Questions about Facebook App on EVO

[o_swas]

Hello,

I'm a new EVO owner (yay!) and have some questions regarding the Facebook Android app. Sorry if they're newbie-ish questions, but I've heard all sorts of bad things about the Facebook for Android app.

The EVO came shipped with Facebook for Android v1.2. I upgraded to the most recent, which apparently is version 1.3.2. I find it strange that I was never notified that there was an update available.

Anyways, here we go with the questions:

1. I've heard that the Facebook app syncs Facebook friends with the rest of the phone's Contacts. Can that be disabled? I do NOT want to see my friends with the rest of the phone contacts.

2. I've heard that the Facebook app transmits your location. Can this be disabled, and if so, how? I do NOT want my current location shared.

3. Can notifications be disabled? I do not want the app to live in the background and beep every time a friend posts an update.

4. A while ago I heard that the Facebook app had memory issues and was causing severe battery drains. Has this been fixed?

If you can't already tell, I basically just want to use the app to browse updates when I open the app and not be integrated with the rest of the phone. Yes, I know I could use the web version, but I think the app is more full featured and I'd like to use those features (photo upload, etc) without the app taking over the rest of the phone.

I've heard enough bad things about the Facebook app that I'm actually scared to sign into it (even once!) to try it out as I don't want it to ruin my EVO.

Thank you!!!

-Ryan

 

[stimulatedboredom]

You might want to just use the Tweetdeck app for seeing updates, commenting, liking etc and just don't log into your FB app on your phone.

The Tweetdeck app is awesome, I use it almost exclusively and highly recommend it...plus you have better control over updates, notifications and settings.

 

[Marty1781]

1. Yes, it can be disabled. Menu, Settings, Accounts and Sync, select Facebook for HTC Sense (this is different from the actual FB app) and uncheck "sync contacts". Alternatively, you can elect to sync the Facebook for HTC Sense contacts but then just not display them in your contacts list by going into the "view" option in the contacts app and unchecking FB contacts.

2. Not sure about the FB app specifically but you can go to facebook.com on your computer and go into the Privacy Settings and set FB not to let people check you into places. I haven't noticed the FB app alerting people to my location.

3. Simply go into the FB app, Menu, Settings, and disable the notifications.

4. Yes, it has been resolved.

 

[capnhowdy18]

1) This appears no longer to be an option. There is no option to sync friends with contacts. I can see my friends if I have that option on with facebook for htc sense, but not the app.

2) Places is the facebook location service. You can disable this in your actual facebook settings. Also you can not use places right now in the android app, only the touch website.

3) Yes notifications can be disabled. You can even disable specific notifications. Actually I believe as it stands, notifications don't work anyway.

4) Memory and battery drain issues have been fixed.

 

[pistos]

1) If I am not mistaken, this syncing feature is a part of "Facebook for HTS Sense" which is a different application from the official Facebook app. You determine how and if your contacts are synced via the Accounts & sync under general preferences for the OS. And, you can indeed enable or disable the syncing feature with your contacts.