A Quick Look At Google+: Will It Replace Facebook?

The Google+ Project

Facebook now has a challenger in the social networking world, introducing Google +. With Google+, the behemoth of Web search may have finally figured out social networking. Demand for Google+ invites is reportedly through the roof, and critics are generally pleased with how the service works.

Google+ will be built as a layer that not only integrates different Google social services, such as Google Profiles andGoogle Buzz, but also introduces many new features including Circles, Hangouts, Sparks and Huddles. Google+ will also be available as a Desktop application and as an application on Android and iOS. It has been said that this is Google's biggest attempt to rival the social network Facebook.

But do we really need another social network? Can Google+ offer a service that Facebook does not? While you wait for the chance to see for yourself, take a look at the following features of Google+:

• "Circles" enables users to organize contacts into groups for sharing, across multiple of its products and services. A drag-and-drop interface allows users into groups of their choice.

• "Huddle" is a feature available to Android, iPhone, and SMS devices for communicating with circles.

• "Hangouts" are places used to facilitate group video chat(with a maximum of 10 people partcipating in a single Hangout at any point of time). However, anyone on the web could potentially join-in into the 'Hangout' if they happen to possess the unique url of the Hangout.

• "Instant Upload" is specific to Android mobile devices; it stores photos or video in a private album for sharing later.

• "Sparks" is a front-end to Google Search, enabling user to identify topics they might be interested in sharing with others; "featured interests" sparks are also available, based on topics others globally are finding interesting.

• Through "Streams", users see updates from those in their circles, updates similar to Facebook's news feed. The input box allows users to enter a status update or use icons to upload and share photo and videos.