Facebook For Dummies, 5th Edition

Chapter 8

Just between You and Me: Facebook Messages

In This Chapter

• Realizing how Facebook's messaging systems differ from other systems
• Discovering how to send messages to friends
• Chatting with friends instantly

Chances are that you're someone who communicates with other people online. You may use e-mail all the time or use instant messaging programs like AIM or Skype. If you have a smartphone, you probably check e-mail and text messages on it as well. Facebook has similar functionality and integrates into all these programs. In other words, Facebook Messages stitches together e-mail, texting, and instant messaging with a Facebook twist.

One special component of Facebook's messaging system as opposed to other systems is that you no longer have to remember e-mail addresses, screen names, or handles. You just have to remember people's names. The other benefit is that your entire contact history with specific people is saved in one place. The basic aspect of Facebook Messages is the more traditional message, so I start there in this chapter. After that, I go over the Inbox and what's special about it compared to your other Inboxes. Then I talk about Facebook Chat before I finish up with a few advanced messaging features like importing e-mail and getting text message notifications set up.

Sending a Message

Figure 8-1 shows the basic New Message window. I generated this one by clicking the Messages shortcut in the big blue bar on top (it looks like two overlapping word bubbles) ...