Introducing the Google+ Project

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Google has announced the Google+ Project on the company blog today. In addition to the announcement, the search giant has posted a handful of videos explaining the new social networking project as well. To get you started, we've embedded the first video below.
 
That looks pretty cool actually. Now with that said initiate the nerd rage about social media.
 
i like the circles, i dont use facebook that much because if i post something everyone see's it
 
Using expanded SMS/MMS smartphone features as an attack vector on Facebook? Interesting. It may have a chance of working in the long term, but only if it's more polished than their usual releases are. If they release it slowly as an under-featured limited access beta, it'll fall on it's face.
 
lilfiend said:
i like the circles, i dont use facebook that much because if i post something everyone see's it
Click to expand...

Actually, Facebook has 'groups', too, which lets you set a number of different levels of sharing. And when you post updates - click that little 'lock' icon and you can set who sees it (default options are 'friends only', 'friends of friends', or 'customize'...which actually lets you specify specific people, by name, to include or to block from a specific status update)

So...basically, everything Google is showing here is already in Facebook. I suppose it's not as obvious, though. And it would be handy to be able to specifically include/exclude entire groups from posts, like you can with update types, image galleries, etc.

Google's problem is - how do you compete with something hundreds of millions of people already use? It's the same issue Microsoft has with Bing. It's a great search engine, but Google is ubiquitous, so...

(At least MS can 'force' Bing into areas...their mobile devices use it by default, their OS and browsers use it by default, etc. Users can change the defaults, of course, but many don't - and some may start using it because it's a default...and decide they like it enough to keep. That's largely what has given Microsoft the limited success they've HAD with Bing. How is Google going to push their social media thing vs Facebook, when their major 'product' is just a single box on a big, white, page for a search engine?)
 
Reading further....

- Google's "Sparks" is a good idea. Probably the best idea in this whole thing, and if it DOES take off, it'll probably be because of this. This appears to have the potential of giving everyone their own personal [H] forum of all their favorite content, discus things across channels, etc. Potentially. This has promise.

- Google's "Hangouts" = chat roulette. With all that entails. *cough* balls *cough*

- The mobile stuff. I'm not sure - maybe this is just a generational thing? Or are people in California really like that? I'm never just 'hanging around' waiting to see what is going on. I've got things to do. Always. I'm usually booked solid with tasks, events, even gaming, WEEKS in advance. And so is everyone I know! (Actually, those with kids even moreso) I can't fathom just sitting around, serendipitously seeing a friend is at a nearby pub, and arranging to 'get the group together' to hang out at short notice. Totally impossible.
 
dderidex said:
Reading further....


- Google's "Hangouts" = chat roulette. With all that entails. *cough* balls *cough*
Click to expand...

From what I gathered, it isn't random, but with people you know. So I don't think you'll see too much of that, and even if it wasn't, if chat roulette can write a penis detection algorithm, I'm sure google could write a "he's starting to take his pants off algorithm" so we won't even have to see it :D.

Also, I think this is trying to differentiate itself from facebook as a more personal, friends you talk to all the time social network. Facebook is kind of like that, but I'd say 90% of people's friends are random acquaintances that they don't even remember, or people from high school that they haven't spoken with in person since they graduated. Though, I suppose it could also turn into that, but it seems like they're trying to market it the other way.
 
I hate how they have to go through a monologue every time they list a feature.

Just tell me what it does so I don't have to waste my time.
 
Looks like a good alternative to Facebook and integrates already with Android nicely and soon iOS.
Might give me a huge reason to finally shut down my Facebook.
 
I loathe Facebook (and don't use it, trying to get the wife to quit) since every day you have to check your privacy settings to see what they fucked you on during the night.

This Google+ looks interesting. I'll wait to see if it is something I want to use to some degree in the future. If Google doesn't try to impose their will on users privacy like Facebook does I could see myself using it.
 
theDreamer said:
Looks like a good alternative to Facebook and integrates already with Android nicely and soon iOS.
Might give me a huge reason to finally shut down my Facebook.
Click to expand...

I would move to this in a heart beat since I have a lot of android devices already, would make my life easier. Plus it seems easy to integrate and use making a seemless transition for most users.
 
dderidex said:
Google's problem is - how do you compete with something hundreds of millions of people already use? It's the same issue Microsoft has with Bing. It's a great search engine, but Google is ubiquitous, so...
Click to expand...

Are you serious? I can never seem to find what I want as quickly on Bing as I do on Google. Even when typing in something simple or complex, Google seems to find the answers I'm looking for. Weather is be HTML or "How to change my transmission fluid." I get completely different results. I've also noticed that Google like to scan forums a lot while Bing trys to find websites that have what I'm looking for.

I consider the Bing commercials to point at itself rather than point at Google.
 
Blown 89 said:
Thankfully it's nothing like that :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

How's that automatic face tagging without your permission working out for you? How about any of the other privacy issues Shitbook...errr Facebook has defaulted to on for you without your permission?

That's what I'm talking about. New functionality should not be on be default and I'll say the same for Google+. New functionality should be opt-in, not opt-out.
 
The 500,000 Android activations per day and assumed seamless integration with said OS projected on 40% of smartphones by year end this would appear to be a Facebook killer if executed properly. I can see it happening. Facebook is long overdone and quite honestly just looks.....junior if nothing else. It's the kids version of what Google+ might be.
 
So another social network launched by Google, eh? How long till this one fails like the others that came before it?

I don't mind someone giving Facebook a run for their money (sadly, I don't think Diaspora will provide that kind of challenge as much as I want it too) but clearly Google is too inept at Social Networking to get it to work.
 
When have they ever tried in earnest though? If it happened and I missed it it wasn't a real effort. They also did not have the market saturation through Android that they have now. If you take 40% of smartphone users and give them an easy to use well integrated social network already in their pocket that offers some new features without slamming you with the crap Facebook does....then this time it should be a hit.
 
I like some of these new features... I wonder how long until they make their way over to facebook as well. Although I use FB for school, I hate it, and I don't post much simply because I don't need every one of my "friends" (who aren't actually "friends"- they are classmates or acquaintances) to see what I've posted.
 
Looks like another failed project by Google.

We don't need more social networks, we need something new.
 
Oh geez. Enough with these garbage Google. Try fixing your Google Maps and Google Chrome. Nobody is looking for second or 3rd best. They need to get their act together because all their stuff are mediocre at best. The only thing I use from them is Google Search Engine.
 
Solidstate89 said:
So another social network launched by Google, eh? How long till this one fails like the others that came before it?

I don't mind someone giving Facebook a run for their money (sadly, I don't think Diaspora will provide that kind of challenge as much as I want it too) but clearly Google is too inept at Social Networking to get it to work.
Click to expand...

The difference is the previous attempt, was one dept working on a social networking idea

This attempt is all of google, every department, working together on a huge project. I even recall reading here on [H] earlier in the year that google was basing employee bonuses this year on how well they do in social network market, which even more so gives fuel to the fire to create a facebook killer.
 
its a "like" button but incorporates with google anything, smart marketing...
 
ASIA911 said:
Try fixing your Google Maps and Google Chrome.
Click to expand...

What's wrong with Maps and Chrome? Regardless, I'm pretty sure they have enough engineers to work on more than 2 things.

Nobody is looking for second or 3rd best. They need to get their act together because all their stuff are mediocre at best. The only thing I use from them is Google Search Engine.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure they aren't trying to be second or 3rd best, but *THE* best. Also, why are you missing out on awesome things like gmail, android, maps, docs, etc...?
 
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bacon said:
That looks pretty cool actually. Now with that said initiate the nerd rage about social media.
Click to expand...

thanks of the giggle, can't stop the hate at facebook tho.
i don't care for social media nor do i use it.
having said that, if we must have it (social media), i hope this google variant succeeds if only to devalue facebook in irrelevance.

i dunno where this irrational hatred comes from but zuckerburg, you're a arse-clown.
 
I hope no one switches.

Vermillion said:
How's that automatic face tagging without your permission working out for you? How about any of the other privacy issues Shitbook...errr Facebook has defaulted to on for you without your permission?

That's what I'm talking about. New functionality should not be on be default and I'll say the same for Google+. New functionality should be opt-in, not opt-out.
Click to expand...

No, they should be opt-out. 95% of users are not paranoid enough to care, 99% of users are too lazy to choose, and the feature works better if more people are using it.

(hint: a picture of you is just as incriminating without a tag, your friends can tag you as easily as an automated program, you get notified every time you're tagged)
 
HOCP4ME said:
No, they should be opt-out. 95% of users are not paranoid enough to care, 99% of users are too lazy to choose, and the feature works better if more people are using it.

(hint: a picture of you is just as incriminating without a tag, your friends can tag you as easily as an automated program, you get notified every time you're tagged)
Click to expand...

While I can see your logic and actually agree with you, then is that feature that important? Also, if your news feed is supposed to be giving you the news that matters as pertains to your facebook, would it be that hard for them to say "Hey, we turned on this new feature and we think you will love it. If you want to turn it off click here"

I would prefer to make most of these new features that involve sharing things about you to be opt in. Let the popularity/usefulness of the feature be what carries its adoption. Maybe then we could reduce the number of enable/disable options within privacy. If no one uses the feature, take it offline and rework it and make it something people want.

I hope Google plus works out. I will join about as soon as I can and I will probably be the only one from my FB friends list to do so. That is the main problem here. To people who have a facebook profile there is little reason to set up a new profile on a new service. I know they will mine the shit out of my information, but I still trust Google more than FB to have that information.
 
Vermillion said:
How's that automatic face tagging without your permission working out for you?
Click to expand...
Automatic face tagging doesn't identify you or link to your account. It's simply their software's way of recognizing if there's a face in the photo just like every point and shoot camera on the market. In the end I have control of which photos are linked to me. What other parts of the sky are falling in your life?
 
Holy shit, I just realized that consumer cameras have face tagging........we're all DOOOOOOOMED!
 
Starbuccaneers said:
hopefully google learned their mistakes from Buzz...
Click to expand...
When I saw this this morning my thoughts were exactly along these lines.

If at first you don't succeed, try try again. It's not like Google was going to give up, and I'm sure they have accurately calibrated the collective memory and attention span of the internet by now, so the timing should be pretty good (summertime beta, get the kids with time off into it and hopefully pull in their friends when school starts back up in fall).
 
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