Facebook Paper is a mobile app created by the industry giant, Facebook. With its release in early February 2014, the application intends to serve as a mobile-based equivalent of a newspaper or magazine. Below are highlighted a list of the app's unique features:Grid-structure layout and magazine-like navigationFacebook Paper functions primarily as a newsreader, displaying breaking news and top stories from a variety of topics. Stories are posted for the general viewing of all Facebook users and fall under one of several categories, including Headlines, Score, Tech, etc.Each category has a main screen that is divided into two sections. The top portion of the page contains large photos, which auto scroll as a preview to some of the stories within that particular category. Entire categories can be browsed through and changed manually by swiping horizontally over these large photos at the top of the page.The bottom portion of the page is where Facebook Paper users can select stories, using a scrolling carousel with thumbnails of posts in each particular category. A simple tap on any thumbnail will cleverly "flip" open the post across the entire screen, while a downward swipe will take the user back towards the home screen. Facebook Paper uses horizontal swiping as a means to browse through full screen posts within a specific section, which replaces the standard scrolling navigation of the original Facebook. In fact, the navigation is so unique that the app thoughtfully includes vocal and visual prompts for new users.Careful curation of contentThe posts that appear as thumbnails under each topic are not chosen at random, and they are not limited to content from Facebook friends. Instead, posts are partially determined by editors, who work to choose a mix of stories, photos, and other items that are intended to grab and hold the interest of each reader. Individual Facebook activity and social signals, such as "shares" and "likes," also factor into content curation.Tilting mechanismWhile in the Facebook Paper app, a user can tilt his or her mobile device at any given moment to load and view high-resolution photos, play videos, and view more details of friends' status updates. Tilting allows for an item to occupy the entire screen, displaying areas that normally might be cut off. This mechanism is an advancement from standard finger-scrolling, and it is just one of the many reasons why photos have been shown to be a top feature of the app.Familiar "Facebook" sectionFacebook Paper is not just a newsreader. There is, in fact, a standard section where users can view their friends' posts on News Feed and add their own. The familiar icons for notifications, messages, and friend requests can be found at the top of the screen at all times. Also, from the home screen, users can swipe downward to find prompts for profile updating, posts, editing sections, and direct settings.Facebook Paper does not intend to replicate every feature of the original service. For instance, as the app is mainly focused around News Feed and Timeline, engagements such as birthdays and events cannot be viewed. For some, Facebook Paper has completely replaced the original version of the social network, while others are still undecided. Either way, it has proven to be an eye-catching app that provides access to news posts that otherwise may go unseen.
