Hey there media junkies. This past week I was invited by a family member to join the Google+ Project. There is no denying that its purpose is still shrouded by Facebook, however, it has many “pluses” … that could very well be the endgame to Facebook. First, I will say that with every new social platform comes the inevitable “how am I supposed to use it” mindset. No matter how savvy anyone is with technology, it always feels like the developers designed it for aliens. This is typical because we are always used to what is front of us (Twitter, Facebook, Youtube etc etc). The inept feeling never goes away until whatever is being used is used more and more. Upon signing up on Facebook nearly seven years ago, before anyone could sign up, I thought it was a more impersonal Myspace. As the years went on and as Myspace fell into obscurity, I began to understand Facebook's purpose and draw. The networking was why people cared. This correlation dawned upon me while I was finishing design school and cemented even further in my brain as I began to look for work after. Google+ takes the network, among other things like Twitter's constant feed, and shaves off the fat.
I have nearly 3,000 unread mail messages on my Facebook page— yes, it seems excessive. Though I glance at every one, there is nothing that I can do to combat the incoming mortar shells as I call them. Spamming my inbox with event notifications, invites to join their pages, and upcoming parties in cities I've never been to are just some of topics in these messages. Google+ tries to categorize these messages by placing the people you follow into circles. Say you want to only add people from work into one circle, create a circle named WORK, and only add work people in it. The advantage to these different circles is to inhibit the information you send out to specific groups of people. Unlike Facebook's Lists, which failed miserably at this, Google streamlines the process into a few single clicks or drags. In addition, the circles people create also helps to bring only the information that is pertinent to that circle to you. In the case of the WORK circle, people may post work related info and that information is only shown to you in that specific feed, instead of posting things to an all-in-one feed like Facebook, which everyone sees.
Circles is just the first leap forward. The second is their video chat section called “Hangouts.” A few weeks after Google+ first debuted, Facebook announced its new video chat feature. It was not long after, that G+ rolled out its slap into the Book's face. Hangouts works like this: the user clicks the Hangouts tab on the right side of their profile and it shows them which of their friends are “hanging out”. They can begin chatting with them, much like Facebook chat or iChat or AIM, except through a video feed. Fancy…we know…except, up to ten of your friends can join in and basically video conference with you…It gets better…Unlike Facebook's video chat, which requires one to actually make a call, Hangouts is an online feed.
There are some other interesting things about G+, one of those is the +1 feature. This is basically a means to tally up what you “like” on the web. Example: if I find a link to some cool tech article or tech site, I may click the +1 (if it has a +1 button on the site). This will show up in my +1 tab on my profile. It is up to me who can see my +1 tab on my profile. It may only be my design circle who would enjoy it, so I can allow only them to see it. This helps others find stuff they may like via my +1 tab, as well as keeps a record of stuff you find and may reference down the road. Sparks is another smart way to add meaningful things or interests to your 'feed' and an easy way to stay current with these interests. Much like +1, Google keeps track of them. You can remove or add as many sparks as you prefer or search other interests and strike up new conversations with people who have the same interests. Its a clean way to stay up on your favorite things online and in your personal life.
I am still getting used to G+, but I find it fun and new, just like Facebook and Myspace and Twitter were at first. Of course Google knows its faults and is changing them as we speak. This platform is still a beta version, so as the weeks roll on, the new and improved will become old and used, making way for the newer and more improved to take its place. It has potential for dethroning Facebook, but only if the masses take a liking to it. Although, I don't think it is a replacement— yet. It may be another social media trashbin that Myspace has turned into or another attempt at what Google Wave was, but it is really only another aspect of what Google does. Just like Google Maps changed the way we find our way, they have provided another information gateway. They, and we as a culture understand that social media is a driver of this. So go sign up, anyone with a Google account can now do so!
