Facebook Messages offers unique conversation platform

As expected, Facebook announced on Monday (November 15) a new messaging system, simply named Facebook Messages.

And while Messages isn’t quite the e-mail service that some predicted, it’s still a unique platform for receiving and storing various conversations, regardless of the format.

Serving as sort of a home base for all of your messages, Facebook’s new service will incorporate text messages, e-mails, and instant messaging all in one inbox. The aim is to allow users to simply log in to one place in order to access their messages, rather than having to check their phone, then log into their email, and then log into a separate instant messaging program to interact with people.

The inbox will display all interactions with individuals in the style of an ongoing conversation, so whenever your friend texts you and then e-mails you right after, those two messages will be the most recent things under that friend’s tab.

Users will also be able to create personalized addresses using the @facebook.com domain as speculated. As for all messages received by people not on Facebook, there will be a folder called “Others”, where all unknown messages will land. It will then be up to you to sort them out and create profiles for them within your inbox. Facebook Messages is currently invite-only, but you can request an invitation.

Those of you unsure of the service may want to check out this article on the service’s cons.