Google Facebook Application a Hoax?
Published by Rodney Rumford August 28th, 2007 in Facebook, Facebook Applications.So there have been several prominent bloggers posting about a purported “Official” Google application on facebook. First spotted here, then here on Mashable. I seriously doubt that this application even exists. That is a little insight into how some of these bloggers (Mashable specifically) really do not fully test or use apps before blogging about them. Shame on Mashable if they are wrong. They even used the screen shot from the first blog.
There is 1 supposed screen shot of this application (my gut tells me it is a mock-up of some creative person). But there are no news feed documentation screen shots. The application has never worked or loaded since 5:30 last night.
The link to the application about page does not work (suspicious). Google would likely never make these kind of simple errors.
These bloggers also talk about how you searches show up in your mini-feed. Unlikely as this is very spammy behavior for an application; not to mention the privacy issues.
The screen shot of the supposed application also shows redundant navigation (unlikely) with nav tabs and a drop-down menu. (unlikely)
“Search for your friends” Why? What would make more sense is to share with your friends and not actually searching for them. (suspect)
There are no stats of the Google Facebook Application anywhere that I can locate.
Wouldn’t Google blog about the application, or at least do a press release if it was an “Official” Google application?
Here is the supposed Google Facebook Application (I am using the screenshot/mock-up from here)
So whats your take: “Official” Facebook Application From Google or a Hoax? Worse case scenario I am totally wrong and it is an application from a 3rd party developer. 
Technorati Tags: facebook, google facebook application
6 Responses to “Google Facebook Application a Hoax?”
- 1 Trackback on Aug 30th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Complete hoax. Even if it weren’t a terrible idea, Google would’ve trumpeted it on their official blog.
I say it’s a hoax, because of the logo: “Google Facebook App”? Come on… But still, the idea of Google developping a Facebook app would kind of confirm Robert Scoble’s idea of a war between social graph-based and traditional search. And it would also confirm that Google and co. are aware of it.
>Worse case scenario I am totally wrong and it is an application from a 3rd party developer.
even if turns out to be a 3rd party I wouldn’t see it lasting long as Google would slap them so hard wirh a cease and desist … at least that would be my assumption
> “even if turns out to be a 3rd party I wouldn’t see it lasting long as Google would slap them so hard wirh a cease and desist”
you talk as if google is one big giant that cannot be overuled. Are you trying to tell me that in the next 5-10yrs, google will still be the #1 search engine? i don’t think so.
It was an application written by Google developers. I should know since I used it several weeks ago and the links to it on various blogs only showed up after I mentioned it in passing in one of my blog posts earlier this week. I didn’t realize it was going to cause such a whine fest.