Looks like Google is taking another step in its quest to own the entire internet. They unveiled a new social networking service to compete directly with the likes of Facebook, Google+. Unlike Facebook, Google+ seems to be focused on more private networking than the "Hey, look at me world!" networking that Facebook does. Unfortunately, it is only available in a limited, invite-only beta right now, so detailed information on it is a little sparse. Anyone got in on the beta and have anything they want to share?

This sounds intersting. I don't like facebook anymore, it's getting more and more annoying, and it's functionality has stopped several years ago.

I hope google wind figure out something nice.

As a Google fan, I'm looking forward to this...
I was actually debating whether it's worth posting here myself.
While on the subject, here are some YT links that explain the ideas behind all of this:
Introduction
Circles
Sparks
Hangout

not another social crap

It could be interesting to see a social networking behemoth owned by company that is decidedly less evil. But it's Google, so I doubt that your information will be any safer even if it's not being sold on by the very cunts you're entrusting it to.

This Circles stuff is pretty amazing. It's not that easy to select what to share with who on facebook.

No, but I doubt they'll lie about it, and I also suspect that whenever the privacy policy is, it will stay relatively unchanged for extended periods of time, rather than changing randomly with new defaults to catch people unawares. I'm planning to take a look, are you there under a handle or your real name? I'm not signing up if I have to use my real name.

EDIT: Never mind, they require a profile name, but there's no suggestion that it have to be a person's name or identifiable without other knowledge. Looks cool.

I don't have access to Google+ yet.

If you mean Facebook, than NO. you may use fake name.

I dug through the terms over at Google+ and apparently I don't need to give a real name.

The requirement that I do things under my own name was one of the main reasons that I don't have an account on FB.

But you don't have to. I have many pals that use nicknames on facebook.

Like I said - less evil.

You can do all this with facebook. Circles is a copy of friend lists, Hangout is a limited functionality facebook group.

Don't get me wrong, I really like the initiative. Facebook is clunky and so messed up right now, that it's very difficult to use only the features you want. Google+ seems like a streamlined version of all this, but nothing really groundbreaking.
If it manages to sync in a useful way with my Android, I will be very happy :) If this picks up, I am definitely joining and I wouldn't really cry after my facebook profile :) I just trust Google a lot more, than Facebook. And since everyone and their dog has a google profile, I guess people will be using it :)

Is not, and is not.

Of course, you may set some groups for your friends, but choosing who can see that one particular photo of you and who can't is not as easy as it looks on Google+

Hangouts is for multiple video conversation among friends, and not for collecting people who share interests with you.

Not exactly. With Facebook, you can have friends lists, but they don't restrict who sees what of your profile. Circles is like "friends list plus" as each Circle only sees what you allow them to see. Hangout is nothing like a Facebook group, it's actually just a video chatroom.