Google to launch Facebook wannabe

Google is rolling out a new social networking site called Google Plus.

Google Plus (or Google+) debuted last night to a limited, invite-only audience. It's available today for the Android crowd, and should be coming to Apple's App Store soon, Vic Gundotra, a Google senior VP wrote on the Google Blog today.

Here's the run down on what you can expect when the service finally opens up:

• Circles - The feature lets you group friends into "Circles," so you can control what you tell each cluster. This is Google's way to let Google+ users share info selectively, so that every post is not "a public performance." 
• Hangouts - Facebook Chat got you IMing your pals in real time, but Google+ takes this one step further, with live multi-user video conferencing in what looks like a pretty elegant layout. A Google+er sets their status to "Live," and chatty friends can click "Join This Hangout" to get face to face.
• Huddle - Group instant messaging! When your picnic's rained out, or it's time to take the pub crawl to the next venue, this is your tool.
• Sparks - Starts out looking like a Google home page with a search bar, but this feature actually connects you to people with common interests. (Fellow food bloggers, say, or cat photographers.)

For Subscribers

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

With Google+ on your mobile device, photos or videos (of your cat) taken with the app should get saved directly to an album on your Google+ account, ready to be shared (with your kitty-lover friend Circle). Also, you should be able to add locations to your every post, should you want to.

There's no word yet about when Google will let everyone on board the Google+ boat, but their website says it won't be long now.

More on Google from msnbc.com:

• Google makes its move into social games
• Google adds 'Snitch' to help with Chrome security
• Google sets record with 1 billion unique visitors in May

Nidhi Subbaraman writes about technology and science at msnbc.com. Find her on Twitter and join our conversation on Facebook.