After years of querying and constant waiting and obvious bugging by iPad, and also iPad 2 fans, Facebook has now officially released their Facebook app, for use on the Apple iPad. This Facebook app comes as a universal solution and addon to the iPhone app, enabling it be used on all platforms, whether it be a iPad 2, or a iPhone 4, or iPhone 4S.
Everyone knew it was coming, just a matter of time, even then however, it still created a massive ripple affect, possibly because Facebook has over 700million active user accounts. Furthermore, the interface, features and accessibility options for users were already pretty accurately guessed. However, now that the addon makes access for the iPad 2, a whole lot more easier, and also using the social media, on the iPad 2, a whole lot more appealing.

The 3 main focus area which makes the free iPad 2 Facebook, more superior then to those which are already existing are:
Navigation
Aesthetics
Browsing

Navigation
The navigation is pretty simple, efficient and effective incorporating a simple swipe to change between levels and links whether they be withing Facebook, or to a foreign page. Although it can be said, that something like this had already been in use by the Twitter iPad app.
The swiping navigation system also allows the user to open the main menu on the left side of the app, which automatically is hidden until called by the user to avoid a more busy and cluttered space. This simplistic attitude really makes life for the common user alot easier, without having to spend hours searching for a specific button, which is hidden in the depths of Facebook. And if that is still not to your taste, the traditional “F” button is available, just incase you want to go back to basics, and have one focus point to view your news feed. In relation to the news feed, Facebook also allows the user to control the rate of which the newsfeed updates itself. User profiles are more organised on the iPad 2 app, then the normal website.

Aesthetics of Facebook on the Apple iPad 2 App

Naturally, Facebook has grown from its simple and basic roots to become a multi branched social networking site. And the chaos that follows such a massive growth is evidently seen, as now its a congested place, full of adverts, links compiled into a multi column layout, facilitating the users profile, friends, therefore, wherever the user looks, there is something to grab their attention, and the Ticker is a subsequent addon.

In contrast, the Facebook app for the Apple iPad is completely foreign from such a busy social place. using very simple, and elegant methods, and more importantly, if you want something 1 swipe, its there. Free from all consumer adverts or fiddly links. Furthermore, the orientation makes easier visual navigation though the iPad Facebook app, with the chat list appearing in landscape. The simple swipe or navigation of the Facebook parent menu enables access to everything, as it should be.

Browsing
The free iPad facebook app creates a whole new method, or much easier shall we say, of sharing photos and viewing them. More importantly, and again as we reiterate, simply, the free iPad Facebook app focusses in on the actual photo, and superior to all other elements, whether it be a comments for example. Therefore, you are not disturbed by any secondary aspect, and the swipe feature allows the steady and free translation from picture to picture.

The slightest, and most picky critic may criticise the thumbnails listing at the bottom of the screen as you view an album or collection of images. They are, very, and pretty small, making it harder for the user to determine what the images are of, from the thumbnails themselves, therefore forced to navigate to them.
It could possibly be improved by increasing them to half the size of the current image the user is on, would just make the experience more perfect and accessible.

The free iPad Facebook app has a few scuffs and marks here and there, but right now is rising to be the best interactive way of using Facebook itself, why? All due to its simplicity, which, sad to say the original Facebook website may have just lost.