[CegAbq]

Who has started experimenting with this?
I have - got invited by another google user.
Google hopes to supplant FB & seems to offer some controls & privacy safeguards that FB just isn't interested in.

So, even though there aren't many 'official invites' out & about, another way is to get aaa current Google+ user to add you to their 'circles'

If anyone is interested, just PM me with your email address.
I'm not at all sure whether it has to be a gmail address or not, but I guess we can find out.

 

[lpking]

Invite me! 

Just kidding. I think you have to actually use Google's pre-existing "social" features to merit a direct invite.

If they do it right, it has potential. There was a huge article on one of the tech websites explaining its development, very interesting stuff. However, perhaps it's a bad omen that they guy running the whole shebang is originally from Micro$loth.

 

[CegAbq]

http://xkcd.com/918/
(I've got a pic I'm trying to upload here; bear with me please )
(Aha! got it)

 

[Victorine]

Hmm, haven't heard of Google+, but I usually like Google stuff so I might seek it out when it goes public.

Vicki

 

[Alain Gomez]

Hmm, haven't heard of Google+, but I usually like Google stuff so I might seek it out when it goes public.

Vicki

Going public will be key. My boyfriend got me to subscribe since he's all into Google these days. I made a profile but there's nothing really to "do" on it.

 

[Geoffrey]

I've been on Google Buzz since it started and now they're quickly migrating us all over to Google+ .... and it's SOOOO much like facebook - just with 'circles' to be able to send out comments to be seen only by those you want.  No more telling gramma about your last party ....

 

[◄ Jess ►]

I have looong wished facebook had an option like the circle idea. I often only want to tell certain people about things, or share photos with one group of people. I also like how it integrates with other google things, so I can see if I have any notifications while looking at my gmail or my google calendar. The other thing I hate about facebook is all the things in my newsfeed that I don't care about - who's befriending who, or what new group they like. I'm hoping Google+ has a way for me to filter the newsfeed. I do think it has promise, but with so few people using it right now, it's hard to tell if I'll really like it or not.

 

[NogDog]

Well, FB does have groups. I have a private group set up just for family members there.

As far as privacy goes, eh, we'll see. It's not like Google's business model wants privacy -- they're in the business of trying to track what everyone on the web does. I'm not saying it will or will not be better than FB in that regard, just that I don't really trust Google any more than I do FB or Microsoft to really, truly put my privacy ahead of their profits.

 

[CegAbq]

Yes - this is all very early & time will only tell as to how it plays out.

 

[Brem]

I've been hoping to get an e-mail soon on it, but I guess google just isn't interesting in getting me involved. But yeah, I'll gladly take an invite. Sending PM now.

 

[CegAbq]

As far as privacy goes, eh, we'll see. It's not like Google's business model wants privacy -- they're in the business of trying to track what everyone on the web does. I'm not saying it will or will not be better than FB in that regard, just that I don't really trust Google any more than I do FB or Microsoft to really, truly put my privacy ahead of their profits.

I agree that Google is certainly not an angel; and of course any company wants to be able to maximize its input or influence. But I do like that they seem to have learned from their Buzz fiasco & started this project out with a platform that lets users have the choice from the get-go as to who/what they want to share.

I am somewhat concerned that with the mobile app, you cannot opt out of geolocation.

Several of my geeky work colleagues are really jumping on this, so I'm definitely watching how everything evolves.

 

[kindlequeen]

I'm on it!  I've also learned a trick or two about joining it.... if someone sends you a link, click view link - NOT JOIN!  Join will take you to a page saying membership is maxed out where as the link will take you to a page to sign up.  If you want to add me to your circle, then send me a PM.

A friend of mine knows a google exec who said they're limiting membership right now to prevent a rush from crashing their system which seems smart to me. 

There are aspects I really like about it and aspects I don't.  Facebook killed Myspace so it will be interesting to see how this affects FB's monopoly.... a ton of my friends were upset that FB recently changed how profiles work and they have a new "change" announcement on Tuesday so they could be pushing people away by not remaining what people fell in love with in the first place.  We'll see.

I must admit though being able to access it through my Android before all the Iphone users makes me feel infinitely cool. 

 

[DenverRalphy]

I am somewhat concerned that with the mobile app, you cannot opt out of geolocation.

You may have missed it, but you can. Whenever you post via the mobile app, you have the option to opt-in or opt-out of geolocation, and it's sticky so it remembers the next time you post/share.

 

[CegAbq]

You may have missed it, but you can.

Thanks for this tip! And when I made a post from my phone, it was very clear that you could not allow the geolocation.
It looks like Google is trying to help out as much as possible in providing EASY privacy options.

 

[CegAbq]

I'm on it! I've also learned a trick or two about joining it.... if someone sends you a link, click view link - NOT JOIN! Join will take you to a page saying membership is maxed out where as the link will take you to a page to sign up. If you want to add me to your circle, then send me a PM.
...
I must admit though being able to access it through my Android before all the Iphone users makes me feel infinitely cool.

 

[Thumper]

So bummed I didn't get in on this at the start, and friends who did can't seem to send out invites now. Or they don't want me there 

 

[CegAbq]

So bummed I didn't get in on this at the start, and friends who did can't seem to send out invites now. Or they don't want me there

It seems to be working for those I've sent links to; so try PM'ing me with your email address

 

[kindlequeen]

Thumper, try my link trick!  It works.... a friend sent me a link to his post on google+ that allowed me to join but I had to click VIEW the link or photo, NOT the join button to actually get in.  It took 24 hours for the email to get to me (I sent one to a friend and it took a few hours to get to her but both got through).

If you send me your email in a PM, I'll send you one to see if it works. 

 

[Someone Nameless]

I was able to join by clicking the red "Learn more about Goggle+" bar in the email.

 

[CegAbq]

Hey people - be careful out there!
http://www.pcworld.com/article/234858/google_invites_are_hot_commodity_watch_out_for_scams.html#tk.nl_cox_h_cbintro

I've received a couple of PMs asking me to add them to my circle so they can get in; but the email's provided were very suspicious, so I've declined. I'm trying to be careful & evaluate whether the requesters seem to be long-time, stable Kindleboards members.