Facebook now uses Nokia Here maps

Ahead of the sale of Nokia’s Here maps, which doesn’t have a solid buyer yet, Facebook looks to be making its own deal with Nokia for their maps application. Nokia’s Here is being used on Facebook on mobile, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram on Android. Facebook also seems to be using the maps application’s geocoding behind the scenes so users can tag locations in posts.

The move from using Microsoft’s Bing to Nokia Here maps is said to “give us more control and flexibility in delivering a consistent maps experience.”

Source: The Verge

Video calling comes to Facebook Messenger

Facebook just announced that video calling is now available in Messenger making it possible for users to have face-to-face conversations with theirr friends and family via Messenger. 

Accounting for more than 10% of all mobile VoIP calls globally, Messenger already offers people the ability to make voice calls to friends and loved ones around the world. Video calling will expand Messenger’s real-time communication features, enabling the 600 million+ people who use Messenger every month to reach friends from anywhere in the world – quickly, reliably, and with high quality. 

Video calling in Messenger is available for calls made from a mobile phone to another mobile phone (iOS and Android).

Know who's calling your Android phone with Facebook Hello

The previously rumoured Facebook app that can block callers is now official. The social network debuted Hello, an Android caller ID app. The app shows you the Facebook information your caller is willing to share with his or her friends on the site. The app also shows you how many times the caller has been blocked and automatically block those who are repeat offenders. At the moment though, the app seems to just be available in Brazil, the US, and Nigeria. No word yet when it'll be spreading to other countries but we're pretty sure that'll happen soon. 

Source: Engadget 

Facebook's F8 Developer Conference kicks off today

Mark Zuckerberg kicked off this year's Facebook F8 Developer conference which is available now as a live stream at f8.facebooklive.com. Focusing on the evolution of Facebook from a single application/service to a family of apps (they now own Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus Rift and have Messenger), the social network needs to navigate the evolving waters of how people prefer to use the service. 

"Going back five years, Facebook was about text and status updates. Now it is all about photos and fast-forward to the future, it will be video and maybe VR (virtual reality) and AR (Augmented Reality)," Zuckerberg stated during his keynote. Video, new user features as well as how Facebook can evolve and monetize its various properties for its developers will be some of the key points of this year's developer's conference. 

Other announcements include expanded features in Messenger Platform to connect directly with businesses instead of calling them up by phone.