The media has been abuzz with news about the recent offering from Google’s think-tank, Google Plus. Some said it could be the instrument that would take social networking to an all new level. Google is not known for half-measures, however, so there apps and its own offering revamped and added on here. There is Google +1 too, which means users can recommend a page to others in their ‘circle’. That’s one more feather is the search engine giant’s cap, for it now allows users to see which pages have been found useful by their friends.

Google Plus, which is also written as Google+, is mainly a virtual platform which lets people form ‘circles’ of friends. They can chat with or without the video option – something other networking sites have not offered until now. Some of the basic rules remain common – the user has to be an adult and have a Google account. Like Orkut, Google Plus started on an ‘invite only’ basis.

The desktop and mobile versions (suitable for only Android and iOS phones) of Google Plus are ready for immediate use. The frenzy seems to have caught on mainly among iPhone users who use the Google+ iPhone app rampantly. The high demand perhaps can be attributed to the novelty of having Hangouts, Huddles and the option to ‘Spark’ topics of one’s interest. Far-flung users all over the globe can meet in a virtual chat room and see one another in a video chat. They can also share YouTube videos. The Stream is analogous with the ‘newsfeed’ of Facebook, where one can check the updates from their circle of friends.

The charm of Google Plus also lies in the design of the page – it’s cool, colorful and extremely interesting to navigate through to discover the delights. Your Picasa album can be linked and shared here with some additional trappings, and you can also check your mail, Google Maps and Google Calendar. So if you are one more person who wants to have Google Plus, hit +1!