Just today, Google said it's Google+ service has approximately 100 million users, down from the 150 million it touted as it's annual developer's brouhaha.
This is active users, as opposed to people who have accounts but never use them (like me).
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I have no inherent dislike of Facebook, I make the occasional post and use it to keep in touch with friends, schedule gatherings, and just generally see what's going on. Even so, when Google+ was announced I really wanted to see it arise as a viable alternative to, if not direct competitor of, Facebook.
Sadly, that doesn't seem to have been the case. In my own personal experience, I have found Google+ jarringly obtuse and cumbersome to use, which is in direct contrast to the genius design of their Google search page. Its concepts and ideas and philosophy are good, but its implementation is, in my opinion, lacking.
I'm going to give it another look, however, and see how it's faring. I'm curious if any of you use Google+, and if so what you think of it, and if not, why not? I want to use it, I want it to succeed, but I just haven't gotten the hang of it yet.
I'll keep trying.
I just recently heard about Google+; I haven't used it yet, but I plan on checking it out. It may take some time for it to catch on. Also, I remember a while back when Twitter came out, it took sometime for people to catch on to it but now its active and alive. Therefore, I think that it may take sometime for Google+ to catch on and it will give Google time to fix the issues within it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Google has one of the best Genetic Algorithms, and I hope to see Google+ catch on. I plan on giving it a try.
I had no idea what Google+ was until I read about it on this blog. I had no idea there was another social network out there. I guess I am behind in what is going on in the world! I have a Facebook page but very rarely do I use it. I will occasionally look at what my 20 friends are doing and maybe post something once in awhile but I am not a daily user of the site. I do use Google as my search engine but that is about it. I looked briefly at the Google+ site but since I hardly use Facebook I really have no intention of switching networking sites. That just seems like too much work to me to create an new page and friend request people all over again!
ReplyDeleteI started using Google+ a few weeks ago (for class) but I'm not getting much use out of it. I did try the chat mechanism and posted a project link for a classmate.
ReplyDeleteI also have a preinstalled Google+ app on my Android that I've never used.
So far, I have to agree that Google+ isn't a genius of design. I tend to feel as if it's foisted on the user. Just when I think I'm going to a specific product in my account, up pops Google+. I don't know how it happens but I think it has something to do with Google+ being placed in the traditional 'Home' button on the main toolbar.
In any case, it doesn't do a lot to generate my interest when I think I'm going through an ad-styled pop-up distraction. I think that's part of the reason I never bothered with Google+ until this semester...
Before reading this blog, I had no idea what Google+ was. I have never created a Facebook page and I don't plan on creating one. That doesn't rule out the fact that I might try Google+ however because I am a fan of the Google search engine/Google earth. I'm really not into social media, but some of the technology covered in this class has sparks my interest for technology in a different way and quite possibly even further away from social media.
ReplyDeleteThere's no like button for this blog post, hehehe...
ReplyDeleteThe same day I read this, I got my first google+ request in my inbox. Coincidence?
ReplyDeleteI use Google as my main search engine, and I believe it is indeed one of the best ones out there with the least amount of advertisement while producing the best results. Google + on the other hand, I have not used nor do I really care to ever use; even though I just signed up for one when asked to do so. Social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, and now Google Plus have all helped people keep in touch with their friends, and that is a great thing. However, many companies use the information for advertising and solicitation purposes. Therefore, I have chosen to take myself off of the grid. I used to be a part of Facebook and MySpace to keep up with my family and friends. However, with employers and other individuals being able to look at your profiles; as well as other people who you don't want to be friends hitting you up, I decided to withdrawal myself from social networking. Most people don't have time to talk to half the friends they have anyway, but I understand the appeal of the social networking phenomenon as well as its functionality. Real interpersonal relationships involve face to face encounters in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteI just heard about Google+ a few weeks ago through my mom's realtor. He uses it to keep in contact with his clients. I have a facebook that I rarely use, so to get a Google+ account as well just seems silly. I use the Google search engine and it is actually my homepage. I can't bring myself to get yet another account that I will rarely use.
ReplyDeleteAs far as Google+ goes I'm not sure. Honestly, as far as Google goes I have a YouTube account, I use Google search, and this G-mail account. However, I use Facebook often, more often than I would care to admit, just to make silly photo posts, to keep in touch with family, friends and see how they are doing. I think that Facebook is really easy to use and when they updated the cite I found it very easy to use and defiantly easy to navigate around.
ReplyDeleteG-mail, from what I can see is a lot more compact than yahoo and aol. For me G-mail is definitely I think a lot more linear and has a lot less buttons to push. It seems to me that yahoo and aol mimic one another and are all to busy with color and scattered with information and buttons to push.