By REYHAN ENVER
Every social networking website is fighting for your status updates.
Google Plus released their beta website to the public on Sept. 21.
Users can now access Google Plus from Google’s homepage, where a new tab labelled You+ was added as the first link. A big blue arrow was put on the homepage pointing to the new tab for noticeability.
The new website features celebrities interacting with fans, much like Twitter, where famous people are constantly responding to and re-tweeting fans. However, with Google Plus, fans can interact through live video feeds.
A live hangout with Will.i.am was held at 9 p.m. on the release day. The hangouts allow users to use their webcams and microphones to communicate with up to nine other people at one time. There is the option to block either your video, audio or both, if you are just watching someone else speak.
The hangouts can also be accessed from the Google Plus mobile application which is currently available for Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, Nokia/Symbian and Windows Mobile smart phones. Google said they “built Google Plus with mobile in mind.”
Although the website was all over the Internet during their trial period which was roughly a 90-day period, for users with an invitation only, Google Plus is still very new for many.
“I don’t really know much about it, but I don’t really think I need more features than Facebook. I don’t really care about it,” said Greg Chevreau, a marketing student at Conestoga College.
More features the social networking website includes are game rooms and circles. Circles allow users to put all your contacts into separate groups.
According to Google, “Circles make it easy to put your friends from Saturday night in one circle, your parents in another and your boss in a circle by himself, just like real life.”
“Social media is getting way too carried away with things, it’s just unnecessary. I think there’s a point where it’s too accessible,” Chevreau said.
Facebook changed its layout by getting rid of the top stories and most recent features and added in all updates to the right side causing users to be very unhappy.
After interviewing students at Conestoga it became evident that people are considering Google Plus because the new Facebook changes confuse them.
“I’ll probably delete my Facebook within the next year,” said Nick Skantzos, a marketing student at the college.
To check out the website go to www.plus.google.com.
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