When Google+ was announced for private beta, I was really excited. After all, I am a techno person, and using the latest technology is what I’m always after. Plus, I was intrigued to see what Google – that titan of the Internet – could bring to the social phenomenon.
So, I managed to snag an invite to this supposed “exclusive” online club, and started trying out the service for myself. I was impressed: Google+ is clean, intuitive and offers all the essential tools today’s discerning social networker needs. Where Facebook had cluttered its interface with games, apps and a plethora of what I deem unnecessary gimmicks, Google+ was the exact antithesis.
But then I started using the service less… and less… and less. I even managed to abstain from it for over a month. There’s just something about the service – perhaps it’s a lack of support for a native BlackBerry app, or the fact that it’s one social network too many.
We’re living in a world that’s exceedingly crowded with options for having an online presence. I’m already on Twitter and Facebook, I instant message on BlackBerry Messenger, and frankly, there’s very limited space for yet another social network. The glitz of having a “prestigious” Google+ account has worn off (the service is now open to the public), and my limited time online means that I hardly have time to check my Google+ account. Plus, not all of my friends have migrated over to G+ – and the ones who do, I already have on Facebook or Twitter, so it’s almost unnecessary to contact them through G+.
So Google+ is a minus for me – but only for now. I have faith that they’ll succeed; Google is a giant on the interwebs, and with the fiasco over at Facebook, they now have an opportunity to really shine. I’m just waiting on that native BlackBerry app to (perhaps) finally win me over to the Google way of things.
What’s your take on Google+? Do you use it – and love it? Or do you think it’s just adding to the online clutter of social networks? Drop a line or two in the comments and let me know!
Life in Pixels 
The design of Google +, in my opinion, borrows significantly from Facebook. Profile page design, notifications similarly presened, just on the opposite side of the page etc however, that being said it is a superior design. It’s clean and intuitive, the circles, friends and feed setup works fluidly without any clumsy options or settings. Google+ at this time has some 20 mil. users, if I’m not mistaken, while facebook is creeping up on a billion (800 mil.). I doubt whether G+ will remain this way when it is obesely clutteed with users as facebook is, perhaps they will I’m not sure. If they added ‘apps’ and games they’d be going down the same road, however it is Google and not Zuck so I doubt they’ll throw in a timeline of our life, coupled with shackles and some rations of facebook slavery for e-generations to come, if they do though, I’m out.
I totally agree with you that Google+ must tread carefully in order to avoid going where Facebook has gone. But there’s still hope for us… it’ll be interesting to see what they will do in the coming months.