Facebook cards to replace notifications and include reminders

Facebook’s new smart contextual cards are set to appear over the next few weeks in the iOS and Android apps, as part of a more expanded version of notifications. Cards will not only continue to notify you of mentions and tags, but also of life events and birthdays. The new notification cards go so far as to remind you when it’s game time for sports teams whose pages you’ve liked, and will notify you when your favorite television shows air, so you don’t miss an episode. Anyone who’s used Google Now will be familiar with the concept and the card format.

According to Facebook’s news blog, you can also opt in to receive cards specific to your area, including location-based weather updates, movies playing in theaters near you, and recommendations for places to eat with links to Facebook Pages and reviews.

The new tab is intended to gather content from all of Facebook and make it available in one central location, while providing a more personalized experience. Facebook product manager Keith Peiris told Mashable, “I want to know when to leave to show up for an event or I want a notification if my best friend is in town or I want a notification if I’m at a place and there’s really useful information about it.” According to Peiris, most users will see between five and seven different cards, and you’ll have the option to adjust your individual settings.

The combination of the new notifications tab, the Siri-like virtual assistant features of Facebook M, and its real-time news app Notify, along with various updates planned to simplify shopping from Facebook, could bring us closer to a world in which all you need is Facebook.