As a few titans of tech blogging recently began to go back and forth over whether platform-enhanced Facebook is really worth the hassle, we lowly interns over here at TechCrunch decided to list our favorite Facebook applications to see whether third-party additions have really improved our social networking lives.
As early twenty-somethings who experienced Facebook when it was exclusively for college students and it differentiated itself from MySpace, with its simplicity and compelling lack of extraneous features, we figure we are better (at least in some respects) than these latecomers at judging the current viability of Facebook as a place where we will increasingly want to spend our time.
The following list of applications is meant, of course, to share with you some of the Facebook platform’s standouts. However, at the same time it reflects how much value the open platform has so far given to Facebook. Frankly, we struggled to find ten applications that we felt belonged on a Top 10 list and not because there were so many good applications from which to choose. On the contrary, the vast majority of Facebook’s 2,300+ applications strike us as frivolous and unworthy of the time and effort it takes to even install them. Our experience with this roundup suggests that Facebook as a development platform has a long way to go before fulfilling the grand visions some have had for it.
It is unclear whether the disappointing state of third-party applications on Facebook is the fault of the platform or its developers. The relative newness of the platform could simply be the reason for its lack of exciting applications. Regardless, developers may want to take note of these picks (and the most popular apps listed on Facebook) and see if they can’t best them. Hopefully, in a year or so we will be able to pick ten other Facebook applications that actually make a substantial difference in our lives.
#1: iLike
iLike lets you add music to your profile and find your favorite concerts (not to mention see who else is going!). Bonus: Use it to get free mp3’s that match your tastes and try to beat your friends at the Music Challenge.”
#2: Graffiti
“Graffiti lets you draw on your friends’ profiles.”
#3: Where I’ve Been
“A detailed, interactive world map, show everyone where you’ve been, lived and where you want to go. It includes a zoom tool and all the US States and there is no need to create an account on any third party site. Have Fun!”
#4: Zoho Online Office
“Zoho Online Application”
#5: Fantasy Stock Exchange
“Be your own hedge fund manager with $50 million starting portfolios! FSX is about one thing - making investing fun! Investing will never be boring again, start trading now!”
#6: Flickr Photos by Dustin Mierau
“Flickr Photos brings the wonderful world of Flickr to Facebook. Share your Flickr photos with friends, browse their Flickr photo collections and more!”
#7: Honesty Box
“Honesty Box lets users send each other anonymous messages, removing any inhibitions and letting people be completely honest with you.”
#8: Box.net Files
“Upload music, documents, photos, and files to your Facebook profile. Free and easy to use! ”
#9: Superpoke!
“Why just poke when you can pinch, hug, tickle, pwn or even throw sheep?”
#10: The Friend Match
“Rate how well your friends would do as couples while letting them hook you up with their friends!”
Bonus: TechCrunch
Shameless, we know.
“This application places the latest TechCrunch headlines directly on your profile. TechCrunch profiles the companies, products and events that are defining and transforming the new web.”
Update: Robert Scoble’s list is here. Orli Yakuel’s is here.
See all
Post
It’s war. The 40 somethings vs. the 20 somethings.
Come over to my Kyte.tv channel. I’ll have a message for you guys shortly.
http://www.kyte.tv/scobleizer
New Social Network Site For College Students: http://www.inkampus.com
just try Party Line.. and you forget all…
http://apps.facebook.com/partylines/login
that box.net widget reminds me of file sharing in the dorms. People only use it to share their music collections with their friends.
I doubt of the #1 commentator’s identity…
This is a direct Link to Robert’s Video Response:
http://www.kyte.tv/channels/vi.....6118/39262
And I just blogged it too: http://scobleizer.com/2007/08/.....spectives/
A little “20 somethings” vs. “40 somethings” perspective difference.
Mark - good job on the self-promotion. That’s key round these parts. Gotta help that necklace get bigger, eh?
So how many interns are there on the blog?
Just who are the TC interns? I’m sure we’re all curious.
As App owners yourselves you probably already know how hard it is now to promote your app. With tons of new apps coming out every day I find it really hard to get new signups daily. I just added the canvas exchange app, which is a decent way to swap free advertising between apps, but other than that I’m relying on it spreading virally.
http://apps.facebook.com/freestufftimes
The selection of Apps is interesting. Certainly Apps #3, 4,5, 8 all have higher interest from my personal perspective, since these are useful and productive type apps. The others are more time wasters. Scobles blog post had a few other interesting ones toward productivity.
One thing missing from both sets of review is WHY? these apps. What makes them better then others, how do you find yourself using them, etc. What can App developers for FB or other platforms do to improve.
FB is still a early stage platform and has much potential for both app builders and app consumers, but FB still has much to do to allow for more useful apps. Granted - there are many apps flooding FB that seem completly useless and may either never be tried or tried and dumped. What is exciting to watch is how fast ideas can be created, plugged in, technically tested, market tested, etc. all in Internet time. To me FB is offering a glimpse a the future of app software creation - rapid, targeted, and marketed differently. The question remains how people will make $$ from these apps. FB and the apps still have a long way to go, but the groundwork is there and the 20 somethings are the future target market.
Dear TC interns - surely since ya’ll are engaged in research and news-oriented activities, you might wanna check out the FB app we unveiled just yesterday: Newshound.
It’s got a bookmarklet that allows you to save any website/news article (and comment on it, as snarky as you wanna be) for instantaneous display on your FB profile. You can also display your friends’ top picks if you want, and subscribe via RSS. Here’s the link to check it out: http://apps.facebook.com/wmnewshound/
Shamelessly Yours…
Mark Zuckerberg’s interview is brilliant. I agree about his comments on mcjobs in the old economy. What is the point of execs having 15 years of experience if all they get is a few grand at the end of each month. It is far better to sit at home, play with software, eat pizza, become fat and sponge in a social networking environment. While i do not stay in California I am sure that surviving in the real world is passe for the Internet children in California. It is only unfortunate that Mark wasted his time at Harvard being taught by professors who are 150 years old. He is also a great opportunist as his stealing of ConnectU’s codes shows. Copyright basically means the right to copy. So the ConnectU dweebs have no case. I have mailed him and am waiting for his response.
I think the tremendous variety of Facebook apps appearing every day is really cool. Each one has something to bring to different segments of the population.
We (Dapper) have been working on a variety of Facebook projects in order to make it possible for non-programmers to create their own Facebook apps. The first step in this process is the Dapper application ( http://apps.facebook.com/dapperapp ) which lets you bring in any content, from any website, into Facebook. Just create a Dapp at Dapper’s site ( http://www.dapper.net ) and then you can easily bring it into Facebook!
Keep your eyes peeled - we’ll be doing even cooler stuff soon.
Jon
Who knew TC had interns? Ia Julia Allison one of them?
btw that mark z comment is fake (duh) whoever that is posts that shit everywhere. get over it dude
TC is hoping FB will buy them out. Why do you think they promoste FB so heaviily? got a clue now? Arrington wants to retire.
What’s wrong with wanting to retire? And my interview is not fake.
What is wrong with wanting to retire? And my interview is not fake. TC’s coverage of Facebook has been first class.
I am suprised that the interns picked the Flickr Photos application over zuPort: Flickr and MyFlickr. I have used all of them and Flickr Photos does not have as many features or as good as integration as the other two. All of the Flickr apps are good though… check out zuPort Flickr at http://apps.facebook.com/apps/.....b50252548b and MyFlickr at http://www.facebook.com/apps/a.....2352557895
Great list - we launched http://www.apprate.com to put the voting power in the hands of the community, but my interns are definitely the app-hungry folks!
Just being honest, the TechCrunch Facebook app sucks.
I have to refresh it manually to get new content, and even then it doesn’t work. I have tried to refresh it many times, and I still, right now, have old headlines.
OK, - I just refreshed it right now while writing this post. These are the headlines:
# WikiYou Beats Spock to Launch
# AOL Gets Its Ad Network, Too
# UGO Acquired By Hearst, Should Be Announced Today
# Snimmer - Test It If You Dare
Sorry guys, keep trying on the app. I would like something I dont have to manually refresh, and that is actually current on the posts. If you can accomplish this, then you should make it so that I can actually read the real posts right inside of facebook. Then you would have a true Facebook app.
This PlayMyGame app lets you create your own games from your pics right in facebook and then post that game to your profile, pretty sweet:
http://apps.facebook.com/apps/.....0566&b
Since when are racial slurs allowed on TC? If the fake Mark Zuckerberg had equally offended several other races, I would have been cool with it. It would have been consistent, but it is not.
He made one racial slur towards Asians and that comment should be removed. Would it be okay if I made a comment degrading African-Americans only? Or even Caucasians?
http://apps.facebook.com/webtechnewsapp
shameless plug. Original signal clone for fB
includes techcrunch, readwriteweb, centernetworks etc
What racial slur towards Asians are you talking about Kevin? And why do people go on and on like robots about me being fake?
Yes, I’m sure real people go around quoting themselves in comments.
The slur I’m referring to is ‘chink’. It is not acceptable.
How could U leave out BOOZE MAIL???
Haven’t U been to one of Mike Arrington’s Famous Web2.0 Parties??
;PPP
I sure Hope i get to shoot the HOT Digital Photos for TechCrunch20* I think it’s time some o the A-List Bloggers gave a little back to the little people in Web2.0*
Chink is not a slur Kevin. That is like saying that Alabama Porch monkey is a slur for African Americans. That is like saying that spic is a slur to describe Hispanics. It is not. It is just a short form like Bob is for Robert. Get it? Now move on in life.
Because anyone can now join Facebook, it is vital to have applications designed for all ages. These top ten do a good job of finding the ones that cross between the ages, yet are useful and being used. As the third favorite on the list, “Where I’ve Been” let’s college students and adults alike show where they have traveled and where they want to go, sharing their travel adventures. Craig Ulliott’s goal in designing this application was so that others, like him, could share where they had visited. But being the mastermind behind an application that has surpassed 2,000,000 users, he created it to also showcase where a person has lived and where they would like to go. This application is popular for adults and teens alike, so that everyone can show where they have been. Craig Ulliott is also working as a programmer for Shannon Smith, owner of Blueye Corporation, a web and graphic design company located in Chicago. He has not only maintained his fan-base of “Where I’ve Been” users, but has also continued to work as one of Blueye’s programmers. Keeping all of his clients happy is what Craig is continuously striving for, and as TC interns express, he is doing a fabulous job.
With the growth of the fake people blogs & comments on the web, maybe I should be jumping on the gravy train and starting a site called fakebook?
Yes, fakeworking is the new social networking, and also an apt description of people at work who are actually wasting time on the net all day.
Craig is piggybacking on Facebook like Canada is on the US. Also the comment on Fakebook is funny. There is nothing wrong with wasting time on the net. That is how Mark started Facebook. It will be the next Google mark my words.
@Steve Elbows - I addressed this in Scoble’s post that is linked at the top of this article. In short, I like Facebook because I was one of the early adopters and have adapted my “social network” from college student to young professional.
As far as applications go, I want to develop financial tools for Facebook but need to find someone to code them up for me.
At least this is a list of the most important tools and not an amount of useless applications that makes you feel dizzy.
This whole blog is turning into tabloid journalism. Arrington is losing his edge. I’m not thinking his CEO will stick long if this is what TC is turning to.
and another shameless plug - but this app is actually damn useful…
http://www.facebook.com/apps/a.....e5007352ce
i think flickr photosets is the most powerful of all the flickr apps.. it displays the most recent photos in your profile, and lets anyone view your pictures through facebook (link under your profile pic)
also, it doesnt make the user install the stupid app to view your pictures. it looks like the zowhatever makes people install it first (but i cant tell). at least for me most of my friends dont use flickr
http://www.facebook.com/apps/a.....07bee62441
@31: Actually, they’re all slurs. Grow up.
bdb wrote: It was having first-life-jay (the specific phrasing and spelling) that prevented *me* from posting. Weird that Duncan claimed on Jay’s blog that he wasn’t banned. Lies…
Anyway, you know who you are: Help!
Shame you for banning Jay, TechCrunch. He made these comments a lot more fun to read!
Anyways, I had no idea TC had iterns… What the heck do they do, exactly?
And those Zoho apps are total dogshit; Google won’t be targeting them for a talent acquisition anytime soon.
@1 comments is totally stupid, embrassing, unprofessional. This is Stupidest Harvard IQ I ever seen.
Does Harvard University teach you how to write that manifesto stuff?
I like Mark Zuckerberg’s posts here on TC. They, plus the rest of you folks being trolled, are hilarious.
Yes James they sure do. That was the one good thing I learn there. The other thing I learnt is that it is good to take the short cut in life James. That is why I did what I did to ConnectU. They are now holding the wooden spoon while Fcebook is worth eight billion.
There was two intern guys I saw at the TechCrunch party: some asian kid who looks like he was 16 and another white kid. I think they both went to Berkeley, as did Nick Gonazalez, so Mr. Arrington is really favoring the Cal kids over the Farm kids.
Ah, seems like the fake Mark comes out on every FB post…
My fav app is the The Office quotes, slow times at work I can just sit there and get a new one and laugh. Too bad it isn’t random on page load and I have to manually select a new one.
I might sit down tonight and try to create an app, it can’t be that hard to create a random quote app, can it?
I think there are some good apps that get lost in the shuffle… that’s why I’ve added one called New Apps that lets me quickly see which have been recently added.
One of my absolute favorites is called Coffee (http://apps.facebook.com/coffeelink). It’s just a one-man project, but the guy working on it is doing a good job and it serves the purposes of helping get together with people offline instead of just on FB.
Another favorite is Bookshare… best of the book apps I’ve seen thus far. Good interface for rating and recommending, lets you put in your Amazon Associates ID.
My other favorite is already on the list - the Honesty Box. Other than those, there’s not too many apps I really use that much, though I like ones such as SuperPoke and Text Me.
Enough with the damn facebook apps, I’m going to puke! Plus this only validates an earlier point, which stated that the majority of successful apps today were exclusive launch partners which were given the freedom to exploit the invite system and spam the shit out of everyone.
10.10.84
Everybody’s doing it, so here’s a plug for my apps:
http://apps.facebook.com/imreading/
“I’m Reading” allows you to keep track of what books you are reading. You can also explore books your friends are reading, read and write reviews, and rank books.
Also, if you are looking for Facebook developers, I made a repository of people looking for work. You can also add jobs if you are hiring:
http://apps.facebook.com/developerdirectory/
C’mon, Mark! How could you rate the Top 10 FB Apps for young people / college students and leave out the College Football app?
http://apps.facebook.com/cfootball/
I mean, I know you went to Bowdoin and didn’t get a real college football experience, but for those of us who went to actual D-1 schools, that’s what college was all about (well, except Duke…).
@Alaska Miller - Thanks but I’m not 16
and yes, Go Bears. There are Farm interns too.
I’m really disappointed that dogbook didn’t make the list. I think that app was much more useful than superpoke…
What the heck… how many interns does TC have? Does Mike keep all you guys in a basement underneath his house? Do you all power the TC servers by running in a wheel?
Hahahaahaha.
It looks like the ConnectU guys are trying to defame Mark Zuckerberg by posting racially epithets under his name.
I should warn you guys that you’re committing libel and/or slander. Given that TC, its host, and WP (the blog platform) all record IP addresses for comments, you may want to reconsider your attempts.
BTW, ConnectU sucks. There’s a reason nobody uses it.