Nathan Bonilla-Warford: Early Thoughts on Google Plus...

Here are my initial impressions of Google Plus:

I like it. I like it a lot! Yes, it is a lot like Facebook -  but better.

In some ways Google Plus is a clone of Facebook:

• Users have profiles that can be filled out with relevant information they want to share such as where they work and went to school, their interests and hobbies, and links to other profiles online.
• Each person has a “stream” that they can update with comments, web links, pictures, videos, or location. Each itemed can be voted up and commented on by friends.
• At the top of the page, there is a discrete notifications area that alerts the user when one someone comments or posts something.

However, there are some key distinctions, as well:

• Circles – Facebook receives frequent criticism for the way it handles privacy.   Circles puts privacy front and center for Google Plus. Instead of simply being friends with someone or following them, with Google plus you add them to your circles. The distinction is not purely one of nomenclature. With circles from the very beginning you determine how to classify people based on much information you would like to share with them. This is essential for people like doctors who want to maintain a separation between public and private interaction online.
• Hangouts – With video becoming more utilized online, Hangouts make it very easy to set up group video chatrooms. Using Circles to control who is allowed to participate, these chats could be one on one, a small group planning session, or with anyone who is interested. I've used it and it works. 
• Sparks – Much of the new web is about “assisted serendipity” or ways to help people do things they want to do, but just didn’t know exactly what that was. Sparks tries to help in this area by listing webpages, videos, and more based on interested listed by the user.

But there is one very large distinction that makes distinctly different from Facebook. While Facebook is loosely integrated with millions of website via the Like Button, Google Plus is very tightly integrated with Google applications like Gmail, Google Reader, and Picasa. Since people are heavily invested in these applications, there will be a natural incentive to extend to Google Plus.

Additionally, Google Plus has notification at the top of other applications Google Documents and Google Maps so people will have constant social reminders. All over this will lead to not only more use, but more frequent and richer use of Google Plus.  Finally, Google has smart phone operating system Android and use it to extend the Google Plus reach further than the Facebook mobile can go.

None of these things is a guarantee that Google Plus will beat or even equal Facebook, but taken together it does give Google a fighting chance.

After I've had more time to look at it more I will share what I have learned. If you have been checking it out. Tell me what you think.

PS: Invitations for Google Plus are closed for the time being. It was only open for a few hours when I joined and I am heard rumors that it opens from time to time for a very short while, but I haven't experienced that personally. For those who asked for invite, I'll get them out as soon as I possibly can!