Google’s latest attempt at social

While there will be more to learn about Google+ as time goes on, here are few items to get you acquainted with it:

1. Google+ is currently available on an invitation-only basis.
2. Currently Google does not consider it a Facebook competitor
3. Google+ is currently available for download as an app in the Android Market.
4. When you download that app, it splits off the “Huddle” feature as a separate app.
5. Users can post status updates, and these appear on the Google Profile under a tab called “Posts”. The +1′s and Buzz tabs remain separate

What is available now is “just the beginning” according to Google. These are just the first features of many more to come.

6. Circles - this lets you share things with different people (similar to Facebook Groups) but with a very different user interface.
7. Sparks - this looks for videos and articles it thinks you will like, so “when you’re free, there’s always something to watch, read, and share.”
8. Hangouts - basically group video chat. Google describes it as “the unplanned meet-up.”
9. Instant uploads – a mobile-specific feature. Photos upload themselves as you take them, and are stored in a private area on the cloud.
10. Huddle - another group-conversation feature for mobile. Basically a group chat.
11. The stream – the equivalent of the Facebook news feed.
12. When you share something with Google+ it’s added to your stream and the stream of everyone you shared with.
13. The stream shows you what all of your Circles have shared with you.
14. If you mention a user, using the “+” or “@” symbols, the person may receive a notification that you mentioned them.
15. You can see what specific posts were shared within the stream — whether they were shared publicly, to extended circles, or a limited group.
16. You can filter the stream by specific Circles.
17. You can chat directly in the stream
18. You can report inappropriate content.
19. You can search for people from the search box at the top of the stream.

Soon, Google says, you’ll be able to search the stream itself from the search box.

20. If you leave comments on a post, you can edit or delete them.
21. The same goes for posts, but you can’t edit a post’s sharing settings after the post has been shared. However, you can delete the post and share again to different circles.
22. You can “reshare” posts made by others
23. You can “mute” a post. This will let you stop receiving updates from a post, like if the comments get out of control for example.
24. You can use the “Google+ Bar” that appears at the top of various Google products as your connection to the social network.
25. When you are signed in you’ll see your full name or email address displayed with a photo or avatar next to it, to help you identify which account you’re currently signed in to.
26. If you’ve enabled multi sign-in you can sign in to two different Google accounts and switch between them using the Google+ bar.
27. When you sign up for Google+ your are also signing up for Picasa Web Albums, so all photos and videos uploaded to Google+ (including from your phone via Instant Upload) will also be available in Picasa Web Albums.
28. You can use the Google +1 button from the stream.
29. The central user interface is very Facebook like.
30. With Google+ Google adds a “You” link to the navigation bar across Google properties
31. You can view public Google+ content without actually being invited
32. You can share something within a closed “Circle,” but someone from that circle can then reshare it with anyone, and even make it public.

Excerpts take from 39 Things You Should Know About Google+
Chris Crum http://www.WebProNews.com