Monday, August 8, 2011

Google+: A review

Today, I am going to do a quick review of Google+, and mention where I think its strengths and weaknesses are, and where it might be going.  If you aren't familiar, Google+ is the new social media website through Google.  You may have seen the +1 buttons popping up on some of your favorite websites next to the Facebook and Twitter sharing buttons.

Google+ allows you to "follow" people by adding them to circles.  This is kind of cool in itself.  People do not know what circle you add them to, only that you added them.  You can filter the news feed from the people you are following based upon the circles that you have created.

There are basic circles that come created for you, but you could even make a circle "Raving Lunatics" if you would really like, and as such the people you add to it WOULD NOT KNOW that you classified them as raving lunatics.  I find this humorous and quite honestly very useful.


Google+ is very plain and simple, with a little bit of color, but the basic black and white of Google, keeping everything streamlined and basic.  I love this as well.

When you "+1" something, it is added to a list on your personal page.  It doesn't overwhelm your profile, and any posts you make can either be made public, hidden to just your circles, OR the best part, hidden to only specific circles.  Want to post something horribly raunchy and don't want your grandmother to see it?  Hide it from your "family" circle and post it to just your "friends" instead!  Also, people can be added to multiple circles for this purpose, so that it may be a family member, but one that would find your post funny, you can add them to a list that things will be shared with.

Google+ is also interestingly politically correct, having not two but three gender options, adding in the "other" category.  You also are not required to show your gender in your profile if you do not wish to.  This allows for Trans, Androgynous, etc. identified individuals to express themselves as they feel comfortable.

Another cool feature is the "Hangout."  You can have a webcam conference with your friends via Google+, which is just kind of a neat streamlined feature that also has you use Google+ for several different options.  Google Chat is also incorporated into Google+.

My only real issues with Google+ right now is that I don't have a use for it quite yet.  People are still mainly using Facebook and haven't made the switch yet.  It is also a by invitation only standing yet, although you are allowed to send (at least) 150 invites out to friends to get them onto Google+.

I think one other issue is that it's pretty much just Facebook of old, or even Tumblr combined with Twitter and MySpace, but with more privacy.  It's not exactly something new and innovative, other than that they haven't ruined it like Facebook did.  (For further information, Google Mark Zuckerburg's Sister--- we will talk about this at a later date)

If you get an invite to Google+, you might as well try it out for kicks and giggles.  You will probably at least enjoy it and use it periodically.

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