RefreshingApps.com

Personally I’m not a fan of Facebook however there are millions that do. A few days ago Facebook announced the release of it’s Open Stream API to allow 3rd party application developers access to that all important stream of Facebook data.

So Facebook Desktop for AIR is a new desktop application built upon Adobe AIR that makes use of this new API. Upon loading the application and going through all of the access authorizations that it makes you do you get an app that looks like a very basic Twitter client.

bq.Facebook for Adobe AIR is an application that runs on your desktop. You log in with your Facebook account and can then read your News Feed and publish content to your Wall and friends’ News Feed

There is only basic functionality here and lot’s you still have to do via the browser. There appear to be a few bugs with this version too like non english characters and the consumption of lots of memory.

Design eye

The design is on brand with “Facebook” and typography is clear. As most of the functionality is not available many links that you click on fire up a new browser window. Also the close button when replying with a comment looks like a submit, tiny issue but strange none the less.

Strange that there is no installer badge and they have placed the AIR file into a ZIP file? Why make life complicated guys just add the badge. Incidentally they have set the app to be launchable from a badge in the XML file.

Technical eye

Can’t be 100% sure but the application appears to have been built using Adobe Flex with the Open Stream API from Facebook and of course Adobe AIR.

Summary

If your a hard Facebook user you could try this app and I’m sure many non tech savvy people will. However you are probably better off looking at alternatives like Tweetdeck or Seesmic to fulfill your desktop Facebook needs.