Google Spaces : The Good, Bad and Ugly of New Chat App
Suppose you still do not know, Google just released a new messaging and small group sharing app called Spaces. All sorts of discussions and quick evaluations on the new platform are continuing. Whether it is going to be the future of Google+ or just going to realize Google’s ambition to break into real-time chat apps in a big way, is still unknown. But whatever objective remains behind it the new move undoubtedly looks intriguing.
It is at presently available on the Android, iOS, desktop and mobile Web. Though upon its launch it does not seem to offer something far from a breakthrough concept in social sharing space, the new move by Google may continue to make a niche presence side by side Google+.
Spaces, from its present look and feel, just look straightforward. A space for the different topic is created by the user and thereafter invitation is sent to friends and colleagues for joining in. The invitation for joining can be sent by sending an email link, through another messaging app, or through another social network platform. In Spaces for inviting others through social network Facebook has been integrated as the built-in option. Let us have a quick look at what Spaces is capable of doing.
- You can create a space for any discussion topic of your choice with just a single tap.
- You can quickly invite friends, colleagues, acquaintances or family members just by sharing a link through email, messaging app or social platform.
- Inside the sharebox Chrome, Google Search, Google Photos and YouTube are built in.
- Any member of a space is eligible to post comment on the topic
- By quick searching of keywords, you can find anything of your interest in Spaces.
What Spaces is meant for?
According to the product director of Spaces, Luke Wroblewski, this social discussion and sharing tool is offered to avoid the hassle of sharing web content links. Sharing contents often require switching from one app to another just for copying and pasting the links. Spaces coming loaded with built-in tools like Google search, YouTube and Chrome built-in just make it easier to share contents without needing to switch from one app to another. You can easily share the link of a video or blog within Spaces without needing to open it separately in the browser or searching for it in Google separately. You have all content search tools in-built to access any content and instantly share them.
In Spaces conversations hold the highest importance unlike so-called messaging apps like Messenger, WhatsApp and Google Hangouts here the conversations revolve around a closely knit showing interest in a specific topic. So, unlike others, the Spaces of conversations based on different topics rather cater to the focused discussion on topics instead of focusing on particular people.
You can create Spaces on diverse topics ranging from your activities like the next summer vacation plan or learning basics of Japanese cooking or can create Spaces on educational topics, any damn topic of your interest. Further to grab attention you can use images, videos, infographics or other visual elements besides text. At present 3 different types of the post can be published in Spaces, respectively as links that include YouTube videos and GIFs, images, and text. It is neither another social network nor another chat app. It is more about a discussion with likeminded people on specific topics.
How to Create a Space and Post Content?
For creating a Space you need to open Spaces app or just login to spaces.google.com. You land upon a page with a home screen that shows the current spaces created by you and the option for creating a new Space of your choice. Each space carries a small avatar depicting the current participant. There is a separate Activity tab to keep a tap on the recent posts as well.
For quick and instant sharing all you need is to click on the blue arrow button and then paste the copied link or image. You have the options of posting in the current space or create an altogether new Space on that shared content. Every Space is assigned a color and image automatically by Google but you can change the look as per your taste after opening it and by going to “customize space” menu option.
Now to make people attend and start sharing all you need is to hit the ‘Invite via’ button and send people joining link through any of the options like email or Facebook post. If you access Space through the mobile app it allows inviting others only through the standard option of share sheet.
Keval Padia is the founder & CEO of Nimblechapps, a fast-growing mobile app development company. The current innovation and updates of the field lures him to express his views and thoughts on certain topics.