Facebook, RIM, 'tis better to be greedy

The old adage, "'tis better to give than to receive" should never apply to mobile software, much less to cell phone versions of social networks.

You hear that, Facebook and RIM? The RIM platform's Facebook app for BlackBerry (which I test drove on a Curve) is a good-looking, smooth-operating app that lets you do a whole lot of giving, but scant receiving. (LinkedIn should listen up, too.)

There's a lot you can do for your friends on Facebook for BlackBerry; there's less you can do for yourself.

In addition to viewing friends' status updates, you can check out their profiles and photos, leave comments, write on their walls, and send messages. You can also invite new friends (an e-mail add) and poke those you've already got. The only things you can do for yourself are upload a photo and update your status; but if you want to read any of those return messages and wall posts, you'd better head to Facebook's WAP site at m.facebook.com.

Full browsing on the iPhone has let users avoid this inconvenience when interacting on the iPhone-optimized site iphone.facebook.com (see video demo). With a full-featured mobile site available for smartphone users, there's little extra reason for BlackBerry owners with unlimited data plans to favor Facebook's mobile app, even with its menu option to jump to the mobile Web site. The fact that you have to sign into your account a second time proves this app has undershot the point.