Hands-on: Google+ mobile app for Android

The Google+ mobile client for Android lets you access the company's new social network on the road. Ars takes it for a drive.

<a href='http://meincmagazine.com/gadgets/news/2011/07/hands-on-google-mobile-client-for-android-and-huddle-group-messaging.ars'>Read the whole story</a>

 

[AdamM]

I got in yesterday.

Extremely anti-climatic once you get in but I believe Google might have a winner here. Facebook is starting to show the same traits that began the downfall of MySpace.

 

[LorentzForces]

Like everything with Google+ (or Google projects in general), it's still in a formative phase and will undoubtedly get better as time goes on. I'm excited. Get at me, Google.

 

[Flit]

Some of the stuff in this Google+ app should be base functionality in Facebook by this time, and I'm surprised it isn't. Time to dump facebook.

 

[cayton]

I'm looking forward to the iOS app with great anticipation. I would really love to have an app for the Google Music Beta, which I like a lot. Any word on that?

 

[jwbaker]

I think you missed a part of the photo uploading functionality. Not only can you upload photos from there, the application will also just automatically upload all of your mobile photos in the background, and they will be ready to share when/if you want. They are also pre-loaded into the share box if you use the Google+ web interface from your desktop.

 

[helel ben shachar]

Maybe it's the developing greybeard speaking (you know kids, we used to manually configure our modems to dial into message boards before AOL arrived with the 14.4 baud internets) or maybe it's a general recoil against social networking in general, but I have no real need to be in touch with everyone all the time nor do I really care what anyone is doing at the moment. I kinda enjoy my privacy. Granted I do have a personal space, but it's my garage. When I want to share with friends, it's with beer in said garage, possibly with terrestrial radio playing.

Interesting article none the less.

 

[beeblebrox]

You have have a "Hangout" on the browser-based G+. You can "Huddle" on Android/mobile. Why can't there be cross-over?

 

[the_Y_button]

Organized, easy to view (thanks to imported design lead) and simplified layout. I can only hope they continue this trend as I (personally) grow very tired of the flash-everything-because-we-can design mantra that seems so prevalent now. For a mobile app or otherwise, it is easy to access and fun to use.

In other news, I am very disappointed that the web version is not compatible with IE7 as that is the browser I must use at work. I expressed this discomfort in a "feedback report" to them yesterday and reminded them that a (large?) portion of the DoD only uses 7 due to cross compatibility with current products. Also that the links for help and IE 8 download were broken but such is life from time to time.

 

[kcoppock]

In other news, I am very disappointed that the web version is not compatible with IE7 as that is the browser I must use at work. I expressed this discomfort in a "feedback report" to them yesterday and reminded them that a (large?) portion of the DoD only uses 7 due to cross compatibility with current products. Also that the links for help and IE 8 download were broken but such is life from time to time.

Agreed. This would be handy for me too. I think when we move to Win7 though, we'll get IE8 at least, so maybe it'll function alright then?

That said, I can absolutely see this taking off, but it's going to be slow going. Facebook is more or less becoming what MySpace used to be, and Google+ is what Facebook used to be. Here's hoping Google+ takes off.

Oh, and "+1'd it"? Really? :|

 

[MoonShark]

I don't have an invite but I installed the app yesterday. It's already had 2 updates. Hopefully that's an indication that progress is moving swiftly.

 

[Mawich]

Google officially now only support the current and previous major releases of browsers across all their products, so you'll not get them to add IE7 support to Google+.

This affects my company as well, as we recently upgraded to IE7. Laughable, but true.

 

[qroon]

I think you missed a part of the photo uploading functionality. Not only can you upload photos from there, the application will also just automatically upload all of your mobile photos in the background, and they will be ready to share when/if you want. They are also pre-loaded into the share box if you use the Google+ web interface from your desktop.

Automatically upload all my mobile photos? That's a bit creepy to say the least. Even if it's not shared by default.

 

[Ser Linus Van Pelt]

anyone have a invite? bbmorgan [at] gmail [dot] com

Thanks!

 

[dsleif]

I think you missed a part of the photo uploading functionality. Not only can you upload photos from there, the application will also just automatically upload all of your mobile photos in the background, and they will be ready to share when/if you want. They are also pre-loaded into the share box if you use the Google+ web interface from your desktop.

Automatically upload all my mobile photos? That's a bit creepy to say the least. Even if it's not shared by default.

Can this be turned off?

 

[Ars of Ares]

1. This article is torture.

2. I really want my invite.

3. You *can* smoke on a hibachi. It's not as difficult (or ineffective) as purists would have you believe, but it is limited and you will need to know how to compensate. You should have known better on the heat problem; a little pre-test would have done you some good in determining just how much (or, more accurately: how little) fuel to use. Dry runs are expensive, but they can be invaluable..

 

[p.w.j]

The Facebook Android app is more polished...

Are you kidding? The Facebook Android app is absolutely wretched. There's a whole range of issues:
- If I click on a notification from the FB notification tray, the next time I return to the home screen the notification tray stays up and I clear any new notifications.
- the notifications tray also says i have notifications when I've cleared them on the website DAYS ago
- The news feed refreshes itself automatically if you return to it by any means besides the back button, and in doing so it forces you back to the first page of stories (so if I scrolled down 5-6 pages and loaded all of those stories, I have to do the scrolling and loading all over again)
- The news feed is just your most recent stories; no way to access more interesting "Top Stories" (can do in the browser version)
- chat is borked. Terribly
- I can't "like" photos or comments on posts (I can do both on the browser version)
- It takes at least twice as long as any other app to start up
- There's those dopey photos from people I don't care about at the bottom of the home page which wastes cell bandwidth

I could go on.

The Google+ app is far more streamlined and responsive than the Facebook app, and it exposes more functionality than does the Facebook app. The very minimalistic UI of Google+ also looks very good on a mobile device, whereas I find the Facebook app more cluttered


Also, I think leaving out Instant Upload is a pretty serious omission. Instant (and seamless / invisible) upload is pretty damn cool; I know that I can take pictures from my phone and easily choose to post them later from the desktop website

 

[xwred1]

So, does huddle let you chat with people over 3G? Sounds like they are ripping off iOS5..

 

[Ars of Ares]

Hmm.. Seems there's an exploit for getting in. Anyone willing to experiment? :devious:

 

[Leiesoldat]

Been wanting an invite to Google+ since I heard about the blog announcement of it. This is just sweet icing on an already impressive cake.

 

[qroon]

On Google+ itself, it's underwhelming, I only got very few people in Circles. I'll explore this further after work.

 

[jwbaker]

I think you missed a part of the photo uploading functionality. Not only can you upload photos from there, the application will also just automatically upload all of your mobile photos in the background, and they will be ready to share when/if you want. They are also pre-loaded into the share box if you use the Google+ web interface from your desktop.

Automatically upload all my mobile photos? That's a bit creepy to say the least. Even if it's not shared by default.

Can this be turned off?

You have to turn it on in the first place.

 

[C Boy]

. I expressed this discomfort in a "feedback report" to them yesterday and reminded them that a (large?) portion of the DoD only uses 7 due to cross compatibility with current products.

Don't tell me you are using Google+ on the taxpayer's dime?

 

[p.w.j]

So, does huddle let you chat with people over 3G? Sounds like they are ripping off iOS5..

You've been able to chat over 3G with Google Talk (the same thing as the chat feature in Gmail) for a long time now. To any device capable of running a Google Talk client (which is basically everything).


Google hasn't marketed its chat service as a mobile messaging platform, but it is, and I use it as such.

 

[jwbaker]

I think you missed a part of the photo uploading functionality. Not only can you upload photos from there, the application will also just automatically upload all of your mobile photos in the background, and they will be ready to share when/if you want. They are also pre-loaded into the share box if you use the Google+ web interface from your desktop.

Automatically upload all my mobile photos? That's a bit creepy to say the least. Even if it's not shared by default.

If you think it's creepy, don't use it. In the past, people have paid actual money for this kind of photo syncing. http://www.eye.fi/products/connectx2

 

[DavidinAla]

Given the incredibly bad market positioning -- "Google+" -- I don't suspect this will take off no matter how good it is. People who read sites like this might look at it and evaluate functions and so forth, but MOST people will just say, "Google? Yeah, that's what I use when I search." If Google line-extends the main brand name, they'll either damage the main brand (possible, but less likely) or find that nobody understands when it means in the new usage (most likely). I have no idea whether there's room in the market for a Facebook competitor from Google, but giving it the worst possible line-extended name is a good way to make sure it's still-born, IMO.

 

[ephracis]

Hmm.. Seems there's an exploit for getting in. Anyone willing to experiment? :devious:

Sorry, but as far as I can tell the exploit I used yesterday is no longer working. :/

If the exploit is anything other than sharing to an email address so they get an "view or comment..." link from which they can join, I guess you'll have to wait...

Shame though, as I would love some more people on it. It's really full of potential, just missing on fun people.

Btw, http://www.allfacebook.com/the-one-goog ... ar-2011-06

 

[ran93r]

I can't huddle at all on the Sensation, it randomly locks up and I have to FC the app. Otherwise, it's a decent start.

 

[Shudder]

I think you missed a part of the photo uploading functionality. Not only can you upload photos from there, the application will also just automatically upload all of your mobile photos in the background, and they will be ready to share when/if you want. They are also pre-loaded into the share box if you use the Google+ web interface from your desktop.

Automatically upload all my mobile photos? That's a bit creepy to say the least. Even if it's not shared by default.

If you think it's creepy, don't use it. In the past, people have paid actual money for this kind of photo syncing. http://www.eye.fi/products/connectx2

That's my take.. I enabled it and I welcome such an easy and automatic photo/video syncing option for Android. For free.

Now I don't have to worry about whether or not I saved all my recent pictures.

 

[NicoleC]

In other news, I am very disappointed that the web version is not compatible with IE7 as that is the browser I must use at work. I expressed this discomfort in a "feedback report" to them yesterday...

Agreed. This would be handy for me too. I think when we move to Win7 though, we'll get IE8 at least, so maybe it'll function alright then?...|

Yep, we get IE8 with Win 7, whenever that will be. Not dang soon enough.

Google's constant nagging to "try Chrome!" is basically driving me away from Google products. Docs Spreadsheet has become virtually useless. I don't expect NEW features for older browsers, but some baseline functionality would be appropriate in a year when there's a new browser version every week.

I kinda feel like social networking as it exists today has hit it's peak. It has to evolve into something more useful to stick around, and the networks especially have to start communicating with each other.

I may try Google+ but since I still haven't used my Google Music invite I don't think they'll be sending me one.

 

[the_Y_button]

Automatically upload all my mobile photos? That's a bit creepy to say the least. Even if it's not shared by default.

Can this be turned off?

You have to turn it on in the first place.[/quote]

Which is what is so interesting about this initiative , and ironic given Google’s privacy issues.

 

[countcracula]

I got in yesterday.

Extremely anti-climatic once you get in but I believe Google might have a winner here. Facebook is starting to show the same traits that began the downfall of MySpace.

Please elaborate? There is no blatantly ugly customization, no animated sparkling gifs or transparent CSS styling.

 

[Nuncio]

I'm looking forward to the iOS app with great anticipation. I would really love to have an app for the Google Music Beta, which I like a lot. Any word on that?

cayton,

The Google Music Beta app is available on the Market just download it here: https://market.android.com/details?id=c ... rch_result

I've been using it for the past month or so, works great.

 

[Ars of Ares]

I got in yesterday.

Extremely anti-climatic once you get in but I believe Google might have a winner here. Facebook is starting to show the same traits that began the downfall of MySpace.

Please elaborate? There is no blatantly ugly customization, no animated sparkling gifs or transparent CSS styling.

That makes no sense at all. Myspace allowed "blatantly ugly customization" from practically the start. I was putting CSS in my myspace profile when you could still meet Tom at the parties - before the numbers went through the roof - as were many, many others.

Or are you suggesting that the things that made myspace popular also caused it to stutter?

 

[countcracula]

I got in yesterday.

Extremely anti-climatic once you get in but I believe Google might have a winner here. Facebook is starting to show the same traits that began the downfall of MySpace.

Please elaborate? There is no blatantly ugly customization, no animated sparkling gifs or transparent CSS styling.

That makes no sense at all. Myspace allowed "blatantly ugly customization" from practically the start. I was putting CSS in my myspace profile when you could still meet Tom at the parties - before the numbers went through the roof - as were many, many others.

Or are you suggesting that the things that made myspace popular also caused it to stutter?

Sort of. The customization is what made Myspace stand out at first, but I think as it caught on in the mainstream the glittery backgrounds, animations and music on every page is what made people annoyed enough to find a "cleaner" product. That's why I asked for clarification. What was the beginning of the downfall of Myspace, and what about Facebook is the same?

 

[dsleif]

So, does huddle let you chat with people over 3G? Sounds like they are ripping off iOS5..

I wouldn't quite call it "ripping off" when it's just the next logical, intuitive step.

Did you turn the doorknob on your house clockwise to leave? You ripped off my process.

Better comparison: Under your logic, all email programs "rip off" the original email program. See? Doesn't stand up.

 

[Warlord Alpha]

You have to turn it on in the first place.

Which is what is so interesting about this initiative , and ironic given Google’s privacy issues.

I'd consider it far more interesting if it was on by default, because that would mean that Google had not learned from its past mistakes.

 

[jonnale]

Maybe it's the developing greybeard speaking (you know kids, we used to manually configure our modems to dial into message boards before AOL arrived with the 14.4 baud internets) or maybe it's a general recoil against social networking in general, but I have no real need to be in touch with everyone all the time nor do I really care what anyone is doing at the moment. I kinda enjoy my privacy. Granted I do have a personal space, but it's my garage. When I want to share with friends, it's with beer in said garage, possibly with terrestrial radio playing.

Interesting article none the less.

I think that MOST people that use social networking sites (keyword: most) do not care what anyone is doing at all times or at a given moment. One reason I use social networking is to keep in touch with my friends that I cannot go into the garage with and have a beer.

When I graduated college, many of my friends moved to different parts of the country to find a job. Although I can still call them, and I do, checking out their facebook page is a simple way to see that their life is going normal and that everything is okay. Granted, I also use facebook to communicate with friends that I do live near, but I also have personal interaction with these people as well (and I do have beers with them, although not necessarily in my garage).

If anything, Google+ will make keeping up with particular groups easier. I can now have separate feeds for friends, family, co-workers, etc. So now, if I want to see just what my friends are up to, I can click my friends circle and just see that particular feed. If there is something I only want to share with my family, I can simply post a message to just that circle.

I could break this down even further. I can make a new circle just for friends that live out of state. So now, I can get just a list of updates from that particular group, and don't have to read all the other non-sense that my friends that live close-by post.

 

[MagnaCartaHg]

Count, I was never really around for the downfall of MySpace, but the Facebook equivalent extreme glittery backgrounds and annyoing sounds happened when Facebook stopped being about people.

Facebook used to be just people. Then it became companies, and then just anything with an email address. How many movies have websites www.facebook.com/moviename with a wall full of people making random comments about it?

So no, there's no glitter and annoying sounds, but the point is that stuff got in the way of the purpose of MySpace, which was for bands and then people to spread their info. Facebook was supposed to let you connect with people, and now it's just a place that's trying to hold on to its users with unrelated activities so they can make ad money rather than build social networking features.

I got in yesterday.

Extremely anti-climatic once you get in but I believe Google might have a winner here. Facebook is starting to show the same traits that began the downfall of MySpace.

Please elaborate? There is no blatantly ugly customization, no animated sparkling gifs or transparent CSS styling.

That makes no sense at all. Myspace allowed "blatantly ugly customization" from practically the start. I was putting CSS in my myspace profile when you could still meet Tom at the parties - before the numbers went through the roof - as were many, many others.

Or are you suggesting that the things that made myspace popular also caused it to stutter?

Sort of. The customization is what made Myspace stand out at first, but I think as it caught on in the mainstream the glittery backgrounds, animations and music on every page is what made people annoyed enough to find a "cleaner" product. That's why I asked for clarification. What was the beginning of the downfall of Myspace, and what about Facebook is the same?

 

[Ars of Ares]

I got in yesterday.

Extremely anti-climatic once you get in but I believe Google might have a winner here. Facebook is starting to show the same traits that began the downfall of MySpace.

Please elaborate? There is no blatantly ugly customization, no animated sparkling gifs or transparent CSS styling.

That makes no sense at all. Myspace allowed "blatantly ugly customization" from practically the start. I was putting CSS in my myspace profile when you could still meet Tom at the parties - before the numbers went through the roof - as were many, many others.

Or are you suggesting that the things that made myspace popular also caused it to stutter?

Sort of. The customization is what made Myspace stand out at first, but I think as it caught on in the mainstream the glittery backgrounds, animations and music on every page is what made people annoyed enough to find a "cleaner" product. That's why I asked for clarification. What was the beginning of the downfall of Myspace, and what about Facebook is the same?

Again, all of those "annoyances" were possible early on. For a lot of people (myself included), myspace jumped the shark when it started controlling *how* you customize. So you lost core users (with customized profiles that didn't suck) to people who think sparkly is pretty.

In that respect, Facebook is absolutely showing the same traits that caused myspaces to slip. You don't control anything on Facebook. Facbook makes it very clear that it knows what is best for you and your experience. This has always been true, but the masses are finally beginning to understand it, and they are finally waking up to it.

You also have the spoof (not hacked) profile problem. I don't know how widespread this is, but my own Facebook account has been spoofed. (I don't even know why; I hardly use the damn profile, and the spoof has been verified to contain no malicious links or anything.) Another symptom shared by myspace.