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Facebook Home's rough start puts Zuckerberg in a tough spot

Facebook Home is ready to entertain guests on Android, but the housewarming party hasn't been as warm as the social network would have hoped. On Wednesday, architect Mark Zuckerberg will likely be asked to address the mess during Facebook's conference call for its first-quarter earnings.

On April 12, Facebook introduced Home, a software suite for select Android devices that puts the company's social-networking features on a person's home and lock screens. Less than a tenth of a percent of the company's roughly 1 billion members have given Facebook's Home a chance. Those who've … Read more

Homebase - Facebook Home Theme 1.6 Review

If you're bummed out that your phone can't use Facebook Home, this app promises to help. Homebase - Facebook Home Theme claims to give you the lock screen and features you'll see on Facebook Home. Sadly, what it actually delivers is a buggy lock screen that doesn't even lock your phone -- or mimic Facebook Home.

Though this app claims to be a Facebook Home Theme lock screen, it doesn't seem to be. In fact, it doesn't seem to be a lock screen at all. Instead of locking your phone, Homebase shows up after … Read more

Facebook Home, BitTorrent Sync, and Twitter Music: The Week in Downloads

Every week, we compile the best new reviews, products, and features from the Download.com software catalog and blog, package them up in a tidy little newsletter, and e-mail it out to all of our lovely subscribers.

If you are a registered CNET member, you can sign up for the newsletter yourself (it's listed as "CNET Download.com Software Dispatch" under "Software News and Reviews"), or check back every Tuesday to read our latest roundup.

Top 4 free Android launchers

Is your Android phone looking a little stale? Fortunately, there are dozens of great customization tools and launchers available for Android to give your handset a fresh new coat of paint. Download these top free launchers and give your Android device an almost unrecognizable makeover with minimal work involved.

GO Launcher EX

GO Launcher has been around since the Froyo days and has its fair share of features that still keep it an old favorite among Android users. It's a robust launcher that transforms your Android experience, allowing you to customize your icons, grid, and dock dimensions; transition animations; … Read more

Six social network 'phones' we'll never see

At last, the Facebook phone has been unveiled, except it's not really a phone, it's more of a suite of apps with a launcher.

Social networks have been able to infiltrate most aspects of our lives so far without having to entangle themselves in the messy business of designing or making a hardware product, so why start now?… Read more

Larry Page ducks question on impact of Facebook Home

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt gave Facebook glowing marks for endorsing the Android platform with its just-released Home suite of social-networking software. Chief Executive Larry Page doesn't appear quite as enthused.

When asked Thursday about the possible impact of Facebook Home on engagement with Android applications, Page ducked the question.

"I think that Google...we're really focused on building and creating great Android experiences within the strong ecosystem that we have," Page said during Google's first-quarter earnings call. "And it's really great to see developers really focused on building for Android."

Though one … Read more

Facebook gives U.S. users free calls in Messenger for Android

Facebook is bringing its voice-over-IP calling feature to even more of its users on the Android platform.

On Thursday, the company added the free calling functionality for U.S. users of Facebook Messenger for Android -- and Facebook Home, which runs Messenger, by association. The rollout will take place throughout the day and does not require an application update, a company spokesperson told CNET.

The addition introduces a "Free Call" button accessible from a Facebook buddy's contact page. Those with Facebook Home also can initiate calls from Chat Heads, although it requires several clicks to do so: … Read more

Facebook Home Review

Facebook Home is a full-on launcher replacement for Android phones that places Facebook's many services at the core of your Android smartphone experience. So if you don't like Facebook, then move on.

Launchers are full-on custom replacements that do more than just give your phone a new coat of paint. Facebook Home not only splashes your home screen with full-screen photos and status updates, but also blurs the line between SMS and Facebook chat. Though your main Android operating system still powers your device under the hood, your phone will hardly be recognizable when compared with the stock … Read more

Facebook Home takes up residence outside U.S.

Just days after its U.S. debut, Facebook Home, the social network's suite of applications for select Android devices, is ready for download in other countries.

Facebook made the push to international territories Tuesday as part of a colonization plan to get its freshest social-networking features in front of many people as possible -- and to up engagement levels, of course. A company spokesperson said that Facebook Home is now available globally.

Facebook Home arrived last Friday to give Android users with select HTC or Samsung devices Cover Feed, a home screen chock full of swipe-able and panning updates … Read more

Facebook Chat Heads arriving today on iOS

Facebook Chat Heads, a messaging innovation the social network pioneered for its Facebook Home family of applications on Android, will be appearing inside the company's iOS application as soon as today, company executives said. But there is one little catch.

Facebook CTO Mike Schroepfer and Vice President of Mobile Engineering Cory Ondrejka told attendees at an All Things D mobile event today that the social network is about to push an update to its iOS application that would add its quirky messaging experience to Apple devices.

Chat Heads reimagines mobile messaging by coupling Facebook Messenger and SMS updates into … Read more