Google's project to re-challenge SNS "Google+" starts

Local time We announced that Google launched a new SNS project "Google + (Google Plus)" on June 28, 2011. Currently under pilot operation, only some people who are invited can use it.

Google+ project

"Google+" is accompanied by a copy of "Relationships of real worlds on the web", and reproduces the "subtle nuances of real relationships" that are lost in the current online tools on the web , "It is a project to realize the philosophy that" we want to improve Google usability by incorporating you (user) yourself, its relationships and interests ".

As a means of communication on the web, SNS etc. are already widely used, boasting a large share worldwideFacebookYaTwitter, Also speaking to Japan onlyMixi,MobageAs such, 'Google+' will chase many leading services from the very end.

As a problem of the advance service, Google points out the following contents.

In an existing online service, all human relationships are put together in one "friend", but this brings various problems to information sharing.

* It is rough. Sometimes, even if you want to communicate only with a specific person, everyone's speech will jump into the eyes at any time online.
* I have the courage. An online conversation seen by over 100 "friends" is like presenting on the stage. The information sharing tends to be stagnant because I care about everyone's eyes.
* It lacks delicacy. The meaning of "friends" and "family" depends on each of us. But these nuances are lost online.

Based on these current problems, what we ask ourselves is what kind of behavior people take in the real world. And the answer was never hard. People always share information selectively for each community, each "circle".

In the real world, focusing on judging human relations and sharing information on a "circle" basis, it is one of the big features of "Google +" to reproduce it on the web service.

◆Circle

You can express "circle" with an icon like a black phone dial, and manage each account of each friend / acquaintance by adding it to your own "circle".

YouTube - The Google+ project: Circles


But alreadyOn Facebook, manage "friends" by group by "List" functionSince it is also possible to create a virtual "circle" with a similar function such as choosing the information disclosure range, and putting the remarks on Twitter only to the followers, it is also possible to "Google+" If it is not possible to prepare additional functions and convenience of unique functions, it may be difficult to compete.

◆Sparks

"Sparks" is a newly created online information sharing engine created by Google, register search words about topics of your interest such as "bicycle" "photograph" "manga" in advance, and information about it Things to look for. Search words are not prepared in advance, you can enter arbitrary things, and correspond to 40 languages.

It is common to talk about friends / acquaintances and news and videos on web services, but in order to solve the problem that it is still difficult to find the "seed story", "Sparks" developed It was said that it was done. However, it is useful not only for the purpose of searching for "a story of a story" but also for those who wish to obtain information on a specific field.

YouTube - The Google+ project: Sparks


◆Video chat room

"Video chat room" is a function that aims to reproduce the feeling of talking with a neighbor in the garden on the net. Of course, in this fieldSkypeAlthough services of other companies are preceded by other companies' services, the current service only knows whether the state of the other party is online or not, he gave a subtle nuance that "I want you to talk to me casually because I am free now" Nevertheless, I pointed out that such a misunderstanding has occurred that "the opponent was busy and did not reply to you even if I talked to you." So it seems that it came to provide a place to talk with your friends "Circle" easily in your spare time.

YouTube - The Google+ project: Hangouts


◆mobile

It means that you can choose whether to add location information when sending information from mobile terminals, but this is also standard implementation in SNS service. In addition, it is possible to set so that photos taken on the mobile with the function "Instant Upload" can be added immediately to the individual photo album in the cloud. Although I do not know the details of the function yet, since I can select the image to be released from the album, I do not have the trouble of moving the image to the PC.

◆Group chat

Group chat is available for each circle. Although it seems to be able to substitute for e-mail, Twitter, etc., as much as the members are fixed in advance, it is necessary to make a simple meeting and meal schedule, "It is not enough to call me but I want to invite you lightly"Loaning (Yurubo)It seems to be suitable for usage which shares a topic like that which can be attached.

◆Android · iPhone application

Already from the Android Market'Google+' applicationYou can download it. We are planning to appear in the App Store soon.

That is the feature of "Google+" that is currently open. At the moment, "Google+" is a trial offer only to some people who have been invited,People who wish to participate quickly can apply for priority invitationis.

Google already has Twitter styleGoogle buzzIt is hard to say that what is under way is popular, and also includes a service that includes SNS functions that got scattered quite a bit despite launching in the past a lot "Google WaveThere are cases of failures in services requiring communication, such as "It is where we can wait for future public release in the future whether we can overtake other precedent services."