fuck love

a blog on 'life' and other popular four letter words...

Monday, August 1, 2011

Google Plus - a minus from the Googlezz..

I believe I have a gift.

I believe that I can predict the future.

And my super senses tell me that Google Plus will fail.

Even without a facebook account, a great Chinese philosopher once said, about 300 years back, “The way of the world is to meet new people through other people ”

And if you look at it, this is the fundamental premise on which all social networking works on -> you find new friends through your own and on your own. And once upon a time, you could find all your childhood bum chums and chuddy buddies on orkut but later when you started getting multiple fraand-shib scraps from the neighborhood hot, sweet and sexy guy(yuck!), you moved over to facebook (moreover, everybody you know was already there). And you could connect even better with your friends through gaming, poking, sending flowers, throwing sheep and various other cool ways on facebook. And things worked out pretty well so far.

Lekin picture abhi baaki hain mere dost…

Enter Google Plus, the new social networking site from the Other Guy who has got all the answers to all your questions.

You now see yourself agreeing to God, er, sorry… Google, that :

  • you do not want to have your office folk know that even though your name on office rolls is something as cool as ‘Raj Aryan Malhotra’, you are actually known as Chuppandi Ram by all your school friends; so ‘Circles’ does seem like a good idea.
  • You also nod in unison that yup, it is cool that you can now chat simultaneously with 10 people on HD video chat on G+, even though you have never done that before or ever thought that you would even have a need to do so, unless it’s a meeting with your onsite clients (but who wants to have their clients to be in their friend’s list anyways?)
  • You also agree that since your default browser is Chrome, your email of choice is from the G and googling is the most productive thing you do in office (besides coffee), so hence G+, from the house of Google, has got to be superb.
  • You also think that since you might most probably buy a android smart phone next, so G+ will definitely have a better interface with your future phone with all the above applications (so in a way, that’s like ‘the site you don’t use on the phone that you don’t have’ J)

And finally, it’s from Google, one of the coolest company you’ve heard about. So all in all, G+ looks like a pretty darn good idea.

But my point is, you still won’t let go of your facebook account. J

My super predictive senses tell me that G+ does not have anything addictive in it to hold the attention of the user. Most of its features (superb features btw) are just me-too variations of fb or things that are slight improvements over fb. And that’s just it. Unless G comes out with something really sticky on G+, my senses tell me that Google Plus will be a minus from Google. Sure it’s still the beta version, but if the alpha version is on similar grounds, me don’t think G+ will hit the sweet spot. I predict that going forward, everyone will have both an fb and G+ accounts and that’s about it. And later due to inactivity, G+ will die a natural death; unless it comes up with something so addictive that G+ becomes the networking site of choice. Of course, my inadequate research also overlooks the opinion voiced by a few sources that G+ is not exactly competing with fb in the same space(whatever that means J) and that the market is big enough for the both players. Adding on, almost everybody I know has got a G+ account but nobody uses it for even a fraction of the number of times they use facebook. Sure stats will show that G+ notched up 20 million users in about a month but how many of them are actually as active as they are on fb?

Let me ask you three questions:


  • Do you have a G+ account?

  • Have you used it more than 5 times in the last week?

  • Don’t you have anything better to do than read this post?


If you’ve answered ‘No’ to the third question, then screw the first two questions and follow my blog.

And about my super predictive senses, well….

I must be honest to you. I don’t have any gift of crystal gazing. I can’t even tell if my house will have gold hidden underneath it, considering that its now becoming a norm in Trivandrum for people who believe in God, Gold and Google.

Of course, I live on a hill so geologically you can’t dig there or can ever find gold...

Of course, I don’t have a house in Trivandrum…

Of course, I’m not from Trivandrum…


But I still think Google Plus will flop.

J

27 comments:

  1. No, no, and yes, I have to go home but I'm still reading your blog and started following it eons ago.
    :)
    I've not made the transition to Google+ yet. Mainly because I've had it with socially networking. There was a time when people used to call me the brand ambassador of FB because that's where I always used to be. Constantly, except for when I was sleeping and in the bathroom. I've had a complete burn-out now. I realised that I don't have so much to say to people after all. I log on, check updates, and log off. No chatting, no random stalking, never played the games anyways.

    So no, this FB-ian is not going to jump to G+. But I still won't let go of my FB account. ;)

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  2. lets wait and see what happens to g+!

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  3. Well said indeed. Facebook spread rapidly like an epidemic. Entry of google+ is like offering you a gold ring when you are already happy with a platinum one in your hand. Ofcourse the principle of saturation works here too:)

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  4. By the way, could you explain the meaning of your blog title? just in case my perception of its meaning was wrong...:)

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  5. I find Google + annoying. It has become the hunting ground for sad, lonely jokers. I am tired of getting added by them. Almost feel like an item on a supermart shelf.

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  6. haha..i find myself almost nodding in agreement:-)

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  7. did you eat my comment mister? i was the first to comment..yesterday evening :(
    Anyways i forgot wht my last comment was.
    so i have like received a dozen invites for G+ but i am already so tied up with facebook and twitter accounts (one real and one for this blog), that thr is no room for another G+
    Ok actually i am too lazy to even check it out..curiosity cant kill me this time :D

    and i ahave been following your blog for long time, you wud knw :)

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  8. Nice post raj :)
    I also have a gut feeling that google plus will fail, besides I'm a regular stalker of only my emails.
    Red Handed is so right, there is no room for another G+ !
    happy blogging :)

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  9. That just about sums it up.
    I have used it. Twice.
    But decided that it's not worth it when some random creeps commented on my DP which I have no way of hiding-_-

    G+ = Epic fail. FB = Jai Hanuman ;P
    Sorry Google, I still love the rest of you.

    Nice post:)

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  10. I have been reading you now for sometime , commenting first time , what made me comment was the thrid question and the answer is NO .. so here i am following you and screweing the first two question .. But since you hace asked might as well answer :)

    I do have G+ bt as with FB i hardly use it , I dont like the idea of wasting time on those sites , I mean I hate people who have gone out for a dinner and then they put a message having dinner at this or that place my responce is SO.. big deal .. eat dinner why are you on fone ..

    Made me smile the post .. take care :)

    Bikram's

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  11. Somehow when I hear G+ G+, it reminds me of G-string G-string. Why do you think that is? :/

    And I agree with Bikramjit. If you're going out for dinner with friends, have dinner with friends, dammit! Instead of behaving like a creepo who's sitting all alone and eating but wants the world to think that he's having loads of fun. And hello, we also go out for dinner ok! We just don't believe in letting the whole world know that. Hmmpph!

    Also, what's with that stupid application where people can update where they are at the moment? There's a dude (read loser) in my list whose feeds come as "PR has checked into Vaishnav Hotel" "PR has checked into SBI Rajbhavan Road". WTF??!! Why do you think I want to know that at all?? How does it help, really?

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  12. Hey Spiff, thnx fr droppin by...yup, I knw u follow me n I u :)
    I remember an fb status update frm my bro, 'answerin nature's call..will b back'.. tht ws my heights of social networking addiction :)
    Thnx fr droppin by Divya :)


    Yup Dan, lets wait n watch... thnx fr droppin by Dan :)

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  13. Hey Kiran, what u perceive is wht u get... I just linked up two of the most popular words goin around n voila, I gt my blogname (No, I was not drunk!!! Y does everybody keep askin me tht?!!!) :) Thnx fr droppin by Kiran... do drop by more often :)

    Hey Purba, I so agree.. remember orkut? :) Thnx fr droppin by Purba-ji :)

    Hey Suruchi, welcum 2 da club.. do drop by more often :)

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  14. Hey Red, I wudnt even dream of deletin ur comments.. my loss truly :(
    Oh yes, I'm glad tht we follow each other :D
    I soo agree... thrz too many pies in the shop tht taste the same :)

    Thnx fr droppin by Red :)

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  15. Hey Ayushi, welcum 2 my blog.. Nice 2 hv a fellow believer :) do drop by more often...
    thnx fr droppin by, Ayushi :)

    Hahaha Priyanka, u said it... brilliantly put.. thnx fr droppin by, P :)

    Thnx Bikramjit fr reading, following and commenting.. exactly my point, like I was telling Spiff bout my bro's status update :) Its gettin wierd actually, the whole social n/w scenario :)

    Thnx fr coming over, Bikramjit..glad 2 hv u on board :)

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  16. I sooo agree with u Divya... bt I guess, thr r ppl who will reply 2 these status updates... to my bro's above mentioned status update, I remember sum other dude in his friend list reply, "Have a nice time der"!!!!

    I stand silenced ...

    :)

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  17. G+ is a quite place...I agree with you, haven't found anything interesting yet...it had mixed all google features with facebook and twitter...too many old things, and nothing new...yet...

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  18. U said it Sub... too many old things n nothin new... 'yet' :)

    Thnx fr droppin by man :)

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  19. hahaha! No, No, and ofcourse yes! But that doesn't mean i am not following ur blog!! (BTW.. what makes you think ANYONE is going to admit they are absolutely 'Vela' in public?)

    Fantastic post - as usual!

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  20. It only looks like all the buggers in Orkut just migrated to Google Plus with a mask that resembles FB :P

    and to the questions:
    1. Yes (Only for name sake)
    2. No. Not even once
    3. No and you have a new follower :P

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  21. totally agree!!! was d first mover on to g property d day it opened its space for accounts! i dont bother to check my profile more than twice a week now, inspite of having it onmy android and making it my home page on my chrome browser!!

    may be some fevicol wud help google??!!

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  22. Good job... and its not bcoz u mentioned our conversation over lunch towards the end :P
    It's got a grip!

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  23. yes i have G+ and yes i do hate it. Infact Social networking is creeping me out...and i feel i have lost the ability to make proper conversation with people, but i can talk very well to their walls!

    So ghanta baj gaya hai!

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  24. @purba Rofl.. item in supermarket shop!!
    @
    Raj I also agree that it doesnt have anything addictive but I personally feel its here to stay!

    http://achu89.blogspot.com/

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  25. Thanks Nirvana for ur kind words.. u r right, not everyone is vela like me :)
    Thnx fr droppin by Nirvana :)

    Thnx Cinderella fr droppin by, commentin n following :) Yup, I too think its just the orkut peoples hv just migrated into the G+ :)
    Thnx Cinderella :)

    U said it Ameet... glad we agree wid each others' views :)Thnx fr droppin by man :)

    Hey Pallavie, thnxu fr ur kind words.. comin frm u, it really is a compliment.. d drop by more often :)

    @k10, Hahahaha... as fr me, I never hd any social skills worth talkin bout.. but totally agrre wid ur views on social networking .. thnx fr droppin by:D

    Hey Center Shocker, yup, its gt the second biggest 'G' word goin fr it ;) thnx fr droppin by :)

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  26. actually i'd say yes, yes and i'm sleepy in the morning so no.... except maybe go to the loo but yeah, i haven't had coffee yet. :-P
    I managed to delete my FB account and tried to make an escape but was forcibly brought back. But I'm constantly logged into g+ and to be honest, I HATE FB! I'm really hoping that google+ makes it and eats up FB alive!

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  27. Hey Kofykat.. thnx fr droppin by.. u know, I'm noticin this trend whr ppl r lukin at G+ in a big way.. which is actually goin against the spirit of this post :) but i guess i'm used to eatin my words.. so lets wait n watch hw the G+ pans out.. do drop by more often, Kofykat :)

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