Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Anakha56 »

http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2011/06 ... ocial.ars/
Inside Google+: how the search giant plans to go social
By Steven Levy, wired.com | Published about an hour ago

Today, Google, the world’s largest search company, is formally making its pitch to become a major force in social networking. The product it’s announcing is called Google +, and observers might wonder whether it’s simply one more social effort by a company that has had a lousy track record in that field to date.

Parts of it certainly seem to appear similar to what we've seen before. One significant component is a continuous scroll called "the Stream" that's an alternative to Facebook's news feed, a hub of personalized content. It has a companion called "Sparks," related to one's specified interests. Together they are designed to be a primary attention-suck of Google users—Google hopes that eventually people will gravitate to the stream in the same way that members of Facebook or Twitter constantly check those continuous scrolls of personalized information.

The second important app is Circles, an improved way to share information with one's friends, family, contacts, and the public at large. It's a management tool that's a necessary component of any social network—a way to organize (and recruit) fellow members of the service.

But as I learned in almost a year of following the project's development, with multiple interviews with the team and its executives, Google+ is not a typical release. Developed under the codename Emerald Sea, it is a result of a lengthy and urgent effort involving almost all of the company's products. Hundreds of engineers were involved in the effort. It has been a key focus for new CEO Larry Page.

The parts announced Tuesday represent only a portion of Google's plans. In an approach the company refers to as "rolling thunder," Google has been quietly pushing out pieces of its ambitious social strategy—there are well over 100 launches on its calendar. When some launches were greeted by yawns, the Emerald Sea team leaders weren't ruffled at all—lack of drama is part of the plan. Google has consciously refrained from contextualizing those products into its overall strategy.

That will begin now, with the announcement of the two centerpieces of Google+. But even this moment—revealed in a blog post that marks the first limited "field tests" outside the company—will be muted, because it marks just one more milestone in a long tough slog to remake Google into something more "people centric."

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After reading this I am so wanting to use this. This sounds awesome... :)
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/28/goog ... -hands-on/
Google+ invite received, we go hands-on
By Brian Heater posted Jun 28th 2011 8:06PM

It's hard to argue with Google's track record. The company has scored a hit in nearly every space in which it's dabbled: search, email, ads, office software, etc. There's always been one glaring exception to this rule, however: social networking. The company hasn't made much of a dent in a world dominated by Facebook (and, once upon a time, MySpace and Friendster). For Google+, however, the company dove in with both feet, launching a multi-faceted service that brings a lot to the table with features like Circles, Hang Out, and Huddle. Is it enough to end the Google's streak? We take a deeper dive to find out.

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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by ryanrich »

Sounds good so far yeah, can't wait to try it out. Hopefully they've learned their lessons from the abominations that were Buzz and Wave... :lol:
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Synthesis »

Yes, +1. I'm really enjoying the tours and info. They are marketing it well so as long as the final product has the ideas implemented flawlessly I think they are really going to give facebook a run for their money.

I can't wait to put my wife into a different circle so I can finally start posting photo's of those hot chicks in bikinis to make my colleagues jealous. :twisted:
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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BWHAHA, awesome. I'm borrowing it.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Ron2K »

Anyone with invites, feel free to throw one this way. Really keen on trying this out (and besides, have been thinking of ditching Facebook for a while now). ;)
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Sojourn »

Another portal to steal identities with social engineering.
Bring it.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by GreyWolf »

ryanrich wrote:Sounds good so far yeah, can't wait to try it out. Hopefully they've learned their lessons from the abominations that were Buzz and Wave... :lol:
I never used wave, but I did see a video about it, and I thought it looked awesome.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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Was an awesome concept yeah, but was very poorly implemented.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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ryanrich wrote:Was an awesome concept yeah, but was very poorly implemented.
ahh, i see... thanks for clearing that up.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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This looks so clean and smooth. I am going to work my butt off to convert my friends to Google+...
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Hate you guys for being on there already! :P I've received about 5 or 6 invites, but Google has locked invites down, so I can't get it :(
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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:lol: Sorry mate, I have been trying to get Pam in but yeah Google locking down the invites has caused it to not work :(. I owe my invite to a certain mod on the forum, dont want to mention who just in case he gets flooded with PM's. :)

Have already submitted 1 feature and 3 bugs I have found. Overall I am loving the experience, its so sexy...
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Yeah. I've read a whole lot about it, and it seems to be a really great experience. There are a couple of things that are really nice. I love the idea of Circles, and Hangouts is just amazing.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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Haha seems like the hacks to get invites are not working anymore :lol:. Sorry DJV cant get you in just yet :(.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Tribble »

You guys are making me curious - but ah I can wait.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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I'm not convinced that closed testing is the best idea in this instance. I only have half a dozen friends on there; hardly enough for me to decide that this is a better social networking tool than Facebook.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by DAE_JA_VOO »

Well this isn't the time for you to make that decision ;)

Don't worry Anakha, I'll be on soon, I'm sure :)
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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DAE_JA_VOO wrote:Well this isn't the time for you to make that decision ;)
Yes, but unless a slew of new features start popping up, I'm not sure it'll hold my interest until it IS time to make that decision. I have a short attention span.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by DeathStrike »

i got an invite but it says they have temp disabled people from joining due to overload...


fail.
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Anakha56 »

DeathStrike wrote: fail.
Not so. Like I said I have identified a few problems with this service already, if they open the doors to the public with a unfinished product they will be torn to shreds just like when they released Buzz. They did this with gmail and look at how successful it has become ;).
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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Gmail? What's that?
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

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Synthesis wrote:Gmail? What's that?
:troll:
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Re: Inside Google+: How the search giant plans to go social

Post by Cupis »

Well I must say its a good sign if their network is getting flooded already?! That means a lot of people are itching to have a shot at it and not remain slaves to Facebook.

Personally I feel safer with Google, even with the whole 'Stealing personal information' during their google maps implementation. Facebook on the other hand, I don't trust at all. If anything is true in the movie 'The Social Network' then that is one man (rather boy) I do not want to support if I can help it. So if it is a worthy tool and I can shift friends onto it, I think google already have my vote.

So when the invite thing is unlocked, someone pop an invite this way too!
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