Facebook Chat Desktop Client
Hang out anytime, anywhere - Messenger makes it easy and fun to stay close to your favorite people. Facebook Messenger for Windows is a free application available for download on any personal computer. It had been integrated within the Facebook platform itself and developed in 2012 as a separate.
Facebook Chat Desktop now lets you chat with Facebook friends from your desktop without dealing with the full website.
During the early days of Facebook, the site allowed you to send messages to friends who were offline and those who were online while chatting with other friends through a chat window. It later introduced a separate app that users must download to send messages back and forth while using their phones or other devices. Even if you primarily use your computer for chatting, you may notice a lag between when you send a message and when your friend receives that message. This new program cuts down on that lag time.
The other problem with using Facebook for chatting is that you usually need to open a browser to access the site. This can make your computer run slower than you would like, especially if you typically open multiple tabs or windows. By the time you finish looking over what other people posted and weeding through your notifications, it may take longer to respond to a simple message than you ever expected. With Facebook Chat Desktop, you now have the option of chatting with friends without using the Facebook site.
Facebook Chat Desktop looks like a small window that is similar to other messaging apps. When you log into your Facebook account, it instantly brings up a list of all your friends and shows you which friends are online and who is offline. It may even show you the last time that each person was online. You can enter a name in the box at the top of the screen to send a message to a specific person, or you can click on a name, type your message and send it. When you chat with friends who are currently online, you can send messages back and forth instantly.
This new program works with all operating systems and does not require that you open your browser first. It's great for those who are in school and those who work from home because it allows them to stay connected without taking a break from their work.
While Facebook Chat Desktop does have some benefits, it is not an officially licensed product and lacks the features found on the official app. Neither app lets you send video messages, but this app also prevents you from using emoticons and emojis in your messages and does not let you attach pictures to those messages either. It also will not work with GIF or animated picture messages. Facebook Chat Desktop is generally best for those who want something easy to use that will let them chat with friends without logging into Facebook first.
Pros:
- Lets users chat with friends outside of Facebook
- Reduces the number of windows or tabs users must keep opening while chatting
- Allows for nearly instant messaging
- Send instant messages or search for friends via the app
- View users who are logged into Facebook and those who are offline
Voice Chat Clients
Cons:
Xmpp Chat Client
- No support for video or picture messages
- Does not let users send emoticons or emojis in their messages
- Not an officially licensed Facebook product
- More basic that officially messaging apps