A few months ago Google brought out an application called Google +. This application aims to integrate all of Google's other features into a social network that rivals Facebook. But rather than having one blanket "friend" like Facebook, it has circles with different focuses. So I can have a "family" circle..."friends" circle..."work" circle..."teachers"..."midwives"...and so on.
Some of the feedback I have seen has been very positive about aspect. For example, midwife Jan Tritten has vowed to move from Facebook to Google + because it gives her much more control over her information...how she shares it and with whom. However, Facebook has recently responded so that now you can choose to make your status private or public.
As for me, I have requests every day to join people on Google + but as yet have not had time to explore it. I am really entrenched in Facebook so it will take a lot to move me from there completely. The only people who have talked to me about Google + are my geeky friends - people I follow on Facebook, like my kids, are totally unaware of it.
I am not a social media expert so I have no idea if Google + is going to make the grade. But as for me, there has to be really compelling reasons why I should invest time in yet another application, especially when I already use one that does a reasonably good job.
Are you using Google +? How are you getting on with it?
6 comments:
Hi Sarah
I like G+ on the whole - Facebook without the excess "fluff and floss". I like the way circles work on the whole: circles are mutually exclusive & pple can't see which Os they are in just that they are in your Os; I can send posts to individuals or groups without sending to everyone; also can have pple in more than one circle. I dislike that someone can have me in their circles and I can't remove myself.
I like hangouts & can see lots of potential - though flaky atm. If I am in one for sig length of time Tweetdeck & eventually whole computer seizes up.
+1 doesn't seem much different from liking or favouriting & they are not something I use much.
Jo
I like Google+, although it is still early days. See: http://www.slideshare.net/AJCann/online-social-tools-google-solo11 and http://scienceoftheinvisible.blogspot.com/search/label/Google%2B
I like the idea of having different groups. I post for my colleagues and for my family and friends. However it has taken years to get my technology challenged friends and family to connect on FB, persuading them to move would be difficult if not impossible I think, and what is a social network without the network?
Thanks everyone - I'll have a proper look when I get the chance...
Someone said to me the other day that it would go the same way as Google Buzz. Do you think that is true?
I am also like he idea of it... but. I like the circles for sharing and communicating different things with different groups so in that way I have used it in a more focused way than FB. EG- I am planning a trip across the Simpson with a couple of other people and have created a 'Simmo 2012' cicrle where we can post links, thoughts, route on G maps etc'- that is working well. I also set up a circle for my 16 students in one unit of study as a more open platform for them (that the containment of the elearning Bb09 space - none of them did and so that wasn't successful. My friends/family circles have not been that active as I share things in FB with them, and they with me - for those groups it seems to be just another space. The 'huddle' idea I like for a live chat with a specific group of people - but again - takes others to invest in it. I don't feel that I have invested sufficient time in it - but like any collaborative space - takes time and people - together.... so my jury is still out.
I'm going to have free time over summer...will spend a little more time looking at it then...I hope.
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