Google+

[Ten10]

Was going to post this on General but as it is currently invite only + beta it goes here.

 

Google plus is google's latest attempt to beat facebook. Dare I say this is the social networking solution I have been waiting for.

 

 

 

Below is some information about some of their most stand out features.

 

+Circles: share what matters, with the people who matter most

Not all relationships are created equal. So in life we share one thing with college buddies, another with parents, and almost nothing with our boss. The problem is that today’s online services turn friendship into fast food—wrapping everyone in “friend†paper—and sharing really suffers:

It’s sloppy. We only want to connect with certain people at certain times, but online we hear from everyone all the time.

It’s scary. Every online conversation (with over 100 “friendsâ€) is a public performance, so we often share less because of stage fright.

It’s insensitive. We all define “friend†and “family†differently—in our own way, on our own terms—but we lose this nuance online.

In light of these shortcomings we asked ourselves, “What do people actually do?†And we didn’t have to search far for the answer. People in fact share selectively all the time—with their circles.

 

From close family to foodies, we found that people already use real-life circles to express themselves, and to share with precisely the right folks. So we did the only thing that made sense: we brought Circles to software. Just make a circle, add your people, and share what’s new—just like any other day:

 

 

+Hangouts: stop by and say hello, face-to-face-to-face

Whether it's inside a pub or on a front porch, human beings have always enjoyed hanging out. And why not? It's how we unwind, recharge, and spend unscheduled time with old and new friends alike. Hanging out is deceptively simple though, and the nuance gets lost online.

 

Just think: when you walk into the pub or step onto your front porch, you're in fact signaling to everyone around, “Hey, I've got some time, so feel free to stop by." Further, it’s this unspoken understanding that puts people at ease, and encourages conversation. But today’s online communication tools (like instant messaging and video-calling) don’t understand this subtlety:

They’re annoying, for starters. You can ping everyone that’s “available,†but you’re bound to interrupt someone’s plans.

They’re also really awkward. When someone doesn't respond, you don't know if they’re just not there, or just not interested.

With Google+ we wanted to make on-screen gatherings fun, fluid and serendipitous, so we created Hangouts. By combining the casual meetup with live multi-person video, Hangouts lets you stop by when you're free, and spend time with your Circles. Face-to-face-to-face:

 

 

+Huddle

Coordinating with friends and family in real-time is really hard in real life. After all, everyone's on different schedules, in different places, and plans can change at any moment. Phone calls and text messages can work in a pinch, but they're not quite right for getting the gang together. So Google+ includes Huddle, a group messaging experience that lets everyone inside the circle know what's going on, right this second.

 

 

 

 

 

More information on the Official Google blog:

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/introducing-google-project-real-life.html

Edited June 30, 2011 by Ten10
New videos

[Diageo]

I like it already. There's still the problem though that none of my friends are going to be on it ever. They'll never bother leaving facebook and if they do, they'll go on this once and then forget about it.

 

I'm going to try it anyway. Looks nice.

 

Does this mean they'll get rid of Buzz?

[Shorty]

It looks ok, but I can't see that there's enough for the masses to migrate from Facebook. Which is fine, except that if most of your friends aren't going to move over, why would you bother? Access all your friends from one place, or access them all from one place and half of them from another... no point. Facebook overtook Myspace because it had so many great new features - most importantly photo tagging.

 

Also I'm not a big fan of giving everything buzzwords, such as "huddle", "spark", "circle". Sounds like when 30 Rock did their Mybook mockery episode.

 

That said, if anyone has a beta invite, dibs!

[Dog-amoto]

Won't Facebook just end up copying a load of this stuff anyway?

[Ten10]

Won't Facebook just end up copying a load of this stuff anyway?

 

Perhaps they will. Also there are people who have left facebook in the past over privacy concerns. Also I recently read that social networking information can be used by companies to screen potential candidates so if a company gathers that you're a layabout from your facebook updates no interview.

 

Additionally people haven't taken well to big changes in facebook but it does seem that google has cracked the privacy problem facebook has. Many people have been fired from their jobs or destroyed a relationship from the dumb things they post on facebook. Consider the following:

 

 

 

Google+ can stop stupid things like that happening (hopefully, I lost all faith in mankind a long time ago)

 

If you haven't already you can visit the main site and ask for an invite also try out the tour. http://www.google.com/intl/en/+/demo/

[Diageo]

I like the general design, at least from what the tour shows, and the animations. Simple things like just adding people to circles was more fun than just going down the list. I don't like the way facebook organises things, and I don't think the general UI of facebook is nice to look at. So I'm hoping this will be better. I'm also liking the way other google account stuff like Picasa etc. interact with it.

 

What I hate most about the Facebook and that I hope Google+ can rectify, is that whenever someone sends out a group message that includes me in it, there's no way I can get out of it. And I get notifications every time someone responds.

[Sméagol]

Haven’t looked much into it (since it’s invite-based), but I like the sound of it. I hope they manage to make it clutter free. I don’t really use my FB, but if I would, I’d be interested in other people’s real updates, and not the game achievements and funny pictures and the like.

[ReZourceman]

I love that video. Google are so good. Just generally. Especially at adverts.

[Ten10]

I got an invite from someone to join but it still won't let me in. Once I gain access I'll share the love to whoever is interested.

[Wesley]

As long as the circle thing works how I think it does I'm probably going to sign up for this.

 

What I hated about Facebook was it was just this place where all my family, friends, co-workers, course friends etc, just saw the same thing.

 

I really hated that.

 

As if I'd say the same thing to my friend that I would to my Nan...

 

BenTen10 you know I love you.

[Cube]

I got an invite from someone to join but it still won't let me in. Once I gain access I'll share the love to whoever is interested.

 

I'd love one once they re-open.

 

I've already added a +1 button to my work's website. The +1 aspect of it works with a simple Google Profile.

[Shorty]

I got an invite from someone to join but it still won't let me in. Once I gain access I'll share the love to whoever is interested.

I'm definitely interested hence the dibs! Would very much appreciate that when it's opened back up again plstyvm.

[Charlie]

Ten10, have I told you recently that 10 is my favourite number?

[david.dakota]

Does this mean they'll get rid of Buzz?

 

Buzz has always been Google's Twitter, rather than a direct shot at Facebook. Personally, I am not sure where Buzz can go from here. Since the +Project is going to be 'the' place to go, it will seem a bit disjointed sitting there in GMail and since the +Project has its own Stream it mirrors what Buzz does anyway. Despite loving the name Buzz, I suspect it will be quietly forgotten. Its never really got past the PR disaster and monumental fuck up that was launching to all your GMail contacts.

 

The +Project looks great though, a well designed and feature packed service that is not only gunning for Facebook, but sinks it. Facebook works well in what it was originally designed to do - a single circle of friends (college mates), it fails in having multiple groups of friends.

 

Google's big problem here is that it is yet another invite service. This should have been a major launch for Google; but with weeks or even months before a full roll out it could give Facebook the opportunity to pull a few things out of the hat.

[Cube]

I haven't read all that much about Google+ (I'm waiting to try it out myself), but I think I've already experienced quite a large amount of it already. The +1 is the only new thing: the big difference seems to be just a hub page to bring loads of Google's services together. And it's about time because, frankly, it's just a mess.

 

Right now we have:

- Google Homepage

- Google Mail

- Google Calendar

- Google Talk (Text, Voice & Video)

- Google Contacts (with groups)

- Google Buzz (status updates)

- Google Reader (feeds)

- Google Profile

- Google +1 (link recommendations)

- Picasa Web Albums

- YouTube

 

As it strands, most of these are pretty septate. It sounds like Google+ will already incorporate most of those. I wonder if it will also integrate stuff like Docs, Groups, News, Maps/Places and all their other groups (in a way, I suppose Docs already are as you can share documents with groups and stuff).

 

It will also be more successful if people don't need a Google+ account for you to use most of the features with them. The Google Talk in Google+ should work just as well for people using it elsewhere (as they'll still be available from their respected services). And for someone like me who already uses most of the services, it would make sense to use it as a hub even if your friends don't also use it.

 

That's what it should be like, anyway. A multi-media communications hub that allows you to communicate in many different ways that doesn't require all your contacts to have an account.

 

Good syncing (or "cloud storage") with phones would also be a must thing - it already does contacts (and apps allow more), but this makes it really easy to sort out groups. These groups should also work on your phone for texting and stuff*

 

(Of course, I could be completely wrong and it could be a completely enclosed thing and doomed to fail).

 

*I'm well aware that the current Google Contacts and Android does allow for this, but sorting people into groups at the moment is effort.

[Frank]

I love the idea behind this. It really just makes sense. It's just so obvious. It would be easier though if FaceBook would copy them though.

 

I really doubt most (if any) of my friends would switch. Plus, I'm really nosey and I like to know what other people are doing and saying, even if I don't know them that well

[Ten10]

Ok I managed to FINALLY get in. I'll start sending out invites tomorrow as I'm mega tired, but in the mean time you can PM me your email address (recommended) or you can post it in this thread and edit your post later (not recommended.)

 

Also can you guy's confirm when you manage to get in please so I don't keep wondering if they're getting through.

 

Link to the android app apk for unsupported countries: http://db.tt/QYysCZ0

Edited July 1, 2011 by Ten10

[Cube]

Had a quick look around - it looks very nice. The photo album view looks great.

[Wesley]

So far it's really nice.

 

The way you edit your profile and each bit has a simple drop-down letting you define who sees it.

 

Really nice.

 

Before I spend my entire night on this, can someone let me know if people can view the circles you have?

 

Or do they literally just see anything inside that circle (including friends in that circle)?

 

Hoping it's the latter.

 

Also TenTen is a pimp.

[Diageo]

I'm pretty sure the can't see the names of the circles, etc. Just what you share with them.

 

I'm liking it a lot. Waiting for people to add me so I can try more. WINK WINK, someone add me please.

[Wesley]

I have no idea how to actually add people.

 

I've snooped at Tenny10 and Diageo's profile but... there's no... add?

 

Too tired.

[Diageo]

The option to add Ten10 was on the top right for me. Was pretty obvious I thought. :P

[Ike]

I'd like an invite please

[Ten10]

I'd like an invite please

 

PM me your email address.

[Ike]

PM me your email address.

 

PM sent