Reliable Site Reviews

Google+ hit the Internet only a few weeks ago, yet as of today, over 10 million users are registered – and it’s not even open to the public yet.  Remember the early days of Gmail, when you had to have an invitation before you could sign up?  It’s just the same right now with Google+, but don’t expect the public unveiling to take as long as Gmail did.  Google+ is not the first social networking attempt by Google, but it is certainly the best.  Remember Google Wave? If you do, just forget it! Everything you thought you knew about the way Google was going to play a role in social networking is wrong. It’s time to learn Google+.

The first thing you should know about Google+ is that it’s not another Facebook.  The concept may seem similar on the surface, but it it actually something quite different.  For example, Google has built-in privacy customizations that should forever put to rest the privacy concerns raised by Google Buzz.

Unlike Facebook, with Google+ you can organize your contacts into circles with names and purposes of your choice: some people will go in Family, others Friends, and maybe some in Whatever or Kind of Nice, etc…  and the nice thing is, you don’t have to get someone’s approval to add him or her to your circles.  You can add anyone you like, and they can also add you.  You can also block individuals if you feel you need to.

Google intends to crack down on creepy Web stalkers by requiring that everyone who uses the new social network use his or her real name and identity.  People caught using handles or nicknames will be faced with the terrible reality that their entire Google services have been deleted.  That’s right, if you break Google’s rules, your email, docs, +account, calendars, and other services will be locked down and you will be shut out.

There is no real equivalent to the Facebook “wall” in Google+.  Meaning, you can’t just post something to someone else’s wall (on Google+, simply called your profile.)  But, you can add comments to posts made by people in your circles, and they can add to yours.  You can also privately share with individuals or circles, or with your entire groups of contacts all at once.