Facebook recently announced the launch of new Pages and the new messaging system.

The updates to Facebook Pages make them the same as the new profile that came out a few months back. Instead of tabs along the top, users can navigate using the links in the left hand sidebar, just link any other place on the Facebook site.  Users will also see a row of photos along the top of the Page, similar to the “recently tagged” photos along the top of the profile.

A major feature of this update allows Pages to post as that Page on other Pages, so it looks like the post or comment is coming directly from that page, and not just another Facebook user. This allows Pages within a community to interact with each other as businesses/social clubs etc. For example, Pages from businesses and clubs within a city can interact with each other to tell each other (and their fans) about things happening in the community.

Along with this update, Facebook is also rolling out the new messaging system to those who don’t already have it. Back in November, Facebook announced their new messaging system, and allowed a few people to receive invites to the new messaging system. I myself received one of those invites, so I’ve had the chance to use it for a few months now.

There are many new features in the new messaging system. The inbox is sorted by friends, instead of subjects. When creating a new message, users no longer have the option to input a subject, just a name and a  message. Click on a friend’s name, and you’ll see all the messages and chats you’ve ever had between each other, all in a timeline format.

One of the other new features about the messaging system is a social inbox, meaning only friends or people who have messaged a user before will appear in the inbox. Anyone else who sends you a message automatically goes to the Other folder, which can be accessed by clicking on Messages and then Other. (I don’t particularly like this feature though, because I have to click on Messages to see if I have any new messages in the Other folder, and I don’t always remember to do that.)

If you have a Facebook Username (sign up here), you’ll be able to opt-in to receive messages via your Facebook email address, which will be yourUsername@facebook.com. Facebook automatically detects when a message is sent from a friend’s email account, so it will appear as coming from that friend. If you aren’t friends with them, the message appears in the Other folder.

One of the most requested features that Facebook is now implementing is the ability to leave a thread (a message that was sent to multiple people). The old messaging system would not allow that, so if a user was included in it by someone else, and didn’t want to be, that user would automatically receive updates every time someone posted a new message, even though that user wouldn’t like too. To leave a thread in the new messaging system, just go to Actions while viewing a thread, and click Leave Conversation.

If you administer a Page, you can opt-in to a new page right away by clicking here. Note that if you don’t chose to opt-in right away, Facebook will automatically give you the new Page on March 10, 2011, (five days before it shuts down…. just kidding 😀 ).

P.S. It also looks like Facebook is rolling out the new Photo Viewer to everyone.