Google News released its own official Facebook app today. Users can view the feeds of major topics by default and keyword searches for news in a full canvas page. News stories can be shared with friends easily, notes can be added, and there’s tabs to view stories shared by and with friends. There’s no profile page component, it’s all just canvas page display.
It’s not bad at all, though I still believe the real gold in Facebook is in the user’s home page and minifeed – where never an outside app is seen. Profile pages just aren’t where you interact with your apps and a dedicated canvas page seems likely to receive even less attention.
Despite my grouchiness, I was impressed with this app. See also FeedHeads, a newly-updated and fairly sophisticated Facebook app that works in conjunction with Google Reader and Newsgator.
