Facebook has launched a new version of Facebook Events, simplifying the process of creating an event to one step.
The most noticeable change is the newly-added ability to create events right from your home page. There is now a box (pictured top right) that allows you to type in what you are planning, when it’s taking place, where, and finally who is invited. Facebook’s goal is to dramatically lower the barrier to creating an event, making it a more useful tool for planning impromptu dinners or small trips.
That’s not the only thing that has changed. The “Create an Event” page has also been revamped, with a focus on “What are you planning?” rather than just giving your event a title. At the same time, event creation has been streamlined, but at the cost of a few features. You no longer control whether people can post photos or message to an event’s wall: anyone invited to the event will have that capability be default. There are now just two types of events as well: public events and private events — there is no more open, closed, or secret options.
In its announcement, Facebook said that events created before today will maintain the same settings, but that new ones will have the new format. The feature still seems to be rolling out though, but we expect everyone to have the new version of Events very soon.
Is it a smart move by Facebook? Absolutely — events are hugely popular on the social network, but they tend to be time-intensive affairs, and thus impromptu events like a quick brunch don’t get planned on Facebook. We bet the new version of Facebook Events solves that issue.
Reviews: Facebook
Tags: facebook, Facebook Events
