I thought I’d type up some notes after an evening of using Google’s new social network, Google Plus. This is a really big deal, a super ambitious effort involving scores of engineers over months of near total secrecy. The service is really, really well done. Will it be good enough? I have no idea, but I have felt drawn to keep using it all night long.
The fundamental value proposition is around privacy: it’s the opposite of Facebook and Twitter’s universal broadcast paradigm. Google Plus is based on the Google Circles feature, which lets you share and view content to and from explicitly identified groups of your contacts, and no one else. It’s really easy to use and a great feature – but even if you’re communicating out in public, the rest of the service is very well designed, too. This is a smart, attractive, very strong social offering from Google. Below are some notes after a few hours of use.
Google Circles to Challenge Facebook Connect
When asked about a Google Plus API, Google’s Joseph Smarr said the following tonight on the site itself. “Of course, and we’re eager to make the social graph a ‘two-way street’ where you can use your circles to quickly get up-and-running on a new site, but also make new friends on that site and add them to your circles. Lots of details to work through, but the best way to do it is with good agile partners building cool social experiences. ;)”That sounds exactly like Facebook Connect, in particular the get up-and-running quickly on a new site part, and makes sense given the degree to which Plus is understood as a challenge to Facebook generally.
GOOGLE PLUS FEATURING AND FUN!
Big picture take-away: Google has built an attractive, intuitive, intelligent service that’s fun to use and speaks to a deep human need for contextual integrity of communication. There is not just public/private, life is more complex than that. This need, unmet by almost any other social network today, is where Google is aiming to win the hearts of users. The app the company built towards that aim is smooth and pleasing to use.
- The list, group or Circle creation interface is interesting and really easy to use. You drag peoples’ contact cards into big circles at the bottom of the page and those people are added to that group, or Circle. It’s full of fun little animations (try deleting a circle or grabbing multiple contacts) and if there is anything that will make people want to manually organize their contacts, this could be it. This is really important because as I’ve argued for several years, groups are the secret weapon of the social web. Anything that can increase the percentage of social software users who are actively curating dynamic, topical sources is a net win for the web and for the people who use it. List creation on competing services has been a mixed bag. It’s undervalued at Twitter and suffocated on Facebook.
- When hovering over a username, you can see a set of Circle titles that can be checked off to add people to groups as well. It is a shame that there aren’t any recommendations for people that ought to be grouped together automatically into a common Circle. Google could do that, but perhaps like Face Recognition they worried it would set people aBuzz with eerie privacy concerns.
- The ability to toss a contact into a Circle with typing and autocomplete make it even easier to organize contacts.
- Photo sharing is really smooth and easy. The desktop drag and drop uploader is very, very nice. The ability to drag things right into the share box at the top of the newsfeed is nice, too.
- Photo viewing is a little less elegant, but it’s ok.
Above: XKCD tells it like it is.
- The mobile web app is very good, though because of an error right now you can’t moderate comments as promised. That’s how high the expectations are set though!
- The mobile web app makes it easy to check in to locations, though in typical Google style (Plus being a radical departure!) there’s not a lot that happens when you check in.
- Google Plus One buttons off-site don’t flow into Plus one but they probably will in time.
- Circles aren’t public and at launch can’t be. The company says it was concerned about making public/private as clear as possible, but the curation of interesting topical Circles and then subscription to other peoples’ Circles has huge potential. Much like Twitter Lists.
- The Notification and Comments thread drop-down interface that now sits on top of Plus and every other Google web app, from Search to Gmail to Docs, is really nice. It’s ever-present and fully functional. It’s a great way to stay engaged with the service and was a very important addition.
- The Sparks feature, like a topic-based feed reader for keyword search results, is the least developed part of the site so far. Google Reader is so good, this can’t possibly stay so bad for too long. It’s not bad, the user experience is pretty good, but the content is sparse and there doesn’t seem to be as much quality control as there ought to be in what gets displayed. Too few, mediocre news updates on a topic aren’t exciting, but Sparks does make those updates easy to share and discuss.
The end result? So far and on balance, a very compelling experience. Google Plus invites will roll out to users over time, the first stage is being called a Field Test, in which feedback will be collected before expanding participation.
Have you had a chance to use Plus yet? What do you think of it? Can you imagine hundreds of millions of people leaving Facebook for this and sticking with it? That’s a very tall order.
superb … it’s good ..
superb … it’s 2 good..
thank you mary!
Hi, could you invite me to google + ? Thank you!
kboberek[at]gmail.com
It is currently been closed to invite people to Google + by google.
It will reactive in few hours, will send you invite as soon, it reactives..!!
Hey, can I get an invite also? taye_daniels@yahoo.com
“what is it like?”, “facebook!”…. priceless 🙂
Dear Taye,
I will sent to you as well!
It is something more than FB..
Circles are amazing…
Sparkles gives u feed of your particular interests…
You can access youe email while you are on Google +
You can have Hangout (multiple video chat for free)
Also can watch you tube with your friend on video!
And there is lot more… lot more about customization and easier to use…
I just loved it..
It gonna be Addiction… same like https://dfaldu.wordpress.com/2011/05/07/facebook-syndrome-and-hyper-facebooking-challenging-disorders-of-today-tomorrow/
Will send you invite…
Hej…
Could you invite me to goole plus?
Thanks
myvwt1 [at] gmail.com
Dear VWT1,
At moment, google has discontinued inviting process, but as soon they start inviting tab in hew hrs, I will send you invite…!!
Welcome to + life..!!
Thanks I got your invitation 🙂
By the way: I added your blog to my realist 🙂
Can You Invite Me VWT1 my email is bulldog101491@gmail.com
invire me too jesun.rodrigues@gmail.com
invite me plz………
gawasvishnu26@gmail.com
wow!Its an awesome creation……
vl b waiting in anticipation for google+……..
Really it’s superb n i want to join google+ thanks for sharing ur views with us can u send me invitation for google plus my email id is thanki.sagar@gmail.com
Thank you 🙂 send it to tayed83@gmail.com
instead of the yahoo… also, I signed up for your blog!!! awesome stuff!
if you get an invite can you please send me one! bulldog101491@gmail.com
Hi Faldu
Cool review, it seems Google is really on to something big. I would love to try it soon and invite few of my friends to test that group call 🙂
Can you please invite me when they open the invitations again?
At drazen.prastalo@gmail.com
Thanks
Dear Drazen
At moment, google has discontinued inviting process, but as soon they start inviting tab in hew hrs, I will send you invite…!!
Welcome to + life..!!
Hi Faldu, did you send me an invitation or you have just shared your status with me? Is that enough? Because I still can’t register. 😦
You will see JOIN GOOGLE PLUS on That Email, Press that!
wow dude nice review cud u pls send me an invite fr google pls too as soon as it starts again my id is namitjuneja@in.com
Could you invite me to google plus?
Thanks
ptdimitry [at] gmail.com
Hi, Cool review,
could you invite me to google + ?
Thank you!
Cool Post, Thank you.
Could you invite me to google + ? Thank you!
thierrynischi [at] gmail.com
Great article!
Could you invite me to google+?
Thank you ! Plz plz plz!
Hi, all..!
As soon google opens up invitation again, I will send invitation to all of you, till than I may share a post with you all, this evening, so you all can have glimpses of Google +
Will welcome you all on google plus soon!
Your too Nice! Jeezth!!! by the way send me an invite bulldog101491@gmail.com
Please send an invitation to me.
My mail id: arunsenthild@gmail.com
invite pls thascorpio@gmail.com
Please invite me – gurdeep.pruthi@gmail.com
Thanks in advance.
Please invite me – gurdeep.pruthi@gmail.com
Thanks luoihocbk@gmail.com
Hi,
If any invites left with you, could you please send me one. Mail Id is in required field.
Thanks in advance.
hey saw your post on another wordpress blog, could you hook me up with an invite?
thanks
simon@cloudmonkeys.be
s you may know, At moment, google has discontinued inviting process, but as soon they start inviting tab in hew hrs, I will send you invite…!!
Welcome to + life..!!
Please send Invitation to me. Thanks
Hi all,
At moment, google has discontinued inviting process, but as soon they start inviting tab in hew hrs, I will send you invite…!!
Welcome to + life..!!
there seems to be a loophole, could you try and mention me in a comment ? pieterjannes at gmail.com
I tried that.. it is not working… in that case you only get single post notification in mail id! Will send invite as soon it reopens!
According to other sources there is a button to reply an in that proces one should be able to subscribe,
if that is not possible, an invite would be splendid 🙂
https://twitter.com/#!/senaia1
this guy got it to work, can we just try?
of course we can try, i am right away putting a post with your email! Lets try luck!
Glorious succes, i’m in 🙂
Will be happy to mention some people and try the same
now let me invite others as well…
i want if u hav a spare 1….!!!!!!!!! thx in advance gawasvishnu26@gmail.com
sir..iam excited..plz send me the invitation…plzzz….kris1235813@gmail.com
thanks in advance…
can you invite me or do the loophole please!! bulldog101491@gmail.com greatly appreciated!
please, an invite to me too:
m4ss.misc@gmail.com
You really made me curious about the whole Google+ thing! Nice review!
If you could send me an invite I would be very happy! Cheers
klotesigninlaptop@gmail.com
Hello D Faldu,
If it re-opens may i ask you an invitation as well?
yann.moren@googlemail.com
Thanking you!
Hi there, can you send me an invite of Google+
Thanx – Nasir
nasirsidiki@gmail.com
I JUST INVITED FIRST LOT OF PEOPLES. IF YoU GOT INVITE, LET ME KNOW HERE, SO I CAN APPROVE FROM ACCEPT, ON GOOGLE +….
Be Fast.. I have limited time..!
I got your invitation, and replied as it was written in the email. Is that it? Do I have to do anything else?
Hi, could you invite me to google Plus
Hi, could you invite me to google plus !!!
What’s up dude, second lot is desperately waiting for your invite, please – 🙂
Thanx – Nasir
nasirsidiki@gmail.com
Hey faldu please send me your invitation for google plus my id is
Saurab.27@gmail.com
I wilk help u out in your work
Thank you
i want if u hav a spare 1!!!!!!!!! thx in advance gawasvishnu26@gmail.com
Could you send me an invitation as well? Thank you!
klaszlo975@gmail.com
Please can you send me an invitation please?
tereza.hrdli@gmail.com
thank you! I got my invite @ tayed83@gmail.com
Thanks, man!
Really appreciate it.
Hi could you invite me to google + please
Please send Invitation to me 🙂 🙂
philipprammos[at]gmail.com
Hi, could you invite me to google +, please
harisudhakar@gmail.com
Hello! Please, could you invite me to Google Plus?
aledelucchi [AT] gmail. com
Hi could someone please invite me to Google+, thanks
velvetdesignuk@googlemail.com
Invite please! Marfresa1 gmail. Thank you!
It is kind of you to send me an invitation of google plus. My email is: lam.thanh.son[at]gmail.com
Could you send me an invitation as well? Thank you!
istvan.pocs@gmail.com
I need a G+ invitation so badly …
Please please me! 🙂
Hi. I’d love an invite
alex.localx@gmail.com
Thanks!
Need an invitation……Can’t wait to see d homepage of the G+
Could you send me the invitation. sakthi.wifi@gmail.com
hi,
i’d like an invitation too, please 🙂
stoffel667 at googlemail.com
thx!
hey nice reviews!!
could you send me an invitation
at sunny.behl88@gmail.com
Hi! Compliments for the blog!
Can you invite me?
My contact is raffaeleabate@gmail.com
Thank you so much!!!
–Raffaele
Hi, could you invite me to Google+ 🙂 at tranduyloc@gmail.com.
Thanks.
Very nice!!!
Can you invite me?? I really want invitation eng.bmonteiro@gmail.com
Thanks!!
hi…cud u invite me plz..at kris1235813@gmail.com
This is great! I can’t wait to leave Facebook! Can you send me an invitation please! michelle_ctt@hotmail.com
Thanks!
Hey, thanks for such a nice post about Google plus. I would really love to join, please send me invitation….. shary_a12@hotmail.com … Please please I would really be thankful to you……….
Heyyyy D Faldu. Could you invite me as well. Thanks 🙂
dexfx777@gmail.com
hi i’d like to try out the new awesome gg+ too!! would appreciate if you could send invitation to lkmtri@gmail.com. Thanks a bunch:)
Hello, could you give me an invite? 🙂
Thank you very much 🙂
szym1991 [at] gmail.com
plaese invite me
eladzazon(AT)gmail.com
Please send an invitation to me.
galdiorrus@gmail.com
Thanks in advance ^^
hiiiii………………..D Faldu………….
i’m too much interested to join it………please…..please…..send me an invitation……!!!!
i will be very thankful to you………..!!!!!!!!!!
please send me………
and ofcourse thanks a lot in advance………!!!!!!!!!!!!!
my id : raushanpd@gmail.com
Plz give me an invitation.
abhishek2luv@gmail.com
Thanxxxx.
nishantgup@gmail.com plaese send me an invitation too……
Please invite me: mrgorotest@gmail.com
Please send an invitation for me also. Thanks a bunch- kunalapavan@gmail.com
Could i get an invitation:
Mohammed.iliass.semmar@gmail.com
Hey can u invite me pls?
Thanks gr8 post
dpointk at yahoo.com
Invite me ? Pls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
stefli.litao@gmail.com
stefli.litao@gmail.com
stefli.litao@gmail.com
stefli.litao@gmail.com
Hi Faldu,
brilliant post , any chance you got an invitation left? My email addres is javed2[@]gmail.com
Hey Faldu, please could you send me invite at maheshksp@gmail.com.
See you on You+.
Thanks,
Mahesh.
Hey Faldu, please could you send me invite at huda.khirudin@gmail.com
hey i need an invite at “iamtheone.hrsht@gmail.com”
Hi all, Sorry to make you all Long wait…
But now I am about to send second lot of invites… To get invite mail me on dharmeshpharm@gmail.com with your name and profession and location…
I will start sending invites soon.. mail me as soon!
Please Can i get an invite too
rinuboney@gmail.com
please…………
SUBSCRIBE MY BLOG TO GET INVITE..!!
I have subscribed, I also need an invitation, Pardhu42@gmail.com..
Thank you Dharmesh
subscribe to ur blog.
please send invite
eng.kevin@gmail.com
Im subscribed to your blog, please, please send an invite. Marfresa1@gmail.com. Thank you!
please visit the following blog entry for getting Google Plus Invitation
http://skhan86.blogspot.com/2011/06/google-plus-new-era-in-social.html
broda i ve subscribed ur blog … get meinvitation here …. 4k4shukl4@gmail.com
WELCOME ALL SUBSCRIBERS TO GOOGLE +…!!
I just sent invite to all subscribers..!! Dont forget to add me there!!
Please send me an invite !!! bulldog101491@gmail.com
Hey, awesome review. That really makes me want to join as well.
If you could please invite me: svenkkoepke [at] googlemail.com
Sent u an email already. Nice job!
I’d like an invite,
alice.gg@gmail.com
Thanks in advance 🙂
pyschender@gmail.com thank you so much
Could you please invite me? Ahmed.mandoub@live.com
Nice post…
Could you please invite daniel.art.1981@gmail.com? Many thanks in advance.
Hey please invite me to google plus
mY EMAIL IS nikhil@baggas.in
Pls send me 1 invite. Thank you. magicstone1412@yahoo.com
Very good read! My ID is mosaicmovement
Hi Faldu!..
Please send request to my ID also (raamssk@gmail.com)..
Thanks in Advance…..wl catch in google community.
Nice review
Google + is going to be SWEET!
Would love an invite blake.papera@gmail.com
plz send me google plus invite…….!!!!!!!!
sidforever512@gmail.com
please send me an invitation, i love the idea about Circles.
gsps.the.west@gmail.com
Nice…..
can u send me an invitation in Google plus…..
regilr@gmail.com
Funny cartoon lol
Could you send me an email? Drizzyyyy@gmail.com
Nice 🙂 realy liked it dude..
Could you please invite me to googleplus as well
Invite me at koolriderzs@gmail.com
Excellent blog! But I’d love to try it out for myself. I would very much appreciate an invite! Thanks… my google account is: limadiva.rocks@gmail.com
Just subscribed to the blog, Wouldn’t mind an invitation if you have one. Thanks in advance
Adil.Benaidy@gmail.com
plizzzzzzzz send me the invide dude plizzzzzzzzzzz
Nice blog. Just signed up for it. Also need an invitation to google plus. Please if it’s possible: s.bidasaria@gmail.com.
hey there,
if u cud send me an invite.. thanks in advance 🙂
pranavchimulkar@ gmail.com
Photography page : facebook.com/pixelcanvas
Please invite me to Google+ Thanks from now, ezombie14@gmail.com
will you please send me an invite ive been wanting to test the new google plus for awhile, from one google lover to another?
jbcmason@gmail.com
can I get the invite please… vikas.kasture@gmail.com…
Thanks
Can you Invite ME bulldog101491@gmail.com
dear plx plx plx plx can you send me a google+ invitation plx im dying to get it plx plx
dear plx plx plx plx can you send me a google+ invitation to aushan69@hotmail.com plx im dying to get it plx plx
omg!! finally met some one who have got google + , wow!! can you please please send me the invitation to dreamoverwokeup06062011@hotmail.com
thanks,
hey dude can u please send me an invite jesun.rodrigues@gmail.com thanks
Hey I was wondering if I could have an invite for google + , I would greatly appreciate it. Gmail : ryanakaminski@gmail.com
Hey, I sure would like an Invite. Thank You!
Hey, Can u plz send me an invite?
archie10101@gmail.com
Cheers!
hey could you please invite me to google +
magestic1995@gmail.com
Thanks
hey..:) 🙂 plz snd meh d invitation to… himanshi26sharma@gmail.com
thnkxz…:) 🙂
if u can invite me @ ravs4jan@gmail.com, that would be great .
Thanks
hey plz send me an invite to x3reme85@gmail.com thanks…!!! 🙂
I am now on Google+
can you send me an invite please arnoldajohn@gmail.com
Well i have collected 20 PLUS Points about google plus ,you will really enjoy reading it…
can i have an invitation ? piloiu.marius@gmail.com
Please send me an invitation to-
zakmoni@gmail.com
Best regards, Zakaria
Hi it would be super cool if someone could send me an invite to Google+ Thank you!
to here : androssimon@citromail.hu thanks
Can you please invite me at ircmicks@gmail.com ?
Can you send invitation for Google plus to luka.dimitrijevic@hotmail.rs ?
Hallo Sir, could you invite me to google + ? Thank you!
my email id: shahsachinshah@gmail.com
hi there,
can you please give me an invite?
thanx a lot in advance.
email: bigbangben@gmail.com
hey dharmesh,
could you just drop in a invite for me at sfr.farees@yahoo.in
regards-
farees
Hi Teddy,
Can you please sent invitation to a.joshi08@yahoo.in
Hi Teddy,
Can you please send invitation to a.joshi08@yahoo.in
Hey there, would you kindly send me an invitation?
danniel.moore@gmail.com (:
Thanks in advance.
I would like an invite if you still have one
Fear125@gmail.com
Thanks
would you mind inviting me to join google plus, I have been trying for days with no avail. I understand you have no reason to invite me, but maybe you could be so kind to invite me.
Facebook: Robert Senese
email:Robertjsenese@gmail.com
Thank you for considering me
I would like an invite if you still have one please
a.sashikanth@gmail.com
Nice buddy…….plz send me the invite….!!!:-|
hy dude supa profile!!!!!!!!!
can u invite me plzzz……!!!!!!!!
😀
i m a fb addict n it seems dat dis social syt is also gr8!!!!!!
plz
Hi, cool stuff, can you invite me please?
thanks
Hey Dharmesh hope you’re doing good….If possible please send me an invite for Google+ on jacob.minus@gmail.com….Thanks!
could you send me an invite?
deraj.enot@gmail.com
Hi ! Could I have an Invite too, please?
sumitpalit@gmail.com
rated with 5 stars 🙂 awesome post.. can u please invite me please? moses-andreas@hotmail.com
i love beta testings and everything
hey dude………….
a gr8 blog.
pls do invite me to plus at devilkills@gmail.com
REGARDS
RAHUL THAHRYANI