Google’s done it! Our initial foray into Google+ feels like they may just beat Facebook at it’s own game.
Sick of trying to wade through the ever-changing Facebook privacy setting? Wondering, after years of use, why you ever allowed Tim from high school full access to your profile?
Welcome to Google+, Google’s answer to Facebook. Now you can start from scratch, and, this time, do it “right”.
Google+ allows you to friend others and categorize them as you always should have: Friends, Fake Friends, People You Don’t Care About.
Okay, we’re kidding, but you now can literally, drag, users into groups (called circles) that determine how much access they get to your information. Facebook also allows you to do this, but with your daunting number of accumulated friends, being selective is just too much of a task. Google+ even prompts you to choose which friends to share with when you upload information (which you can do instantly as a user of Google+). This means that instead of taking an album of photos or videos and having to go through the process of taking them off your phone and sending them to your account, Google+ does this for you automatically. All you have to do is let them know you’re okay with your family and co-workers seeing it.
You’ll find other similarities as well: You can still “like” things, only this function has been turned into a +.
The profile and newsfeed user interface are almost exactly the same. You can put in your interests and receive “sparks” related to stuff you truly do want to know about” not the newsfeed of what your ex ate for breakfast with the new mate.
You can also virtually hang out with your friends via chat and now, video.
Now, here’s something we really love: Trying to organize a real-life meeting between friends or business associates? Google+ allows you to turn a conversation with multiple people into one simple “huddle” — a group chat where you can all decide on a good time for the movie or meeting” straight onto your phone.
Now that Google’s got us going, don’t delete that Facebook account just yet. Google+ is in its invitation-only stages. This means you may have to patiently wait on an invite from tech-savvy friends, who are, no doubt, among those granted first dibs.
Watch out Facebook! There’s a new social network in town, and this one just may have nailed it … We hope so anyway.
Stay tuned as we delve deeper into Google+.
Modesta and Harriett@snoety.com
