Finally, Google seems to have something which can now challenge titan of Social Media – Facebook. Today Google has unveiled Google+, a much ambitious project for the company which transforms all of search engine into one giant social network.
Let by company’ vice president –social – Vic Gundotra, it took almost a year for Google to launch any such service after the bad show of “Buzz”. Infact the desperation was so high that Google CEO – Larry Page – has connected this year’s employee bonus directly with the company’s performance in social media space.
A deep inside-analysis of Google’s new ‘social baby’ took some time, though, but outcome is quite impressive in many aspects of overall project. I personally feel that if driven and market in a proper direction, Google+ will have ‘thumbs up’ from avid social media users and analysts.
However, deep inside the heart, Google+ is a social network with some twist and intelligence. Though, sections of Google+ are identical to Facebook features like News & events, Notifications and multimedia sharing but the functionality and algorithm seems to be more robust and inspiring.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwnJ5Bl4kLI
Circles+
This is the heart of much-anticipated Google+. And, that’s why company has diverged focus on this section compare to Facebook. Apparently, it’s a subset of your massive social network where you can categorize your network based on various social groups. To accomplish this target, company use the system called Circles.
Seems to target Facebook Share, Google has, intelligently, divided the sharing feature based on “what matters to whom” basis. Gundorta, explains that in a human life, person comes across various activities at every regular time period but don’t share the same with everyone he is connected. Priorities with friends are always be different than parents, so with wife and then towards children.
Google+ Circle is an attempt to overcome that obstacle. Users can form various Circles based on social groups like friends, family, classmate, colleague and other custom needs. Their network connects will need to be connected with relative Circle to have far better responsive communication and interaction over social network. It seems to be an extension of Facebook’s Share feature.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeMZP-oyOII
Sparks+
This is like self-feeder from Google based on your interest. No matter what’s going on in the world and which act is creating buzz around the globe, this section will always be feeding you with something related to your interest but from all aspects.
The ultimate goal is to self-serve users interesting content in-line with their interest from all Google product/services and friends cube. Somehow it resembles the “List” feature of twitter where people can make various lists based on their choice and see the related information from all source of connect.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRkAdTflltc
Hangouts+
Trust, this one is going to be interesting. And, I am in complete agreement with Google for their thought process behind such module. Instead of mixing various topics in group chat, Hangout+ allows you to form a desired char room based on your interest and invite friends to join if they have any interest – at that particular time in that particular topic.
It happened to me as an immediate comparison with Facebook Chat feature where users need to be available to all their friends and be ready to get bugged up with chat spams to topic they don’t want to participate or they will have to pull down the shutter of chat windows completely.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tku1vJeuzH4
Mobile+
Obviously, Google can’t afford to neglect such important aspect of social network, especially when mobile industry is witnessing explosive growth and mobile devices have become part of life for almost every person.
To give more personalized experience of Google+, company has integrated many features with mobile functionality. Whenever you use your mobile to click it will automatically be added to your private album on cloud and will be available be available on your device. Whenever you will login to Google+ from your system, it reminds you to have a look on auto-uploaded snaps only to make it public or share with selected friends only if you wish to do so.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y_xKVSRAy8
Similarly, Google is also trying to capitalize on the location based services with Huddle+. Conversation becomes more interactive when you know whereabouts of your connect. An auto update about your current location with every post makes your friends to act in more responsive and effective manner. But, ultimately it’s upto you to decide if you want to be selective with such feature.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA22daAstNg
Final Verdict
All-an-all Google+ seems an impressive launch by Google after long time. I can only recall about failed initiative by Google in last couple of year after YouTube which is still the most successful service in its own space – but not developed by Google.
Also, it will be interesting to see how far people can adopt Google’ new baby and at what cost – will users ditch Facebook or take it as another social networking site. I am quite confident that Google don’t want people to opt Google+ with latter scenario. If Google need to come over Facebook it will be only at the cost of competition.
With the launch of Google+, company has fueled the social media space and it would be interesting to see how Facebook reacts to Google’s new initiative. Surely, coming weeks are going to hold the success keys – atleast for Google.
Google+ has been rolled out to only to a set of very few selective users but you can send you request to join it from here. At this point, I am only expecting that it will not turn out another Gmail launch when craze was so hyped that users started selling their Gmail accounts for $50 on eBay!
really cool!