The list of Facebook applications goes on, with many covering the same ground. Here are a few final highlights and lowlights.
The accumulated wisdom of...
Want to display the wisdom of the ages on your Facebook page or get advice from some of the world's best businesspeople? No matter your interest, it's easy to find apps that will display quotes from a variety of sources on your Facebook profile. Check out the following; there are plenty of others worth trying as well.
Facebook users, to put it mildly, are a self-involved bunch. Because of that, there are many applications along the lines of, "But enough about me. Tell me what you think about me." Here's a sample.
More About Me: If you want the world to know whether you prefer Lipton Ice Tea to Nestea, what your favorite candy bar is, and other vital pieces of personal information, here's how to share that scintillating information.
I've Got Kids! If you've bored the pants off of everyone you know by telling them about your kids, here's your chance to bore your virtual friends as well.
My Computer: Tell the world how many computers you own, along with their specs, including operating system, CPU, RAM, graphics processor, and more.
My Computer.
My Gadgets: The same as My Computer, but about gadgets, although it also lets you recommend gadgets to others and get their recommendations.
The New York Times Quiz. ()
Most pretentious Facebook apps
Among a certain type of Facebook user, there's an I'm-smarter-and-cooler-than-you-are ethos at play. Often, it's subtle, although sometimes it's as restrained as a sledgehammer. Following are a few Facebook applications with a high potential for pretentiousness.
Cities I've Visited: Even if you've been no further from home than Staten Island or Revere Beach, convince the world you're an adventurous jet-setter by lying about all the places you've been.
Books iRead: Similarly, even habitual John Grisham readers can use this application to convince everyone they're world-class intellectuals by listing books they've never read.
The New York Times Quiz: Prove your current events smarts with this daily quiz ripped from the pages of the Times.
Preston Gralla is a contributing editor for Computerworld and the author of more than 45 books, including Windows 8 Hacks (O'Reilly, 2012) and How the Internet Works (Que, 2006).
