<p>Yeah I only have ~15 people in my circles, about 13 of which I added on my first day. I don’t know, I feel like the hype has come down a bit. Maybe it’s because registration is not fully open? But in any case, I guess it’s far from being the Facebook-killer everybody has billed it to be on day 1.</p>
<p>I’m almost wondering if Google+ might be helpful for work related purposes (even more so than personal stuff - let Facebook take care of that…)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>early adopters.</p>
<p>the people who were in line for the first iPod, etc</p>
<p>Google+ is now open to everybody. An invitation is no longer necessary. I recommend trying the hangout feature which allows a video conference of up to ten people at one time. It’s fantastic.</p>
<p>My circle is depressingly empty, with just my S and his girlfriend.</p>
<p>All the other geezer moms are entrenched in Facebook - in fact the college kids I know seem to have decamped from Facebook, leaving the younger kids and older people.</p>
<p>Google Hangout is great for talking to your college student. My husband can be on his computer, I can be on mine, Fang Jr on his, and Hangout manages the video.</p>
<p>Interesting that I had to read about this in my morning newspaper 
I know I signed up for an email notification, but received nothing from Google.</p>
<p>Does Google Hangout chat work with people who don’t have gmail addresses? You have to be on gmail to have Google+, right?</p>
<p>Even if Google + seems to have lost much of its momentum and hype since July, at the very least, it has brought pressure upon Facebook to better integrate its privacy options into the the top level user interface. Facebook now lets (requires) the user to categorize his or her friends into Friends, Close Friends, Acquaintances, and Restricted, and the user can choose what categories each post can be seen by.</p>
<p>So that’s obviously a piece taken straight from Google +'s book.</p>
<p>But do you know what the ironic thing is? Facebook users HATE change. Right now, there is an outcry, at least on my most Facebook feeds, of people who are very upset at Facebook for changing layouts, etc…no doubt much of the very same people who were early adopters of Google + and who have been very vocal in their dismay of how complicated it had been previously to navigate Facebook’s privacy options.</p>
<p>You have to have a Google account to use hangout. Getting a Google account means you are getting a email account, and Google docs, Picasa, etc. It’s free of course. You can use hangout but not the rest of the services although I use them all because they work very well and did I mention they are free?</p>
<p>I think the google home page has a link at the top left that will let you sign up for Google+. They have some short videos that make it easier to understand.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Interesting. I’m not on Facebook or Google+, but I don’t think I’d be fond of that choice of wording for the categories. Sure, having options for how much access to allow is nice, but, as old wisdom goes, be careful what you say and even more careful what you put in writing. Again, I’m not on Google+ either, but as I recall from what little introductory touring I did, you could have people in various circles, yes?, or hang out but weren’t forced to say this person is a “friend”, “close friend”, or “acquaintance”.</p>
<p>These sites hold some appeal, but I don’t know, still leery. Maybe I’ll sign on when I’m 90, lol…</p>
<p>On Google+, you can create new circles and call them anything you want. and you can stick someone in more than one circle.</p>
<p>Those are just the defaults. You can make your own lists. (They are called “lists” on Facebook and the equivalent “circles” on Google.) Also, your friends don’t know which list or circle they have been placed on - only you do.</p>
<p>The point in my previous post was obviously was not what they these lists or circles were named, but the fact that you can intuitively customize content to what are viewable by whom. Geesh.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Newcc, don’t worry, your main point was clear. I just noticed a different aspect. </p>
<p>I didn’t know that you could make your own lists because I’m not on facebook, so thanks for explaining that.</p>
<p>Yeah, I think about words, wish I were better with them sometimes. Do my best and feel too often like that’s still not enough. But, yes, I do try. I really do try.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You’ve always been able to do that on facebook, too, even before Google +, and it’s not remotely complicated. I have one called “family” that blocks all my extended relatives from seeing certain status updates. I think a lot of people are just finding circles so much easier to use because they were <em>there</em> when it was new and they’re not too intimidated by it to think straight. Like my bosses who all think I am some sort of goddess because I can understand the basic functions of Microsoft excel-- it’s not difficult, they just psyche themselves out too much to realize they are more than smart enough to handle it and they think it’s a billion times more complicated than it is.</p>
<p>CF, thanks for the info about Google+ circles.</p>
<p>Sorry about the “Geesh.” Deborah. Your response was very nice. My “Geesh” was obviously just a way of resorting to the benefits of anonymity on the internet.</p>
<p>Just finished “hanging out” with my son in Italy. This is fantastic! Quality was very good, although there were a few short periods of sound breaking up. Video was perfect. It is a great way to stay in touch and the price is right. Thanks Google!</p>
<p>I never created a G+ page. My boyfriend created one around August since someone asked him to. Hadn’t been on since September. He’s quite popular and had a nice number of people on there, but when we logged on yesterday the place was dead.</p>
<p>Google Hangouts are fantastic. My husband and I hang out every week with our son.</p>