Facebook’s new app, Paper, is the best social media app ever

Kelsey Thomas |

With the launch of Paper Monday, Facebook just blew its own iPhone app out of the water. But this beauty looks nothing like the clunky blue and white interface filled with updates about babies and puppies you’re used to.

While Paper’s interface was initially a bit jarring because it is so different from the original Facebook app, after a day of use I can’t imagine going back. The horizontal scrolling and sliding were second nature after a few minutes, and the sleek and modern design, not to mention the Helvetica Neue UltraLight font, are a game-changer in social media mobile design.

My favorite feature is the topic-based sections that are a mix of recent and popular posts. The sections are curated for it’s users by an editorial team within Facebook, rather that the users aggregating the content for themselves. Users can choose up to 10 sections. One of these sections must be the Facebook newsfeed, but other sections include “Headlines,” with top news stories, “Cute,” with baby animals and Zooey Deschanel galore and, my personal favorite, “Flavor,” featuring food articles and blogs.

Sometimes I open Facebook out of habit or boredom while waiting in a line even if I don’t actually care that a girl I met at summer camp in middle school is “so lucky to be engaged to her best friend.” But now, I can ignore my acquaintances’ happy news by sliding to the right and learning about Olympic prep around Sochi, Russia or how to make Garganelli with a Fennel and Veal Sausage sauce.