The first mobile Facebook users were only able to update their status using text messages. As smart phones got smarter, they were able to access Facebookâs mobile site, m.facebook.com, in their browsers. Then came the iPhone, the Android, and other advanced phone operating systems, which had app markets where users could download small programs made just for these phones.
Facebook of course jumped on that massive bandwagon, creating an app that has evolved to be nearly as fully featured as the web-based version of its site. And Facebook continues to offer more apps and features, such as the chat app that was made available in August 2011. Itâs even gone a bit retro by offering a Facebook app for âdumb phones,â also called âfeature phones,â that donât have all the bells and whistles of an iPhone or Android device.
No matter which device you have, Facebookâs likely got you covered. Letâs take a look at how to get the Facebook app.
How to Get Facebook Mobile
If you want to get to Facebook on a computer, itâs easy. Just go to facebook.com. If you want to find Facebook on any mobile device, use the dedicated mobile site, m.facebook.com. But the easiest way to navigate Facebook on your smartphone is to use the Facebook app.
First, youâll need to download the app. Visit your app market, which is usually accessible on your smartphone, and install the Facebook app with just a few taps of your finger. Itâs really that easy. Some phones make it even easier by having the Facebook app already installed on your phone. Two hundred and fifty million mobile users canât be ignored, after all.
Once youâve got the app, you need a Facebook account. You can do this through the app when you first set it up, or you can use your computer. In either case youâll choose a user name and password, and give Facebook an email for sending notifications and account information. Then you can set up a profile with your hobbies, hometown, relationships, a picture of you and your cat â whatever you like. If youâve already got a user name and password, the Facebook app will prompt you to enter the first time you tap that blue-and-white âFâ in your phoneâs app directory.
There are apps for just about every smartphone out there, including iPhone, Android, Palm, Blackberry and Windows phones. You can also find Facebook apps for tablet computers, which run on similar systems. As of July 2011, you can also get an app for Java-capable phones that arenât necessarily âsmart.â Check the Facebook blog to see if your phone is one of the 2,500 that can use this app.
Now that youâre in, letâs check out what you can do (answer: almost anything).
For more Detail:Â How the Facebook Mobile App Works
