Facebook Wants All to Switch From Email to Messages

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Facebook confirms rumours of its 'e-mail killer' with its "modern messaging system". It combines all ways people send messages-- e-mail, IM, and SMS-- into a single interface the social network calls "the social inbox".

Facebook AnnounceOver 350 million people use Facebook messages, sending 4 billion messages a day.

It sounds fairly simple, too. One clicks on a friend's face (or types their name), types a message and presses Enter. No subject line, cc or bcc get in the way.

Facebook even offers e-mail addresses-- "@facebook.com", of course.

The social inbox filters messages according to their senders-- users are in control of who can send messages or not. For example, the inbox can be set to bounce any messages not sent by facebook friends. Facebook messaging will now also manage file attachments.

It also sorts and saves all messages/emails/SMS as conversations, similar to what Google attempted with its already defunct Wave.

The new system will roll out on an invitation basis in the next few months, together with an iPhone app.

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