My thoughts on Google+

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screenshot of google+ hangout

a screenshot of google+ hangout

I had long considered writing a post about Google+ since its launch last week.  I was fortunate to receive an invite in the early stages, but the potential was not realized until tonight.  Now that many of my friends have created profiles, it’s becoming clear to me that this can be an awesome central-point for that ubiquitous “2nd window” on your work computer.

What makes this different from “buzz” or “wave”?  First off, it’s kind of clear what “g+” is intended for.  Buzz is that useless thing under your main inbox folders in gmail (which is essentially a repost of everyone’s tweets).  Wave was a lame attempt at ‘collaboration’ but no one really understood its use and many were quick to dismiss it.  In a way, g+ is a more thoughtful approach at networked communication.  Although documents aren’t shared in the main windows areas (a la Wave), integration is seamless with the other Google products (gmail, documents, calendar) and appears in a notification bar at the top of the window.

google+ main 'stream'

google+ main 'stream'

Is this the Facebook killer?

At the launch of g+, my Twitter feed was full of “Facebook killer” talk.  In all honesty, I don’t think this will happen (but I don’t know anything, so it could happen).  I realized today that FB definitely jumped the proverbial shark.  I know parents, grandparents and pets are using FB now, but the fact that my dad truly knows my condition based on my status updates (and that he knows how to set lists for privacy and sharing)  not only raises a giant flag, but really places the social web into perspective (never mind that i’m a bit proud of this too).

Clearly, the ease of use has made FB a great networking tool and has allowed many to (re)connect, but I can’t help but think of MySpace when I see the myriad of game invites, FB apps, and spam posts littering the FB newsfeed.  This isn’t the sole indicator of impending failure, but it was the deciding factor in my personal adoption of FB over MySpace.

Some points obstructing the success of g+:

  • Google isn’t exactly the friendliest of environments for the common user (too many options, myriads of settings, lots of beta apps)
  • Paranoia about Google security and privacy (although FB faces the same issues)
  • This might seem like another ‘social site’ in an already-crowded market
  • Wave
  • Buzz
  • Scalability (like running out of space)

Then again…  g+ seems to be growing

So what’s so good about Google+?

As you may have seen, the most striking thing about g+ is the “Circles”.  Circles enable you to split your friends into different groups (where circles can overlap and have friends in multiple circles).  Go to YouTube and search for ‘google+’ and you’ll see how nice this works (even on slower computers).  Circles are also the main way for selecting what posts you decide to share (like sharing a link to this post to my ‘tech’ circle, but posting a pic of my steak to my ‘foodie’ circle).  FB may already have this capability in lists, but it’s not nearly as pretty.

I’m starting to get tired, so I’ll bullet the rest of my faves:
  • g+ has a great video chat feature called ‘Hangout’ that can occur between a group of people (photo, above)
  • a companion app is available for android phones
  • g+ mobile will automatically upload photos you take from your phone for you to later share with your g+ circles
  • g+ mobile also has a feature called ‘Huddle’ the acts like groupMe or Beluga and sends texts to groups via mobile phone
  • g+ suggests users based on their gmail accounts and with circles, it’s easy to find and add people to your circles

It’s too early to know if g+ will succeed, but i have high hopes for it.  After the randomness of tonight’s  hangout, i can’t wait to see what happens when g+ is fully developed.

Stupid Junkyard Shuffle

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*disclaimer… you should know where this song is from, and that i didn’t create it.  this copyright stuff is getting annoying.

Farewell Lago

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Well, we got to say goodbye to my work-wife on Friday.  With that, I’d like to show the slideshow we made to make her cry.  I’d like to give a shoutout and thank my partners in crime – her real husband Mike, her Mom and Grandma and other family, and all the co-workers that helped add pictures to this fun little project. I’d also like to thank the Arcade Fire for their unauthorized contribution to the project.

Social Media Has Its Purpose

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It’s easy to get caught up in the “newness” or novelty of social media (for this post ‘social media’ refers to things like Facebook and Twitter).  I spend nearly every day goofing around on these things, keeping up with friends, tweeting my thoughts and generally responding to the more clever things my friends have to say, but today was an exception to the rule.

Thanks to social media, I was well aware of a coworker’s birthday as I arrived at work today.  As I booted up my computer, I noticed numerous tweets about a shooter at the UT campus.

For the next hour or so, tweets and FB updates were being volleyed as news (confirmed or rumored) moved quickly through my friends and friends-of-friends.  @jennijewel even responded to a retweet that I had posted from @Kathryn_Walker about the shooter still being at-large, armed with an AK-47.  As unconfirmed reports had come in stating that the original suspect had committed suicide, I was retweeting a message saying he was still at large.  Jenni hoped that it was more a bad instance of ‘telephone’ rather than fact and I had responded that latency may be the issue at-hand.

Friends posted confirmed reports from local news outlets to provide structure to the numerous rumors of 7 victims being shot, and bad jokes referencing UT’s loss to UCLA as the cause of the outburst.  @ktsowa tweeted a valuable reminder to only tweet confirmed news and stop perpetuating rumors, but frankly, even with the rumors, social media proved its value on this particular day.

I can’t help but remember 9/11 in instances like this.  It was a mere 3 days after my birthday as I made my way through campus aboard a UT shuttle when I heard the radio mention an errant plane crashing into one of the WTC towers.  On the short ride to my class, this ‘accident’ snowballed to include a second plane crash.  Shortly after my American Lit class, the news had reported another plane crash in a remote field in Pennsylvania and a fourth plane colliding with the Pentagon.  I remember making my way to Jester West to hang at a friend’s dormroom to watch the news and trying to decide whether or not to go to class.  On top of the tragedies of the day came numerous anthrax and bomb threats on campus where the paranoia had noted that then-President Bush’s connection to Texas and Austin made us a likely target.  I sadly remember the instances of racism and disrespect that Muslims faced on campus through articles from the Daily Texan.

I’m not comparing the gravity of 9/11 to today’s shootings at UT, but I am amazed at how much things have changed in the 9 short years since the 9/11 attacks.  Amidst the standard social aspect of Twitter and Facebook, the opportunities for marketing and business, the ‘news’ of numerous Socialrati (self)promoting social media’s importance, I saw a remarkable use of the technology where “What am I doing now?” had never been more important and showed social media’s value.  I witnessed worried friends seeking status updates from siblings, coworkers looking for answers to track their children, concerned citizens posting pictures to give outsiders a better understanding of the panic (or lack thereof) in the area and friends sending prayers and guidance to UT students and staff.  Thankfully this was not the tragic event that was 9/11, but something like this would have been useful back in 2001.

I’d also like to speak about the pride I felt with how fast and efficient UT has become with campus emergencies.  Minutes after the first report, air sirens and loudspeakers guided students and staff to safe areas as emails and text messages were broadcast to the UT community.  In an interview, the UTPD and APD reportedly had officers present shortly after the fourth shot, chasing the gunman before he fled to the PCL.  Students and Texas Exes tweeted and retweeted helpful information.  Thankfully, no other injuries occurred and all service people and UT employees involved should be commended.  Seriously, I’ve never been prouder to be a Texas Ex.

Sidenote: PCL and other Austin news related to the shootings trended around the #2~#3 area on Twitter today.

img credit: Randy Drevland

Love, hate, and choking on your own saliva.

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This is a bit of a mish-mash post, as I’ve been incredibly busy over the last few weeks.  Admittedly, since my birthday post, I haven’t had time to think about anything outside of work.

Here are the things I wanted to share over the last few weeks:

I guess the news du jour is that I had my tonsils removed.  This can explain my lack of writing, or the incoherence of my writing as of this post.  To end this ridiculous non-sequitur, I will post pics.

will i be strong enough to go to work tomorrow? can i stay hydrated? will this pain in my throat go away?

Birthday Post: I’m Gonna Cramp Up…

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Every year that flies by, I become more aware of things that really matter.  This is obvious, but for someone that moved back to his college town, it’s a harsh reminder of the re-evaluation of priorities that must take place.  I know I seem more mellow than before, but maybe it’s because I can’t stay up till two in the morning and expect to feel rested AND get to work in time.  But I am already boring myself with this post (and definitely the 5 of you that happen to read this site).

If you don’t already know, I work in marketing and I relish the idea of constant communication and interaction with others.  Unfortunately, this was not one of those days.  To keep things short, my day was hectic from the very beginning.  On my drive to work, I received a phone call from my boss, making me aware that I had sent outdated documents for review to management.  I owned up to my fault, noting that I had another 43 items on top of this from the previous day’s to-do list.  This set off the tone for the rest of the day.  At work, I had at least another 20 or so items to complete for the day — not much room for celebration.

And THIS is what sucked about today.  I’m not hating the work or the assignments, but when you pair this with an awesome cubicle thrashing from my co-workers, an excellent cake with humorous decoration, tongue-staining blue icing, a mustache, and enough candles to set off the fire alarm, fruit decorated with novelty black-framed glasses and giant nose, big as your face burritos y mas from Chuy’s, a birthday card that is NSFW, headphones blasting the smooth sounds of Chromeo, AND 75+ birthday greetings via Facebook, Twitter, Email, text, and phone — it’s ridiculously difficult to do anything but smile meekly when being greeted, “Happy Birthday,” by boatloads of people.

BUT AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO PRIORITIES.

Work is definitely one of my priorities (unfortunately a BIG one), but I had a chance to spend some time with a handful of friends tonight and realized that my family and friends SHOULD BE and IS/ARE my #1 priority (shoot me if you disagree, but chances are, you’re not my friend if you disagree).  On the drive back to my place, I had a moment to reflect on all of the birthday wishes and realize that after the fact, the short messages from all of my friends and family made this day and year so much worth it.

A postscript: I also received a lot of messages from my High School friends, and while I am still a bit apprehensive about my upcoming class reunion, I really do look forward to seeing some of my good friends (hence my graduation photo above).

And now the thank you shoutouts:

Mom, Dad, EC, Maria, Carlo, Ian, Ashley V., Rhiannon, Alee, Adam, Allan Uy, Christy, Madee, Erica, Edita, Katie Joy, Sharon, Christina M., Marlo, Emily M., Adriana, Karen, Meredith, Biddle, Jen Strickler, Lindsay W., Muzquiz, Kelly, Marisa, Rachel R., Michael Todd, Sara (T) B., Katie C., Chris (Rico IV), Leeho, Canez to the Sion, Cody, Terence Tang, JD, Lisa D., Kristen Beth, Eddie N., Eckberg, Hea, Uncle Henry, Clarissa, Kristin V., Casey (Skydive McGee), Geraldine, Kelby, Kristin (who’s glad I was born), Cliff, Joelthecow, Rosanna, Malaboobs, Jennifer Spunky, Andy (chairman of the board), David Dancefreak, Nicole, Clarinda, Alain, Tariq (p***y), Heather McL., Mr. Myers, Jim Keyboard, Lindsey Z., Tiffany C., Fred Q., Joe (MCS), Maria M., Sly, Major Ryan, Amanda Deathray, Michael L., Nary, Frances, Valera, Marie kiki, Jenni Sagebucks, Ally P., Brian I., Missy Q., Emily A., Jillian notahickie, Amanda L., Susan (M) C., Mr. Dunlap, Anthony L., Janie M., Jill A. hoola hoops, Cat, Cimberly, Hubert, Aeisha, Don Juan, Judy N., Liz M., Jessica J., Gavino, Tam (soun), Jason H., Sarah PQ, Crystal C., Sandra (spoon), Erin D., Luis G., Jermaine J., Sylvia S., Irma, Lucy, Monica R., Bo, Laura D., Pedalmikester, Lisa 2, Coleman, Maria (by the lake), Richard L., Rob P., Yvonne, KGloria, Angelica C., Shaheen, Angie, Albo, Daniel V., Ika, Lily teacher, Agent Eddie, J-bang, Uncle Tito, Ryan Y., Amanda G. P., Thomas W., Ravina, Czarina, Gennie, Erika W., Jeffery W., Jessica and PJ, Sisa, PJ G., Amit, Jessika S., DeAnn, Chris Garr., Ray H., Mario V., Dr. Klago, Carlajean, Elaine BC, Ashley P., Canlas, Janice Joy, Julius, Tiffani, Celeste, A-Mo, Tek Munny, Joy the littlest Bernardo, Jennifer S-S., Timmy Chang, Sam N., Jason F., David S., Kim P., Jason A., Reden, Caroline M H, Ashley Summer, Rachel L., Kathleen GK, Buddy, Ronald S., Eddie G., Liza L’H., Wu, Alison A., Lance, the Jeremy, Anita, Tomas, Raisa, Chris Bat., Bryan SocialUprise, Sara K., Paolo, Eugene, Nessajoy, Staudt, Jim M., Cynthia, Heather K., Elsa, Jose, Emily A., Sherilyn, Kellie, John P., Brian S., Shaun B., Chris B., Chris G., Lisa S., Barbara E., Susie A., Randy D., Irene, Xerxes, Kristini, Frank, Tony, Kat, Allan, Kat, TJ, Gayle, Ashjoelle, Dean, Marcoose, Zaid, Trish, Jay Jay, Neal, Huck, Marc, Heidi, Krissy, Erwin

I have the sneaking suspicion that I forgot a few people, but you get the point (and my hands are cramped).  Thanks so much for making me feel special.  It was only fitting that this post has taken me right into September 9th.  Here’s to a great year ahead for everyone.