The Facebook features, which also include new Facebook fields for Contacts app entries, were originally spotted by iOS developer @jackoplane in the latest beta. Here’s hoping they actually ship in the software eventually, for the sake of both Apple’s users and Facebook itself . Both stand to gain from the social network’s integration in Apple’s mobile OS.

Users would definitely welcome a means to more easily share content, including photos and links, with their Facebook network, which has a much broader user base than Twitter. As for Facebook, there’s a chance to grow even larger thanks to direct, persistent access on the most popular mobile devices in the world.

Twitter integration has been a boon not only for the social network, where CEO Dick Costolo says it has helped propel growth to new heights, but also to services that depend on Twitter to enable content sharing. Music discovery service Discovr, for instance, saw sharing via Twitter increase substantially following iOS 5′s launch, while its Facebook shares remained relatively constant. Basically, taking away the need to login reduced friction and enabled more shares via Twitter’s service. Single sign-on for Facebook would likely have a similar effect.

I’d also love to see Apple offer a unified inbox, complete with access to Facebook messages, as an option in an upcoming iOS update. Since that’s not something we’ve seen yet with Twitter DMs (RIM actually wins on this one with its upcoming Playbook OS 2.0 update), I’m not expecting it anytime soon. But Facebook integration similar to what we’ve seen with Twitter could at least open the door to that possibility down the road.

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We went hands-on with the new feature using the Skype for Mac 5.4 Beta to see if it’s as easy to use as the promotional video Skype released detailing it (warning: autoplays) makes it out to be. The answer, it turns out, is yes and no.

Setup you would expect from a beta

To set up the service, you need to tie your Facebook account to your Skype client through a simple authorization process, all of which takes place in the Skype app itself through the Skype Home screen. I had already done this using the last Skype beta for Mac, so I expected to be able to jump right in.

Not so fast. I found that in order to get my Facebook contacts to appear in Skype, I needed to disconnect my Facebook account and reconnect it, then quit and restart the program. After that, I had trouble getting the Skype beta client to recognize who was or wasn’t online. That required another quit and restart of the Skype application. It could be that this only happened because I was already using a previous beta; if you’re signing in with your Facebook credentials for the first time, you may have better luck.

Still, it’s important to keep in mind that this is prerelease software, so bugs are to be expected, and I eventually worked everything out in just a few minutes. Skype will likely iron out these kinks before a final release.

Calls are easy

Once you can see your Facebook contacts, making video calls to them is remarkably easy. Simply go to the Skype Contacts tab in the left-hand menu and navigate to the group of “online” folks. You could also navigate to the “Facebook” group, but video calls can only be made to Facebook users who are listed as online anyway, so it makes more sense to see only who is actually available.

I tried two calls to see how the service worked; the first, to my colleague Kevin C. Tofel, went off without a hitch, although Kevin said that there appeared to be a bit of delay as the Skype and Facebook services did their initial handshaking. Once connected, though, video and audio quality were both great, and there appeared to be no lag or delay on either end.

One caveat for calling that I discovered in my second attempt: If the Facebook contact you are trying to reach has not already installed the plug-in necessary to enable Facebook video chat, they will be prompted to do so. Luckily, it’s a relatively quick, painless process, and once my friend was set up, that call went just as well as the first one.

A good step toward centrally managed video communication

Adding Facebook video calling to Skype extends the service’s reach considerably, and it is another step toward simplifying Internet-based communication by tying people’s most frequently used accounts to one another. It means Skype users should have an easier time raising friends and family for video chat, and depending on how you use Facebook, it could make face-to-face professional communication easier, too.

While there hasn’t yet been any announcement regarding taking Skype’s Facebook integration to mobile devices, that would seem like a logical next step. It would help extend cross-platform potential for centralized video chat even further. According to our recent poll, Skype is a popular option among mobile video chatters, but if this Facebook integration makes its way to smartphones and tablets, too, that popularity could go through the roof.

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Specifically, Jobs said that he admired Zuckerberg “for not selling out, for wanting to make a company,” statements which resonate with Jobs’ own history of wanting to build something at Apple that achieved the same kind of lasting success as Disney or HP. Zuckerberg says in his interview with Rose that the two Silicon Valley executives discussed things like “how to build a team around you that’s focused on building as high quality and good things as you are,” according to Bloomberg.

The two also discussed “the aesthetics and kind of mission orientation of companies,” according to Zuckerberg, which is a subject close to Jobs’ heart. Jobs maintained a degree of focused control over Apple that managed to stay away from catering to populist thinking and market research groups, something Forbes  has said Zuckerberg also manages to accomplish at Facebook.

The funny thing is, despite their mutual respect and Jobs’ role as something of a mentor for Zuckerberg, the two companies haven’t always seen eye-to-eye. Facebook integration in Apple’s social music service Ping was cut early on after Facebook and Apple couldn’t come to agreeable terms regarding a partnership, and has never been reintroduced.

Facebook was also rumored to have been intended for deep integration in iOS like Twitter, but so far, nothing has come of those reports. One has to wonder whether those things never came to pass because the two Silicon Valley icons didn’t share an obstinate streak as well as healthy professional opinions of each other.

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Updating Twitter

To start using Twitter with Siri, you’ll need to set up your phone on your Twitter mobile settings page. In order to register your phone, follow the steps on that page by entering your country and phone number, then sending an SMS containing the word ‘GO’ to the number displayed. In the U.S., this is 40404. By doing this, you’re verifying your phone with Twitter.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to tweet by sending an SMS to that same number. Add it as a contact in your iPhone’s address book, and then to get Siri to tweet for you, all you have to do is dictate a message to “Twitter.” It’ll then send an SMS with the tweet to Twitter, which will in turn post that tweet for you.

Posting a Facebook status update

To update Facebook, the same method applies. In order to verify your phone with Facebook, visit the Mobile Settings page and click Add a phone. You’ll be prompted to enter your password, and then to select your country and mobile carrier. Finally, text the letter ‘F’ to 32665. You’ll receive a confirmation code, which should be entered into relevant space on the web page.

When your phone is set up with Facebook, you can update your status in the same way as with Twitter, by sending a text to the contact with the Facebook number.

Make your (and Siri’s) life easier

If you find Siri cutting you off because it gets confused about Twitter, you could call Twitter “Twit” and Facebook “Face,” since those are very unlikely names to have in your address book (unless you have a very stupid friend, or you’re a member of the A Team).

If you have any other tips or hacks for Siri, let us know in the comments.

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Here’s a quick summary of what’s new:

• Typing indicators let you know when someone’s replying. This is something a lot of similar apps and services have, including iMessage which is built in to iOS 5. It can come in handy by preventing you from saying more than you need to.
• Users that are online are now listed, as well as those who are reachable via mobile app. That should help you know if you should be expecting an immediate reply or not. People you talk to most frequently are also now displayed at the top of your contact list, just like they are in the web interface.

The update is small, but does make changes where it matters most, making Messenger more useful for actually communicating with your Facebook contacts. There’s also now a version available for BlackBerry, which means all the major smartphone platforms can now join the conversation. The update is available now in the App Store.

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There are three big reasons why I think the Facebook iPad app trumps either the web-based site (or mobile site), or the native iPhone app: navigation, visual clutter, and photo browsing.

Navigation

Facebook borrowed a neat trick from the Twitter iPad app, using simple swipe navigation to go back a level when you navigate to links both within and outside of Facebook. The swiping action also opens up the Facebook main menu on the left side of the app, which by default is hidden out of view. This tiny addition, which eliminates the need of having to hunt down and tap a small arrow button every time you want to revisit your news feed, turns navigation from a chore to simplicity itself. And the button’s still there, too, if people prefer having somewhere to focus their attention when finding their way around.

Pull-t0-refresh in the news feed is another nice navigation feature that lets you control the pace with which you receive information from Facebook, and the way Profiles are presented are currently more organized and clean than profiles on the regular website, and will become an even better option for quickly finding specific contact info when Facebook institutes Timeline for all users. Other nice touches include event sidebars that let me see at a glance exactly the info I’m usually looking for without taking me to a new page. Facebook for iPad is more about efficiency than any of its other incarnations, which leads me to my next point.

De-cluttering Facebook

Facebook on the web has become a visual nightmare. What was once a clean and simple site is now a bizarre mash-up of information, with ads, links and data sources all crammed together in a confusing, multi-column layout that provides no escape for an eye looking for a place to rest. The recent addition of the Ticker is the cherry on top of this attention-straining design.

Facebook for iPad is a like a distillation of this swirling information vortex into perfect, bite-sized chunks. I want my news feed? There it is in profile view. Need to see the chat list? Just turn the iPad to landscape orientation. Everything else is available with the swipe of a finger or tap of a button via the Facebook parent menu, and best of all, you’ve got no adds or Ticker to deal with.

Also, the way apps are handled via external, third-party, native iOS apps means you won’t have those to distract you, either. All of this adds up to a Facebook that’s much better at doing what I want it to do: help me stay in touch with friends and family.

Photo browsing

I’ve never used Facebook that much for sharing photos, but the iPad app could change that. The photo browsing element of the new app is terrific, and makes looking through friends’ galleries a pleasure. That’s because the interface emphasizes the photos themselves, and makes the conversation secondary. I’d much rather see a photo first, and then check out what people have to say about it if I find myself really curious.

My one complaint in this area is that the thumbnails along the bottom when you’re viewing a series of photos aren’t really big enough to reveal anything about the pictures themselves. Making all the thumbs as large as the one currently in focus, and then adding a colored borders or slightly larger size to indicate where you are would’ve worked better. Still, it helps you know where you are in a series, and you could argue that it’s better not knowing exactly what the next photo will bring.

The Facebook app may not be perfect, but it is the best way to interact with Facebook in my opinion. Your mileage may vary if you use Facebook for different purposes; professional networkers may have problems with limitations like an inability to email out links, or the lack of support for the recently introduced Lists feature. For me, the advantages listed above more than make up for those few drawbacks, however. How do you feel about the new app?

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Jeff Verkoeyen, the lead engineer on the Facebook iPad app project during its eight months of development, wrote a blog post Monday (via TechCrunch) explaining a bit about the app’s trajectory and how it prompted his decision to leave Facebook for Google.

The iPad app that TechCrunch revealed to the world back in July has actually been “feature-complete” and essentially ready for release since May, when it was originally intended to launch. After that deadline passed, its unveiling was pushed back and repeatedly delayed throughout the summer, for “reasons [Verkoeyen] won’t go into details” about.

Those reasons, according to TechCrunch, have to do with the rocky relationship between Apple and Facebook. The two had a somewhat public row over Facebook integration with Apple’s music social networking service Ping, and deep integration with iOS 5 was also reportedly planned and then scrapped. Both had to do with terms proposed by Facebook that Apple reportedly couldn’t swallow.

Facebook’s official app on the iPad would be great for both companies. Facebook would get more access to a growing mobile market, an area where it still doesn’t dominate nearly as much as either Google or Apple, and Apple would get another marquee app that would no doubt be a huge hit with iOS users. But even if the troubles between the two companies that have kept the Facebook iPad app out of the App Store until now are resolved, it seems unlikely that we’ll see a release soon, since the app would now have to be revised according to all the changes the social network has undergone in recent months.

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Color will add some useful features that make it more than just another Facebook photo browser. It lets you Like and comment on photos, just like you can on the web, but it also introduces the ability to create and share group photo albums with multiple people, which is more than Facebook currently offers through its own service.

It also lets you view your Feed and the new Timeline history of activity as pure photo streams. And there’s the “visit” feature, which lets you request access to live-streaming video from either friends, or anyone who has their permission settings arranged such that you can see their content.

You can request visits whenever you want; someone doesn’t have to be online. If they aren’t, they’ll receive a push notification from Color on their iPhone (or Android device). Live streams initiated through the app can be viewed either through the app itself, or on the Facebook website. It sounds a little bit like the new approach Google is taking with its ability to broadcast through Hangouts. It’s not exactly video chat, and it’s more interactive than straightforward video posting. It doesn’t currently allow video recording or audio, but that could come in future versions.

Color’s problem was that it was too ephemeral and too small. It couldn’t muster a large enough group, even at major events, to be relevant to any users. Facebook’s network means it shouldn’t have a problem when it comes to users. But its differentiating factors still depend on being in the moment; without the real-time elements of visiting and live streaming, it seems like little more than a Facebook photo browser.

The new version of Color will remain in private beta for a while longer, and then move into a larger, invite-based testing phase. The broadcast angle is interesting, and could make Color a very useful Facebook feature. We’ll see if Color can thrive using the network of another, where it failed trying to curate its own.

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To use the new Facebook integration, you simply click the “Link to Facebook” button from the Skype Home screen and sign in with your Facebook credentials. Once signed in, the Skype Home tab displays recent activity from your Skype contacts, your Facebook friends or both through a hybrid view. You can also update your status using an input bar at the top of the home screen. Each update presents you with options for Liking and commenting, and you can also call contacts directly using a phone icon located next to their name. If their number is listed on Facebook or they’re on Skype already, you can call instantly; if it’s not, you’ll be prompted to enter it manually. Both options require that you have a paid Skype subscription or Skype credit to work.

It’s a pretty solid implementation of Facebook integration; the news feed works well in Skype’s app window, and the ability to quickly call friends based on news they post to the social network is a very smart thing to include. If my friend announces an engagement, for instance, I could call her directly instead of just posting a “Congrats!” or tapping the Like button. Your Facebook contacts also now show up in your general contacts list when you’re signed in, and you can IM them directly as you would your usual Skype friends.

Note that despite the introduction of Skype-powered video chat to Facebook’s website in July, there is no way to directly video call your online Facebook contacts in this beta. You can initiate a Skype call if your Facebook friends have Skype contact info listed on their profile and then opt to turn it into a video call should they pick up, but that’s as far as video-calling integration goes. I’d hope that Skype has designs on making it easy to video chat directly between the two platforms in the future.

All the new Facebook features are welcome and smartly designed, but there are a few bugs I noticed in this beta, like the fact that initiating calls from the contacts list with Facebook friends to their mobile numbers doesn’t seem to actually connect. There’s also a drawback for nonsubscribers and people who don’t have any Skype credit: ads. Skype is now putting display ads in front of users who only access the free aspects of its service. So if you aren’t terribly fond of the idea of Facebook integration and you’re happy with Skype’s free service, you may want to hold off on this update.

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Google spent $2.06 million during the second quarter, which was up 54 percent from the same time a year ago. And Facebook spent $320,000 during the quarter, which seems low until you consider that it’s actually almost as much as the company spent during all of 2010. Public interest group Consumer Watchdog said when those numbers were released back in July that these companies are “clearly trying to influence policy,” and there are good reasons why the need for them to do so is becoming more urgent.

Apple’s lobbying expenses go toward issues like patent reform, electronic waste and consumer privacy online, all of which are subjects crucial to its continued success. The company is currently involved in a large number of ongoing patent disputes, and would no doubt love to see patent reforms that limit the ability of non-practicing holders to use patents to extract licensing fees in exchange for Apple’s continued ability to sell its devices and software. Privacy is also a hot-button issue, with mobile location services stirring up a hornet’s nest of public and lawmaker concern earlier this year. And Apple’s environmental practices also came under attack in 2011.

As Apple grows, it’s not surprising it feels the need to influence the regulatory environment in which it operates. Lobbying Congress, the Departments of Education and Commerce, the FCC, FTC, EPA and the U.S. Trade Representative are all good ways to do that. Apple’s spend is still far less than that of rivals Google and Microsoft (which spent $1.85 million in the second quarter, up from $1.72 in the first) but it does appear that a bit of an arms race is underway among tech companies when it comes to bringing their issues to the foreground among Washington decision-makers.

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