New to WP8- need app Facebook advice

[puqq]

I have recently switched from iPhone to HTC 8x. In general, I like the WP and quite a few features on it. However, I find the Facebook messaging implementation completely useless in the official app (sluggish, keyboard is hidden after "send", message does not appear for a while, etc).

What's the best solution? I want:

1) simple interface,
2) ability to view the past history of communication, and
3) lock screen notifications

(i.e. something similar to iOS messenger app)

 

[Alex Dean]

Facebook messaging is built into the Messaging hub in WP.

 

[crash1989]

Try to use facebook messaging from the Messaging Hub.

The interface is pretty simple
Past chats are saved (although I am not sure how many)
You can set lockscreen notifications for messaging hub

 

[puqq]

Try to use facebook messaging from the Messaging Hub.

The interface is pretty simple
Past chats are saved (although I am not sure how many)
You can set lockscreen notifications for messaging hub

Thanks.

When I click on contact, I cannot see any past history of communication, only the messages that were sent from the hub. Will it take for the hub some time to download old messages, or is it a permanent feature?

 

[crash1989]

only stuff captured via Messaging hub, the past history doesn't get downloaded.

 

[puqq]

only stuff captured via Messaging hub, the past history doesn't get downloaded.

That makes the app quite useless. I also noticed that not all messages are actually captured for one reason or another.

Is there a *working* alternative?

 

[ttsoldier]

That makes the app quite useless. I also noticed that not all messages are actually captured for one reason or another.

Is there a *working* alternative?

No. It's a hit and miss. Just need to wait till it is resolved.
You can use the mobile site in the browswer.

 

[puqq]

No. It's a hit and miss. Just need to wait till it is resolved.
You can use the mobile site in the browswer.

I am surprised MS failed to successfully implement such a crucial feature in 2 years. Shame. Really.

 

[ttsoldier]

I am surprised MS failed to successfully implement such a crucial feature in 2 years. Shame. Really.

Should we gather the pitchforks?

Make you should have done your research BEFORE you bought the phone?

 

[MikeSo]

Yes, it's annoying that the messaging hub only keeps the messages you sent and received through it. Sometimes I switch between the mobile site and the hub messaging, and it becomes quite confusing to only see partial conversations in the hub. Windows 8 messaging has the same issue, I believe. I just use the hub messaging as a way to see when people contact me (you get it on the lock screen and in the toast notifications), and use the pinned browser bookmark for FB browsing and communication - once you pin the FB website it works just like an app anyway.

I can't recommend the FB mobile site highly enough though. It works really great in the WP8 browser, and is much preferably over the app(s), except for uploading pictures, which you can do through the phone's native UI or through the app.

 

[MikeSo]

Should we gather the pitchforks?

Make you should have done your research BEFORE you bought the phone?

What a great ambassador you are. Plus if people did research before, would they ever choose WP?

 

[puqq]

Should we gather the pitchforks?

Make you should have done your research BEFORE you bought the phone?

Well, I assumed all smartphones copes with the standard functions properly- you wouldn't check whether a WP device can make calls or send texts, would you? BB, Android and iOS copes with FB messaging for what seems since the beginning of time.

Nevertheless, I got the device 2nd hand to try and can resell it without any loss at all- not a biggie. It's just a shame that such a nice system overlooks such a simple (if not trivial) feature, and hence very badly damages usability to a massive consumer segment. Way to go, MS.

 

[puqq]

I can't recommend the FB mobile site highly enough though. It works really great in the WP8 browser, and is much preferably over the app(s), except for uploading pictures, which you can do through the phone's native UI or through the app.

Thanks, will try.

 

[ttsoldier]

What a great ambassador you are. Plus if people did research before, would they ever choose WP?

Thank you.

I guess when you go to purcahse something, lets say a car, you just walk into the dealership and say "oh. that car looks nice. I'll have it"... and you purcahse it.

If the OP visited wpcentral to find out ANYTHING about the phone or just to read reviews, he would have seen the NUMEROUS threads about facebook and it's notifications. Well. Lack thereof.

A good day to you, gentlemen.
*tips hat*

 

[anony_mouse]

I think this is the fatal weakness with the unified messaging/people centric approach. You end up with such a compromised version of each service that you're better off sticking to the silos and using the official apps.
Having said that, the Facebook app famously sucks on all platforms.

 

[raacut]

@above nop ,

my roommates facebook app works flawlessly.... of course he has an iPhone. Actually facebook apps work fine on all other platforms.
Also the messaging hub facebook doesnt support group Facebook messaging. (or maybe i just haven't figured out how to use it...) its half-assed , just like most of the platform.....

 

[raacut]

What a great ambassador you are. Plus if people did research before, would they ever choose WP?

lol , so true.