Facebook apps

I like what Facebook is doing. By allowing third-party applications to thrive, it's set to become the logical next step in tech evolution -- from a desktop operating system a la Windows to a social, user-oriented Net-based operating platform.  Communities can now work, share and communicate with greater efficiencies (and fun) like never before.  Things are starting to move fast, and it looks like with their clean user-interface and forward thinking, Facebook is the de facto winner in the land-grab.

What I like: the very self-evident but cool ways to connect what was once an individual process to a community.  I just added iLike, the music/concert and Trips, the travel planning, applications to my profile.  Now, I can let others see what kinds of music I like and the concerts that I'm going to and also the places that I will be traveling to. In essence, by sharing my activities with others, I create events and connections that may not have existed before.  More connections = relationships, value and efficiencies.

Another thing I've liked is the new slideshow interface on Flickr.  It definitely cops a few design elements from the Apple aesthetic, but overall, the larger image space works.  Now, they just need to work in a way where captions are displayed without having to click-through the photos...

Incidentally, you can now add the flickr app to your Facebook profile.. It's cool, but Facebook also has a photo application already, and it begs the question.. how will all these new tools synergize?  At some point, the flickr app will utilize the profile tag of the Facebook photo app or vice versa.. but it's an interesting dynamic nonetheless.