13 July,2011 11:37 AM IST | | Sharin Bhatti
Could multiple video chat options, advanced privacy settings and the option to sync your YouTube and Picasa accounts on the site, make Google Plus the coolest new hangout on the web? Early adopters give us feedback on the latest social networking site
On an average counter-productive day, there's nothing better than to navigate through the pathways of a social networking site (SNS). The latest must-have login that might soon take over whatever little offline life we are left with is Google Plus.
Just a little over one-week-old in India, Google Plus is still in its beta testing phase. New members can join on an invite-only basis. Still, the SNS has already managed to create a few ripples on the Internet with each profile harnessing a growing number of 'followers', the equivalent of Facebook 'friends'.
Don't be surprised if a friend, an acquaintance or even a stranger comes up to ask if you're a Plus One. The term refers to the name for a Google Plus profile.
New features
While at first glance, Google Plus doesn't appear to be more than the love child of Facebook and Twitter, its multiple video chat options, advanced privacy settings, a feature that allows users to group followers into different circles and the clean white background interface are major plus points.
Early adopters of Google Plus, like 27-year-old nightlife event organiser Nihar Mehta, seem to openly welcome the new-age addiction into their lives. "You can sync your YouTube and Picasa accounts into the website, which is interesting. I'm waiting for more people to join, so that I can wean off Facebook and Twitter," says Nihar, who is also waiting for a smartphone app to make it his online address.
So far, so good?
Creative professional Sushil Cherian, however, is not entirely sure that his Google Plus account will eventually turn into a Facebook killer. "The fact that it helps in directing communication is brilliant. For instance, if I don't want my parents to see an update I can put them in a circle and they won't see it. That is missing in Facebook," says Sushil.
"I am pretty excited about the video chat option. No other SNS allows you to do that. Plus, it has something called Sparks, which helps you screen information, including mails from pages and groups that you join. It keeps spam at bay," explains Sushil.
31-year-old content sales manager Sonika Bhasin though, hasn't been blown away.
"I haven't been that active on it, but I find it confusing. The tours are not comprehensive enough to explain how it works," she says, adding that she is unlikely to abandon her Facebook account because, "It's a personal package of memories. I cherish the pictures and the comments. You can't let go of that."
Google Plus is unlikely to be able to provide a clear open website till the end of the month, but the fact that the Google homepage already has a Google Plus tab is a welcome gesture.
