New Facebook features

Yesterday saw Facebook take its first reaction to Google+, the latest network to attempt to offer the ultimate social experience. We wrote about Google+, Google’s latest foray to try and halt the behemoth that is Facebook.

Facebook has now reacted to the limited launch of Google+ by playing catch-up to some of the new features added to Google’s social network. Facebook has made three changes to its network by revamping the chat feature, adding group chat capabilities as well as introducing video chat.

The entire revamp seems to be aimed at the communication advances that Google+ now has on offer with Hangouts and Huddle, and it seems that Facebook has left its position of comfort as the leading social network as now it is playing catch-up.

Revamped Chat

The chat feature on Facebook has long been a pain and an absolute hassle to use. Often it would simply not work, while at other times, it would freeze or not transfer your message, that is, if it didn’t drop you from chat all together! The new chat is much sleeker and fits into the more modern updates that Facebook has applied.

The new chat bar receives a facelift with the aim to help users looking for group chats. The new chat design will now incorporate a sidebar to show users who they message with the most and try and help them identify who they could possibly group chat with.

Group Chat

Group chat is nothing revolutionary, but something that I feel is missing from Google+ which Facebook has now pounced upon. The group chat feature is simply the same as the normal chat feature, but simply incorporates more users. The only way to previously message multiple people was to send them an inbox message or to create a group – what a nightmare. Now, any user in the chat can simply add more people to the conversation, something that I am not so sure will be a success.

Video Chat

The most revolutionary feature to be added along Facebook’s communication line is that of video chatting. This was targeted at the fact that Google+ users can have group video chats, but Facebook feels that most of the time, video chats are rather between two individuals rather than a hoard of people. You will now find the call button alongside the message button in the top right of that person’s profile, as well as in the chat box that you are all so familiar with already.

Getting Started

Straight away you won’t be able to make calls to your friends. You need to visit Facebooks Video Calling page to enable video chatting. The great thing is, once you have installed the service, and tried to call a friend, that friend will be prompted to install the service so that you guys can chat away using your web cams, and all while in the comfort of Facebook.