Since the Facebook Platform went live back in May, some 3,000 applications have been created by third-party developers for the social networking site. The applications’ uses are pretty varied, too. Got the urge to become a zombie, bite your friends and turn them into a zombie? It’s possible. Ever wanted to share your recipes with other Facebook users? They’ve got one for that too. So, now, about three months after their initial release, I figured it might be a good time to draw up a quick list of ten of the coolest Facebook applications. Without further ado:
8. Interactive Friend’s Graph
I’m a sucker for neat data visualizations, particularly of how networks operate, and, sure enough, Facebook has its own. Unfortunate misspelling aside, the Interactive Friend’s [sic] Graph is a cool little application that allows you to chart intersections between your friends on a handy, graphical map. By mousing over your friends, you can see common connections between them and other people on your map. Very neat stuff.
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7. Your Neighbors
Your Neighbors (when you can get it to work) tracks other people who have opted into the application and are in your general area. While it doesn’t reveal specific addresses, it does show distance in miles and feet to other people in your area. The user base is small at the moment, but the application itself is a neat idea. If I’m really in the mood to go get a drink with someone local, Your Neighbors can find people are also in the same mood and allow us to connect up. Dig the concept.
6. Food Fight
Food Fight is pretty much what it sounds like. Each day, you’re given an allowance and turned over to the school cafeteria, where you can purchase foods ranging from TV dinners to Haggis, which you can then toss are your friends. Admit it: some days, you really want to just hit someone in the face with some tripe, don’t you?
5. Imaginary Friends
Feeling like you don’t have quite enough friends on Facebook? This application allows you to select from a host of pre-generated imaginary friends to always be online and available for a chat. Sometimes they respond somewhat strangely to your conversations, but I dig the fact that I can have fake friends as well as real friends now.
4. Where I’ve Been
A simple little application that allows you to show where you’ve been, where you’ve lived and where you want to go to on a world map. It also features functionality that allows you to compare it with your friends.
3. Liar Liar
Liar Liar is a fun little application that allows you and your friends to post statements about yourselves and then decide which statements are true and which ones are fiction. Deceptively fun.
2. Storyline
Storyline is a social storytelling application that allows you and your friends to all contribute pieces to ongoing narratives. Everyone can contribute a paragraph.
1. Pirates!
Yarrrr! Shiver me timbers! Using this cute little application, you can buckle your swash and take on the role of a buccaneer sailing the high seas. Plunder islands, search for booty and bomb your friends. The developers have said that they’re working on introducing ship-to-ship combat and a variety of other types of new features. A stellar time-waster.
