July 19, 2011
Google + App Ready for iPhone Users
Google+ is expanding its mobile reach with today’s debut of an iPhone app dedicated to the new social networking site.
Up until now, clever iPhone users could have added a link to their home screens, but that still would have gone straight to the browser window. (Anyone who did this was also likely already a diehard Google+ addict.)
But that isn’t the case anymore. Google has released, as expected, a free app that is available immediately for iOS 3.1 and higher. The technical requirements are that this app only works for the following devices: iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, and iPhone 4.
The mobile interface isn’t much different from the ultra-simple and clean desktop version. The app features focus on Circles for sharing particular items with the “right people,” the Huddle for group messaging, and the Stream, which is basically a news feed from all of a user’s Circles.
Naturally, there has already been a dedicated Android app for some time now, downloadable for free from the Android Market.
The Goog’s foray into social networking debuted a few weeks ago, and it is still in invite-only mode. Nevertheless, the Mountain View, Calif.-based company asserted that Google+ already retains 10 million active users.
UPDATE: There are already issues with the Google+ for the iPhone app. Apparently iTunes picked up a test version of the app first, which was available to consumers to download for at least one hour and 40 minutes.
The correct version is listed as 1.0.1.1809. So if you don’t have that one installed, you’ll have to uninstall the first copy and then download this new copy.
July 13, 2011
Google + Cheat Sheet........Check it Out
Am really a big fan of Google+ and for that i've been looking for ways to understand every bit of it. I just discovered some awesome cheats I'll be sharing with you, and for those still clamoring for invite, it's now open to everyone. So lets go straight to G+ and explore some of this tricks.
Before we go on, my big thanks goes to Simon Lausten a Google+ users for sharing it. This sheet includes cheats you need to know to use Google+ like a pro.
July 8, 2011
How to Bring In Your Facebook Contacts to Google +
But don't be too saddened, there is this new Google Chrome extension that makes extracting Facebook contacts a lot easier, and also reconstruct your respective social graphs on Google +.
Facebook Friends Exporter as this extension is called, allows you to transfer details that your Facebook friends have shared with you (i.e. their names, email addresses, phone numbers, websites, addresses and birthdays). The information should be saved as a CSV file or imported directly into your Gmail address book as a folder labeled "Facebook contacts Imported"
A user’s Google+ connections are based upon his or her Gmail address book. To get started, users are encouraged to sift through their Google contacts to add them to “Circles” for friends, family, classmates, co-workers and other custom groups. Circles is Google’s attempt to help users interact better with specific social groups.
According to CNET reporter Stephen Shankland he noted that that this tool probably won’t rub well with Facebook, citing Section 3.2 of Facebook’s terms of service: “You will not collect users’ content or information, or otherwise access Facebook, using automated means (such as harvesting bots, robots, spiders, or scrapers) without our permission.”
Apparently there will be some sort of opposition between the two social giants, because Google has for long held the philosophy of users been able to extract their data (i mean their entire data, including Google contacts using Google Takeout). And Facebook on the other hand, attest to this as a very "serious privacy concerns".
Now i ought to warn you that using this extension is at your own risk according to the programmer Mohamed Mansour. Currently 30k + users have used it and not one of them have received ban notice from Facebook.
July 7, 2011
Add All Your Friends from Facebook To Google +
UPDATE: Facebook has just blocked this tool.
While you're settling into Google+, you might notice that it's a little lonely without your friends.
Since most of your friends are currently on Facebook (and might not even know about Google+), you'll need to help them make the switch.
Here's how:
Step 1:
Log into your Yahoo Mail account. If you don't have one yet, create one. Then, head to the "Contacts" tab in the mail dashboard. Click "Import contacts" and then select the Facebook icon in the next screen. You'll be asked to authorize the connection.
Yahoo will import all your Facebook friends' names and e-mails into your contacts list.
Step 2: Go to Google+, log in, and click "View and edit" in the sidebar on the right (below "in your circles"). In the next window, click "Find and invite." Click "Yahoo," agree to the terms, and watch as Google imports your Yahoo contacts (from Facebook) into Google+.
Step 3: Add all the Facebook friends you want on Google+ into your custom Circles. Then go to the Google+ dashboard, compose a post, and share it with those circles. Make sure to check "Also e-mail * people not yet using Google+".
Upon publishing your post, your friends will be indirectly invited to Google+.
Because Facebook doesn't allow third parties to grab users' e-mail addresses, the company will likely continue to shut down apps and extensions like, Facebook Friend Exporter, that attempt to do so.
Other Web development teams are attempting to bypass Facebook restrictions, but this Yahoo Mail workaround is the only legitimate way to get your Facebook friends onto Google+ (for now).
And if you are reading this and you've not yet gotten access to Google +, give me your email address i'll send you an invite.
UPDATE: Facebook has just blocked this tool
July 6, 2011
Google + : Some Fundamentals Tips You Need to Know
1. Bold, italics, and strikethough. Do you miss the funky fonts and formatting you had in MySpace? Neither do we. Google+, however, gifts you with three simple formatting tricks: *bold*, _italics_, and -strikethough-.
2. Tag friends in posts. Get a friend's attention in a post by tagging them. Type "+" or "@" followed by their name. You'll see an autocomplete drop-down menu show up as you type their name, which presumably includes people in your circles and extended circles.
Your friend will be notified they've been tagged in a post, and post visibility will automatically be set to just that person. Don't forget to add more circles and friends (if you want to) before sharing.
3. Use permalinks. Permalinks come in handy for sharing and cleaner viewing of single posts. Just click the timestamp of any post and you'll be taken to a new page displaying just that post.
4. Quickly share post on Twitter and Facebook. Oh, the irony. To share a post with your Twitter or Facebook network, use the Extended Share for Google Plus Chrome extension. Upon installation, you'll see a new option ("Send to...") below each post in your stream.
5. Edit photos. Here's a nice feature for any on-the-fly photo editing. Go to your photos (accessible via your profile), select a photo. Click "Actions" > Edit photo, and you'll be presented with several photo filters. Scroll through other photos in the album for consecutive editing.
6. Send a "direct message". To send a message to just one friend, tag them in the beginning of a post and let them know it's a private message. Then, comment on the post to establish your own, private thread.
7. Let friends e-mail you from your profile. With this setting, you can let people e-mail you directly from your profile. Head to your profile, then select "Edit profile".
Below your profile photo, you'll see a grayed out "Send an email". Click it, and check "Allow people to email me from a link on my profile". Then adjust the privacy settings below.