Google Takes Aim at Facebook

Wednesday, 29 June 2011 | by Pat's Picks

Google wants some friends. The Internet giant unleashed its latest foray into social networking yesterday with a product called Google +, a direct assault on Facebook. Google made privacy an integral part of the service says the San Francisco Chronicle, allowing users to share information with only select groups—called “circles”—instead of their entire pool of friends. Oh, and there’s video chat. The Chronicle quotes Steven Levy, the tech writer who’s had unprecedented access to the company for a book he’s writing. He says yesterday’s debut was only one part of Google’s plan. Called a rolling thunder approach, Levy says there are more than 100 launch dates on Google’s calendar.

Though the company denies that Google + is a Facebook impersonator, insiders told CNN Money that the project was referred to “Googbook” internally and had a team of 300 devoted to it.

Google also unveiled a site called wdyl.com yesterday, with much less fanfare. Short for What Do You Love, the service provides a search results for all Google’s products on one page of widgets: