Update 1 : Google has just pushed out an update to the App store. This is within hours after the initial launch. I have never seen a company launch an update so quick. The new version is 1.0.1.1809. Hope it fixes all the bugs

As you may already know, Google+ iPhone app is out. The android version has been out for quite a while. If you do not know about this, you can find the original post here or just find the download links at the end. Please make sure that you have updated your iOS to 4.3.4 as it is known to crash on the iOS 4.3.3

An overview, the Google+ App is pretty simple and slick. It has all the functionality that you would expect. Just an addition of Huddle feature which is basically messages.

If you are not on Google+, check out this post if you need an invite. If you are already on the google+, then do not forget to add me. Bilal Mughal.

Google+ iPhone App

As you can see, they have kept it quite simple. Stream, Huddle (Messaging), Photos, Profile and Circles are all present as soon as you sign in. The notifications tab is right at the bottom, with the ability to send Push Notifications.

I originally thought that the app was going to be a rip off, i.e the  mobile web version of google+ under a layer of few features (just like many of the third party facebook apps). Their sign in page put me off. Screen shot of that below

The Stream

The stream looks pretty much similiar to the web version. You can swipe left and right to check out the incoming and nearby. I still do not know why they call inbox incoming.

Profile

The profile page looks pretty standard. Quite similar to Facebook one actually. You can easily look at all the information and photos of a person. Here is the screen shot of my profile. If you want to add me, go ahead. Bilal Mughal

Huddle (New Feature)

This is one feature that you probably can not find on the web version. The ability to send someone direct messages easily without making a huge post and then selecting to whom the post is available to. I absolutely love this and I hope they start this huddle thing pretty soon on the web version of Google+ as well.

Photos

Currently I can not seem to upload any photos but it is easier to browse. Even with updated iOS, the Photo uploader keeps crashing. Hopefully Google will have a fix soon !!! (Thus did not bother with a screen shot)

Posting

Posting is pretty easy. You have all the options of choosing which circles to share your post with. You can geo tag as well as attach pictures (ability to take one from the app as well).

That is pretty much for now. They just need to update it a little bit. People have been reporting some bugs and crashes. So far i have just been unable to upload any pictures. Hope it gets fixed soon.

Download Google+ iPhone app now

Link 1 – Google+ Appstore link

Link 2 – Google+ iTunes link. (Opens directly in iTunes)

Update: You will need iOS update 4.3.4 before  you can install it. If it is not coming up in your app store, please connect to iTunes and update it. Also it is a 666mb long, the update for iOS. Going to suck if you have a shitty connection.

It is about time!!! Apple has finally sorted through the app store procedures and released the Google+ iPhone app. Am downloading it right now and shall be giving a hands on review to everyone. You all know it that I have been waiting for it for a long long time !!!

In mean time here is the link for you to download.

Link 1 – Google+ Appstore link

Link 2 – Google+ iTunes link. (Opens directly in iTunes)

I have been on Google + for a while and I have come across this Cheat Sheet being shared quite a lot. I decided to link it here for you all.
If you need a Google + invite, do not forget to check out this post or just leave a comment here.

So I have been using Google plus for a while now and it is not that hard to understand, especially if you have been using Facebook for a while. It is pretty much the same thing, except a few UI changes and bit different features. Here I will share a bit about my experience and what I think I will be using Google Plus for.

So how is it different from Facebook?

Not really different, even the layout is pretty similiar. You have photos, a wall, videos. There is a “stream” on the main page which shows you all the recent posts and activities by your friends. You can “chat” to people on Google Plus via the integrated Google Chat.

One major difference is however the Circles feature. The internet has been buzzing with it since it is probably the only difference b/w Facebook and Google Plus. Actually there is a similar feature in Facebook called lists. It is pretty much the same and has the same functionality. The only problem is that it was rolled out way later and not advertised properly. Not many people know that it even exists. Google Plus has been using this to their advantage and pushed it out as a main feature.

With circles, you can put in your friends into different circles which have different privacy levels. There are already some default circles when you join ranging from Friends to Family, Acquaintances and so on. You can edit the privacy settings/name for them as well as make new Circles.

One thing which I did not like was that on the Main page “Stream” you could only follow one group’s “stream”. I would like to watch organize my geek friends (website related) in a different circles but I do not want to switch streams on main page just to check out what they have been upto. Hopefully Google will do something about it.

Will I use it? And will I ditch Facebook?

Ofcourse I will use Google Plus. But I will let go of Facebook either. May sound absurd but I think I will keep Facebook for my private stuff while keep Google Plus for my online web presence. I have always wanted a social platform apart from twitter where I can connect with readers and Tech enthusiasts. I did not want them on my Facebook however where only my close friends and family members are present. With Google Plus I can add and stay in touch with all of them while keeping my Facebook private. I am pretty sure many people who are not that web friendly will just stick to Facebook.

I know many people will go on about Facebook and privacy issue but the fact is, Facebook never had Privacy issues. Atleast for me. I have been using lists to manage people and made myself pretty much undiscoverable to strangers. I do not worry about my certain family members accessing my party pictures as they have no access due the list they are in. People who complained about Facebook were those who never understood it’s feature and just wanted to blame their incompetence on something. Plus it is a social site anyway, if you really want to be that private and unsocial, do not join it in the first place. (Sorry about the rant, had some debates a while a back about this)

Want a Google Plus Invite?

As of now, Google plus is still invitation only. Which is pretty annoying as I had no one to talk to or socialize when I joined it. I did invite as many friends as I could but since the Google Servers are taking a great deal of hammering, they invites they get are a day late or so. I got mine after 12 hours -.-

Still I am giving out invitations for free. I mean why not, people want to join now and saving up invitations will be of no use as the social network will go online in a few weeks anyway. To receive an invitation, please join our Facebook group and drop a wall post with why you want to it. You do not really have to explain yourself but it will be nice to have some insight from  you guys. Do no forget to add me on Google Plus, here is my link -> Bilal Mughal

Here is the original post link outlining the giveaway details and here is the link to the Facebook Page. If you need to get in touch with me, I am most active on my Twitter @BilalBM

Update: The Google servers are getting hammered pretty bad. Expect your invites later on in the night or by tommorow. People are receiving theirs 6-8 hours later.

Update 2: Giveaway only active on Facebook page now. All the comments section applicants have been invited. To join me on Google+, here is my link: Bilal Mughal

Okay by now all of you know about Google+, the new social networking site set out to rival Facebook (and Myspace if it still exists). So far the screen shots show it to be quite simliar to Facebook with addition of new feature called “circles”. The design is pretty simple and uptil now, all the page rendering have been pretty quick compared to Facebook (read below for how to make Facebook faster).

As always with certain Google’s product, this social network site is currently invitation only. The invitations ran out in the first 6 hours causing Google to suspend the enlisting more invitations. The only way for now to get on it is by an email invitation by an existing user. I have managed to get on the Google+ network and I thought about giving an invitation away for free

Google + Invitation

Yup free. No strings attached. I’ve seen some people sell invites on ebay and so on for as low as 99 cents to as high as 18 US dollars. I think that is ridiculous. The social network will be open to general public anyway in a few days. Why waste that bit of cash just to get on early? To get bragging right perhaps.

I personally think that invitation system is bad for Google’s launch. Only a few people will manage to get online and when they finally online, they will realize that they do not have any friends online. Thus ruining the whole “social” experience for them. What use is to be on a social network when none of your friends are on it, or will be on it for next couple of weeks.

Anyhow back to invitation. I will be making my account soon and then I shall randomly pick few people (not sure how many invites I get atm but they are going to be more than 2) half from here and half from my Facebook Page. I have a few more authors contributing to the invitations so expect quite a lot of invitations.

Only Method 2. Please join the Facebook page if you need details. All people below in the comment section have been invited.

Method 1 -To participate via this site, all you have to do is leave your comment below. Please do not just leave your email address below instead give me your view on Google+, will be it be able to rival Facebook? Is their invitation only method bad? You do not have to make your email public (if you are scared that you will get spammed), I recommend keying in the email details on the comment email section and not in the comment itself.

Method 2 – To participate via Facebook, please join this page House of Tech. Over there post a wall post anwering the same questions I asked for the first part. If you scared about spam and do not want to make your email public on Facebook as well, then just leave your comment. I shall PM you and you can then reply to me with your details

Rules

Well there are no rules really, just one. Please do not spam or just leave your email address. I will be getting more than 2 invites so I shall be distributing them equally over this comment section and Facebook page. Call it advertising my Facebook page but that is they way I want it No point saving up my invitations as Google+ is expected to go online pretty soon and those ununsed invitations will be a waste. (For e.g if i get 20, 10 will be for this comment section and 10 for Facebook)

Here is the Facebook Page again: House of Tech

Do not forget to subscribe to the website’s twitter feed here: @HouseofTech

For more updates rather than news, you can follow me on twitter here @BilalBM

Edit: If you were un successful here, please check out our friends at GeekTechBlog as they are about to hold a similar thing

A while ago Google launched a play-along doodle to mark the anniversary of electric guitar inventor Les Paul’s birth. The doodle allowed you to run your mouse cursor over the strings to hear authentic Les Paul strumming. It was one of the many Google Doodles that have been coming on since the burning man in 1998. Here is the link to access all the previous doodle in case you want to check them out.

Versions of the Doodle included a record button, and invited people to share their tunes via a unique URL. Here are some of them which you might want to give a listen to. They are by the youtube user bassistuk.

Part 1

Part 2

Billie Jean