in the wrong place, cropped text, and all sorts of graphical fugliness.

Anyone who has a 10″ Android tablet should definitely check things out and see how it works for them … and let us know in the comments!

Head to the Android Market and grab Facebook now!

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I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!
  • Stephen Ingraham

    on the Xoom with Honeycomb 3.2, trying to search for friends or opening the friends panel causes a force close, but otherwise it seems to be working. 

  • Anonymous

    Just loaded this onto my Galaxy Tab 10.1. Works fine and is better than anything else I have for Facebook on my tablet. Unfortunately, this is just a smart phone app that stretches out to fit my tablet dimensions. I would love for someone to design an app meant to work with the bigger tablets.

  • Steven Law

    FYI the TouchPad Facebook app was written by HP, not Facebook.



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