Google plus – The social network

One month after the release of Google plus one button, Google releases their new social network Google plus. This far only in a beta version only for invited people, but it will probably soon become mainstream too. But will it have any chance in the game against Facebook? I have got a invitation, and have now tested Google plus (+)and will give you my opinion about it.

How does the social network Google Plus look?

Google plus looks quite much like Facebook, combined with the Google profile look. Check the picture from the “dashboard” or logged in frontpage:

Google plus screenshot. Click for bigger picture

Basically, there is the Google Plus stream in the center of the screen, just like Facebook. To the left is a little info about you, plus a filter for your groups of connections. To the right is suggestions of people you might know (sounds familiar?) and thumbnails of people that you are connected to. Facebook has this on the left side, very innovative Google, to put it to the right instead. #irony

Smooth interface

The Google Plus have a nice user interface, with a lot of drag and drop functions. I really like the way you add contacts or friends to circles, you just grab them from the list and put them in the right circle below. I like that circles also look like circles.

Google plus circles, drag and drop, click for larger picture

Very nice icons are used in Google plus:

Google plus icons

Google plus presentation video

Here is a video that they made for presenting the new social network:

 

Google plus a competitor to Facebook?

Is Google plus gonna become a serious competitor to Facebook? That´s what they are trying to at least, and by starting with only invited people and a lot of talking all over the internet, they are really starting a hype for this. Hopefully it does not end up as bad as Google Buzz and Google Wave that really flopped.

At least the Facebook founder Mark Zuckenberg has found his way over to Google plus, and he does not look really happy on the picture. :) Thanks to Mashable for the picture.

Mark Zuckerberg does not look so happy for the new competitor Google plus

When does Google launch the Google plus for everyone?

Google plus is still a beta version just for invited people. I think they will go public and launch it  for everyone in about two months. That was the time it took between the first test of the google plus one button and the public release as well.

First I thought that I could invite people just by adding them to circles, but apparently that does not work. But if I get some more invitations to Google Plus, I will invite you all! :)