Google+ iPhone Makeover

Not surprisingly for some but a very huge surprise for others. Especially the Android users I guess ;). Google pushes a makeover of their Google plus smartphone app on iOS which apparently is not only works for iPhone users but is compatible with iPad as well. The update of the app which is pretty much an effort to mach the Google plus 2.0 version on the web is being pushed only to the iOS as of now and as per the search giant the Android version is Coming Soon.

Vic Gundotra, the senior VP at Google, thinks the new app is with a sense and soul. According to him the new update is a feast for the eyes. And looking at the reaction of iPhone users it seems he got it pretty much on the nail of the head. The much criticized iPhone app now has some lovers from the top competitor of the search giant (at least in the smartphone market).

The new app focuses on (sort of) the concept of cards. As it is, the app treats the data in form stacked cards that can be flipped to see the other data as well of beauty related to the cards. Gundotra calls it the rich carousal of beloved memories and breaking news. According to him the new app is both a feast for the eyes and it will create a stream that you can swim in!!

The top layer provides a drop menu where you can switch from your All Circles to a specific circle or specific category. f you would like to change the circle name or add one, this is the place you will be hitting your index finger or thumb to. As can be read on the official Google blog, the below features can be deemed as the highlights of this update:

• Whether you post photos or articles or text, we’re making ‘em look gooood
• We’re adding crisper fonts, larger profile pics and a friendlier homescreen
• We’re making the stream easier to scan, and easier on the eyes with overlays, gradients and other visual elements

After you choose your desired Circle from the top drop menu, you may then share your status updates, upload and share photos and even the web pages from the pen menu available in the top menu bar. And this is not all, like the Android version iOS users will also be able to see the What's Hot section where you will see the current hot and top trends on the search giant' social network. 

Although the look on the iPad version is still a long way to go but the move to release the update first to the App Store and let the Android Google play still wait is a surprising step from the search giant looking to gain more and more market share in the smartphone arena. Gundotra says the Android version will come soon and with a few surprises.

For the iPhone/iPad users, give it a try if you haven't already and let us know how you find it. For the Android users, well you gotta wait a bit but it the meantime share with us on what you think the extra surprises will be that the senior VP at Google hinted at?

Francesco

Post Credit:

Business IT Student at Tavistock College aiming for a career at Google, Apple or Twitter. Hopeful Entrepreneur with strong passions for Technology.
Follow or add him to your circle on Google plus.

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Use Google+ via SMS

Last year when Google plus announced they are launching the SMS feature where by users would be able to update their stream with comments on the go not all knew how far they will go with the feature. If you know about the feature, you also know that initially it was launched only in US and India. A few days back it was announced on Google India' official blog that the feature is being rolled out to more countries now, 41 to be precise.

For those unaware, you can register for SMS feature on Google's social network Google plus after which you are able to update your status on the social network via your phone and through the SMS (send to 9222222222) even when you are offline. This provides a chance for you all people normally on-the-move to stay in touch with your circles on the network. And in case you are wondering what happens to the who-the-post-gets-shared-with, don't worry that's next.
SMS feature takes care of the circle sharing theme that Google plus is based around. You may use the below modifiers in your message to achieve the obvious:

• use @[circle name] for sharing the post with a particular circle of yours
• use @extended for sharing the post with your extended circles
• use @public for sharing the post with everyone (which also includes search engines)
• use @[email address] for sharing the post with a specific contact

If however, you want to make it public without any special instructions then just don't specify any circle thing in your message and your status update will be shared with everyone in your network. You may go here to update your settings and sharing options and also to read the SMS terms. While you may click here to go and check other details. You can receive notifications like +1 and comments on your posts and as a surprise you may even +1 other posts/comments from SMS only!

And by the way, if you are wondering you can only post status updates and not participate in any posts comments or reply to any, Google gave you another reason to be comfy! You can guess what we mean by that ;). Try the feature today and let us know how easy it was to get used to offline Google plus ;) Keep Crunching!!
Oh and by the way, here is the official Google SMS page.

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Google+ Notification Mail Experience

Google seems to be on a roll with its social network Google+. Its definite that the integration of its products with the social network is only going to stop never! Just yesterday we reported on the Google+ Hangouts on Air feature and its only a couple days old news here about Google+ integration with Google News. So, what next?
Google+ now will integrate into your Gmail inbox!!

Google is trying to make the Google+ experience for you all out there a seamless experience. So this time, what you get one more pretty tasty and irresistible chocolate feature. Yes that's how we put it!! It no longer is a secret that Google is trying very hard to make Google+ a social network topper. But we really like the change that you should be seeing since yesterday in your Google+ notification mails. Google announced the feature yesterday on their official blog.
So after getting a Google+ notification mail when you had to click on the top right notification counter and then either go to Google+ or respond from the notification drop and you always thought if this could be more easier. Google just approved your wish. Starting yesterday you are able to participate in the post right from the notification mail itself. Gmail now goes completely interactive with this integration and this is what you get(read more on Google' blog):

• You can view, comment on, and +1 posts from inside your inbox
• Your comments appear in the Google+ stream in real-time, and
• Responses from others instantly appear in Gmail, as part of the notification message

What's more is that the search giant has gone a step ahead this time with the consistency in the mobile and web version. So you may now be on your mobile and still be able to interact with the Google+ post right from the notification mail that you see in your phone. Just click reply and send your message as you would comment on any post. Google will automatically add the comment to the ongoing thread to which you replied. 

And as a surprise you may use the same feature no matter what mail service you use, see here.

The changes should already be visible in your inbox and if they are not, they soon will. Till then you may adjust your settings here.

[Image Credit: Google Official Blog]

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Google+ gets HangOuts On Air

The feature that was introduced last year and opened for only a limited number of broadcasters is now available for all users. Google announced on its official blog yesterday about the launch of the feature. This move is going to give their much talked about social network a good amount of boost, especially since they have been trying really hard with the YouTube web channels in a bid to gain more users there and possibly from a monetary point of view.

Google Hangouts is a feature in Google plus where you may arrange for a video chat between a couple of participants or a group of users. The feature itself has been a real hit with the users and people have been using it quite well. Now with it going On Air, will mean the feature just gets more exciting and especially if you are a brand or a celebrity. As a well known personality, use of 'Google+ Hangouts On Air' will mean a chance to connect with a wider audience. You may also store the video for a latter show on your personalized YouTube channel so your followers may view it at a later time.

It just marks a new way of how the videos are made and their usage ways. It just may come out to be a whole new way of how people see the concept of video making.

Anyone will be able to view the broadcast inside Google+, your YouTube channel and/or on your(creator's) website once the "Broadcast publicly" option is selected on start of a Hangout. What comes as a more convenient way, and just like Google phone users are used to getting their photos uploaded automatically on their Google+ profile for later sharing, Google will be uploading a public version of your Hangout on your YouTube channel and Google+ profile once the live broadcast that you started is complete. After which you may share the Hangout and participate in further conversation with your followers. You will also be able to see your Hangout popularity while it is in progress by looking inside the hangout to see how many people are watching live.

For someone willing to join the live broadcast of any Hangout, just head over to the Hangouts page while it is in progress.
Here is a video for you to enjoy the new feature:

Don't forget to invite us to the Hangout once you start to try this feature :)

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Google News Gets Google+ Comments

You love it or you hate it, Google seems to be moving ahead with its principle aim of combining its products and providing a meaningful integration. Or better put in comments of Google News' Product Manager Scott Zuccarino "Today's updates are the latest examples of how we're working to provide users with a beautiful, consistent experience across Google," For more on his thoughts head over to his blog post.
The idea is clear, the integration is going to happen with the core of Google' product and you will start to see this in between a meaningful of steps. So you first saw their social network get some cosmetic looks that people are still discussing about; liking and disliking at the same time, and now their other product Google News gets the integration of the social network with in it. Sounds meaningful? Well, to some yes and for others Google left an option to opt out of the service if you wish! More on this a bit latter.
Apart from the social network comments integration part, Google News is getting another update in terms of look. The images are going to be a bit larger then they were previously or rather are if you are out of US. Yes, both the changes are only for the US edition of News and only visible if you are signed in to Google+.
Here is a look for how the changes may look like:

So like you see, you will be able to read the comments(on the news) from your Circle, those who covered the story and from those who are covered in the story. The integration as you would expect is going to be real time. The integration and cosmetic changes will be rolled out in following weeks, (and as already stated) starting with the US edition. So chances are you may not see the new look for a few days to come.
Returning back to the opt out feature, if you are one of those who is not-liking the integration, then you have the option to opt out of it. You just need to be not-logged-in-to-your-Google-Account or tweak the Google News settings to not display the integration. That's it!! But we wonder why you wouldn't like to read comments and participate in what the people in your circles have to say about the news you might be viewing? 
Is Google spoiling your party? What's your take on this integration?

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Facebook Adds Organ Donor Status

In what is being considered a 'Life-Saving-Tool' by the insiders, Facebook launched a new feature to user's Timeline that lets you voluntarily add your Organ Donor status. The move seems to have been inspired by the what the near 1 billion social platform is able to accomplishment in times of crisis, especially referring to the devastating earthquakes in Japan last year. The inspiration, as Mark Z, himself said was also partly from his current girlfriend who herself is a med student.
While according to US Department of Health, around 7K people die each year waiting for a donor; Mark has this to say to ABC news in an exclusive interview:


“What we hope will happen is that by just having this simple tool, we think that people can really help spread awareness of organ donation and that they want to participate in this to their friends,”...“That can be a big part of helping solve the crisis that’s out there.”


Facebook added to the reasoning of adding such a feature on their FAQ page: 
“More than 114,000 people in the United States, and millions more around the globe, are waiting for the heart, kidney or liver transplant that will save their lives. Many of those people – an average of 18 people per day – will die waiting, because there simply aren’t enough organ donors to meet the need. Medical experts believe that broader awareness about organ donation could go a long way toward solving this crisis.”

You may add your donor status (or a Life event) by going to your Timeline, clicking on Life Event, then further clicking Health & Wellness and finally choosing the newly added Organ Donor status. By the looks of it, you can see that it lets you add a date and a story to the event.
And don't worry if you haven't registered as a donor yet, Facebook has an organ donate app for it too that you may use to get yourself registered as a donor.
For a start we haven't seen that feature being used on Mark Z profile. And just to mention, the feature isn't available for all. Seems like its been launched currently for US and UK profiles.
Do you think Facebook user base will add to help people in need? Will people add (or register) a donor status just because their friends do? Will you register for the service/feature once its available for you?

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Google+ New Share Button

Demarcation is always good, even if its on a minute level!! We couldn't agree on this, but were so surprised to see the search giant taking this pretty seriously.
Google introduces a new share button for their social platform Google plus. The share button is different from the already existing +1 button, that we are already accustomed to as far as Google' social platform is concerned, but there is enough similarity to the other share buttons available for different platforms like Facebook, Twitter or even Viadeo (ApnaCircle' French parent) that you may see everywhere including at the end of all our post :)
Google welcomed the new share button on Google+ developer's blog a few days before.
So currently when you +1 a page, the asynchronous code behind the button pops up a layer whereby you can (if interested) share the page with your circles on Google+. But what if you only want to share the page but not +1 it? The only solution was to go to the social network itself and use the share feature there, or you could always try the share box added by the search giant on their Gmail page at the top right side. But you will agree that's too cumbersome to do, especially if you would want to do it quickly or else leave it.
That's where Google+ new share button comes in handy. Click, Share without a +1 and that's it. You could also choose to do a multiple-share; so to say you could share the same page multiple times with different circles if you would like to. Initially the button will look like this:

And as you can see the count sits alongside with the mention of those who already have shared this page. Once you click on the button, a layer pops up(that you are already used to) and you may choose how you want to share the current page on Google.

And again, you may choose to share the same page multiple times if you wish to! Once the page is shared, the button (expectantly) turns red to give a view like this:

Interested to put the button on your site or blog, go grab it here.

Let us know once you have the new share button up and running on your site, we will be more than happy to look and oblige ;) !!
[Image Credits: Google+ Developers Blog]

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