Facebook announces unified messaging

Facebook announced on Monday that they will be rolling out a new messaging service which will allow you to consolidate all of your facebook instant messaging, SMS text messaging, and (new and optional) facebook emails into one central place on the website.  The service is currently available on an invite-only basis, and you can request an invitation by going to this WEBSITE.

Facebook aims to make email and communication more efficient since they claim that the current email structure is too slow and ‘formal’.  I’m rather skeptical as to how much of a difference this approach will make, but will welcome the experience since Facebook has become a large part of how my friends and family share our activites with each other since we live relatively far apart.  I’m not expecting this to replace my primary gmail account in the least bit, but I’m open to the possibility of adding this to my ever-growing list of email accounts.

Some of the features include:

Get Facebook messages, chats and texts all in the same place.

• Include email by activating your optional Facebook email address
• Control who can send you messages through your privacy settings

See everything you’ve ever discussed with each friend as a single conversation.

• No need for subject lines or other formalities
• Easily leave large conversations that no longer interest you

Focus on messages from your friends.

• Messages from unknown senders and bulk email go into the Other folder
• Spam is hidden from view automatically