Facebook to take on Gmail by enabling users to send private messages from the 'status' box on the hamepage

Facebook is rumoured to be testing a system that would make it possible to send private messages directly from the status box on the homepage, instead of clicking through to the messaging panel.
The plans could see the social networking site launch a cross-platform messaging service similar to Google Hangouts, which lets Gmail and Google+ members chat to each other across desktops and mobile devices.
Facebook's new messaging options, which are expected to be trialled on a small percentage of users later this year, follow the launch of Facebook Chat Heads in April that lets members message friends from any screen within the Facebook mobile app.

The existing Facebook messaging options on the desktop version are only accessible by clicking the message icon or Messages panel.

According to technology website, TechCrunch these new plans would let users post a status, add a video or photo, as well as send a private message from the status box, which sits at the top of the news feed.
The plans would create a cross-platform messaging service similar to Google Hangouts.
At Google's I/O conference earlier this month, the search engine announced it was rebranding its Hangouts service.

The new Hangouts lets people send photos, take part in group video calls and send emails using its Hangouts app on Android and iOS, as well as across Gmail and Google+.
Google's new Hangouts replaced Google Talk and G+ Messenger.
Google's announcement followed the launch of Facebook's Chat Heads function, at the beginning of April.
When Facebook users are in the mobile app a small bubble appears at the side of the screen when they receive a new message.
They can then open and reply to the message without having to navigate away from the page they were looking at.
Chat Heads can be hidden by swiping them off the screen.
The latest Facebook message rumours would add a similar function to the web version of the site.
Facebook has not yet commented on these rumours.
In January, Facebook confirmed plans to start charging users to send messages to people they aren’t already connected to - with a premium to be paid for contacting very popular people.
Every user currently has the ability to send a message to any other user for free, however unless being sent to a friend or friend of a friend the message goes directly to the receiver's 'other' folder.
Described by Facebook as the place 'where less relevant messages go,' this little known option was introduced in 2010.

The new service offers direct access to the receiver's inbox, provided the sender is prepared to pay the fee .
Facebook initially floated the idea of paying for messages prior to Christmas, when it was suggested that the service might cost $1 per message.
However a technology journalist at Mashable was surprised when they attempted to send a message to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and received an option charging a hefty $100 fee to send a message directly to the social network's CEO.
Zuckerberg has more than 16 million followers on the site and without paying for a direct message to his inbox, any message would go straight to his extremely overcrowded ‘other’ folder.
The company admitted at the time that it is experimenting with ‘extreme price points' to reduce incoming spam for Facebook users with large subscriber counts and big online presences.
Users are also limited to sending one of these kinds of messages per week.
Facebook is confident that imposing a financial cost on the sender will be the most effective way to discourage unwanted messages and best ensure the delivery of messages that are relevant and useful to the receiver.

They just want to collect all of our money ... na wa oh.