Google Plus begins climb up steep social mountain

Google Plus hopes to take on popular social services like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Tumblr and LinkedIn.

By now, you've probably heard about Google's new Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr-killing social service, Google Plus. But trying to figure out where the new network fits into your online life - if it does at all - might leave you a bit … nonplussed.

Do you really need another social site to keep up with? Google has made Plus its top priority - even tying 25 percent of employees' annual bonuses to its success. They are serious about this and want to make Plus your end-all-be-all social destination.

Early adopters have been overwhelmingly positive in their feedback. Official numbers for the first two weeks of the service see more than 10 million users, and outside estimates show current numbers more than double that.

Google Plus is shiny, new and full of potential. Facebook's seven-year head start and 750 million users put it at an obvious advantage. Does Google Plus have enough to entice users to switch?

What Google Plus offers

Circles: You place your online contacts into groups called circles. You can create circles for family, friends, acquaintances, work - the possibilities are endless - and share your personal information and posts with only the circles you choose. Facebook offers similar functionality, but Google's intuitive interface is a grand slam.

Hangout: The video chat service is like Skype on steroids. Up to 10 participants can be in a hangout at any given time, and video windows arrange themselves based on who is speaking.

Sparks: This is a baked-in recommendation engine. Create Sparks for topics that interest you, and Google will cull the Web's best content and tailor fit a feed for you. When you find something cool, you're one click away from sharing it with your circles.

Huddle: This is a free group messaging service that incorporates your individual contacts or circles. This feature is only available on mobile devices via the Google Plus app or SMS.

One-stop shop: Google knows it's near impossible to make it through your day without using one of their services. Google Plus takes advantage of this with an ever-present navigation bar that displays all your notifications and even lets you share posts or update your status.

What Google Plus needs

Groups: Google has offered a groups service for many years, but it hasn't been integrated into Google Plus.

Events: Google has a terrific calendar service but no integration with Google Plus. Also missing are birthday notifications.

Entity pages: Pages for businesses, organizations, bands and more are coming soon.

An API: An application programming interface is the underlying framework for a service that allows other entities to incorporate features of that service into their own applications and websites. Facebook's API, for example, allows its login credentials to be used to sign in to other sites.

Aunt Maggie: Google developers can innovate all they want, but until you can find and connect with everybody in the real world (Facebook is more than 700 million users closer), Google Plus will have trouble dethroning the current social king.

Google promises new features are on the way but, so far, there are many things that Facebook simply does better.