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Google Launches New Social Network: Google Plus

Google Launches New Social Network: Google Plus

By Hillary Greene, Intern

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months you’ve undoubtedly heard about Google Plus (Google+). This social media website is all about engagement and seeks to make sharing online more like sharing in real life. Google Plus combines the best of both worlds– Facebook and Twitter –using similar features from both websites in one convenient stream.

This is just the beginning of a very exciting project. Google calls this a “project” because they don’t want people to think of this as the final product, but as a constantly-evolving network. The result of Google’s carefully planned social network has an estimated user base of 10 million in just two weeks. This number shows astonishing growth for Google’s new social network, which isn’t yet open to the public. The site remains in a “limited” trial phase.

One of its well-implemented features lets users categorize their contacts into “circles” — such as business, friends and family — and share different information with each circle.  Circles are far easier to create than the time-consuming lists for Twitter or Facebook. With these social divisions you can choose to share content with individual circles. Another great feature of Google Plus is Hangouts. This is a place to, well, hangout. You can invite your circles to get on their webcams and hold a video chat. These circles or hangouts allow you to separate your contacts based on how they fit into your “circle of life.”

For many of us social networking has become a vital part of our lives. Websites like Facebook and Twitter have become just as popular as making a phone call or sending a text message. So how will this new form of social networking, Google Plus, fit into the mix?

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