After some considerable time Microsoft have finally released the Facebook app for Zune HD devices to go along side the Twitter app. When looking at the app it does actually seem plausible that Microsoft delayed the release of the Facebook app for so long so it was released after its Windows Phone 7 Series announcement.
I don’t own a Zune HD, and am unlikely too seeing how 7 Series will feature the Zune, so I can’t test this out myself but as far as I can tell from what people are saying is that the app has all the features one would expect to find on a Facebook app; with one notable addition, being able to set the music you are listening too to your status with one easy click of the Zune button.
The interface is very like the 7 Series Metro UI which makes me think that the release was delayed. The buttons at the bottom of the screen give quick access to most frequently used functions but if that bar is pulled up then more options become available not part of the UI on the Zune HD. It will be good to see how functional and usable this UI is, it looks great on both this app and 7 Series but, as appears to have been the case all along, the Zune HD and infrastructure can be used as a testing ground for the interface, with changes being made to 7 Series before it even launches.
The app is set up into 4 tabs, Home, Profile, Friends and Inbox (one less than the Facebook app on Windows Phones because that also has a phonebook tab).
However things aren’t as great as they could be, I am seeing lots of people having issues downloading and installing the app, I guess because there are so many people trying to download it. Then for those who have it running on their device many are finding that various tabs and screens wont populate with content but just show a blank screen. I guess Microsoft will need address things like this before 7 Series launches where I expect app distribution will be handled in a similar, but much larger, way.
Recently @Zune announced through Twitter that they are aware of issues.
The Facebook app for Zune HD is experiencing some issues accessing data. We are investigating & will provide an update as soon as possible
Its a shame that everything didn’t go smoothly but I expect Microsoft to have resolved soon, or the number of people accessing the service will reduce.
If you want to download the Facebook app then click here, or you can always download it through the marketplace on the Zune PC software or the Zune HD.
