Los Angeles — Facebook overnight took the wraps off an updated Facebook Events! Well, the popular social network has just made that ad-hoc get-together a little easier with the launch of a new version of Facebook Events, which enables you to create an event directly from the “Events” box on your Facebook home page in one quick step.
Facebook Events (login required) is a tool which allows Facebook users to, either publicly or privately, organize upcoming events and get RSVP’s from Facebook friends. The most noticeable change is the newly-added ability to create events right from your home page. Simply enter details into the “what are you planning” field in the right column of your home page, when it is taking place, where, and finally who is invited.
In a blog post announcing the changes, Devin Naquin, a Facebook engineer, says the company has focused on making Events “faster and simpler” to share plans created, with the redesign beginning to show to Facebook users from today, although all existing events will keep the old design.
Up until today the user interface was challenging for some, and for others too confusing, but now it is easier than ever to add an event. Facebook’s aim is to considerably lower the barrier to creating an event, making it a more useful tool for planning impromptu dinners or small trips.
The updated Facebook Events widget (Credit: Facebook)
“With this update to Facebook Events, we have streamlined the number of options to make it faster and simpler to share your plans,” he said.
“For example, for all events you create, the people you invite will be able to post messages, photos, videos and links on the event’s Wall.”
That is not the only thing that has changed. For those wanting to choose more detailed information, an updated “Create an Event” wizard is also available, and is accessible from the “Events dashboard,” with an emphasis on “What are you planning?” rather than just giving your event a title.
The new-look Facebook Events wizard (Credit: Facebook)
In its announcement, Facebook said that all invitees to such events will be able to post messages, photos, videos and links on the event’s wall, Naquin says, adding that events created prior to Saturday will retain all of their original 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.
Interestingly Facebook are quick to point out, in light of recent privacy concerns, that events created and set to “private” will only be accessible and viewable by your Facebook friends, whereas “public” will be available to everyone.
If this all sounds familiar, it is because the feature is exactly what Plancast — a start-up from the US which offers a similar tool for sharing future events.