Google+ and Facebook - To Leave or Not to Leave

Google+ and Facebook
To Leave or Not to Leave
That is the question

I'm a huge fan of Google services. I use Google Apps, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Voice, Google Chrome, Blogger, and of course, Google Search. I participated in the Google Wave beta and loved it. But when Google+ (aka plus) came out, I wasn't sure if it was worth all the hype, or worth trying out.  But then I received an invitation to Google+. I've used the new Google service for about 2 weeks. But it seems like 2 months. Its familiar, comfortable. Maybe partially because of my experience with Facebook and MySpace, maybe partially due to the familiar Google "feel". I've heard / read from a few that its just another Facebook. "It looks just like it. Why would I switch?" But, its not. I assure you.

***UPDATE (Sept '13): Since posting this article Google+ is, obviously, no longer in BETA. And I also decided to leave Facebook and deleted my account permanently. It's been several months now and I don't miss it in the least bit. The screen became so cluttered, no longer a clean UI, the "friends" list was unmanageable, the games and ads were out of control, and the fun "share your happenings with friends" feeling was gone. It became the dumping ground for everyone's political views; both left and right. Some I agreed with, most I didn't, some that were absolute made-up garbage about figures from both parties, and all of which I didn't really care to read. I can turn on MSNBC or Fox News or talk radio if I want to hear some ramble on about politics. "I think I'll switch parties and vote for the other guy because of a post from a 'friend' on Facebook..." said no one... EVER! In stark contrast, the posts on Google+ are intelligent, thoughtful posts about many great topics... and even a few great "my family went to...and had fun" posts; which I enjoy occasionally. Fellow Google plus'ers post about technology, music, music technology, awesome photos of their travels (usually by real photographers), interesting news, funny videos, sports, etc. Now, if we can just all keep it this way and not stray into Facebook land, Google+ will remain a great social network.***

Pros

• Familiar Google feel
• Easy-to-use, Clean interface / navigation
• Better Privacy Control through Circles
• Better flexibility with controls over individual posts, etc.
• Hangouts (awesome video conferencing tool)
• Integration with existing Google services (i.e. you can +1 a search result in Google Search)
• Cleaner navigation of notifications
• Sparks (quick access to news feeds / topics of interest)
• Great mobile app for accessing / posting on the go
• Beautiful, consolidated view of friends photos, your photos, your mobile photos, etc.
• Simple management of Friends, Family, Acquaintances
• No spam
• No Farmville
• No Angry Birds 
• A chance to start over with a clean set of friends 
• Ability to separate friends from acquaintances

Cons

• Low Traffic (due to low friend count, due to beta status) - But more friends join weekly (This is no longer considered a Con. I love the fact that I don't have a million "FRIENDS" on Google+)

The only thing left to be seen is whether or not it can pick up and maintain enough steam to stay alive (why do I suddenly hear the Bee Gees in my head? Great! Another ear-worm to try get out). Many Google projects have made it to the mainstream, and some have become the de facto standard (i.e. Search). But many have gone to the Google graveyard never to be seen again (wave, buzz, etc.). This gives reason to pause and consider whether or not its a safe bet to leave or not to leave Facebook. Thus far, many of my friends, family, co-workers have joined me on Google+ already... and I've only been on for 2 weeks and its a closed, invitation only, beta.

With all the privacy issues, spam, wall posts about stupid games, and lumping of everybody into a group called "Friends", I think it maybe time to make the permanent transition to G+ and leave FB behind.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, G+ experiences, FB experiences, and if you're considering leaving FB for G+.

Cutting the Cord - Is it possible?

Can you cut the cord?

I first heard this term on the TWiT Network and was intrigued yet skeptical of the idea. The phrase coined "Cut the Cord" has come to mean, GASP, cutting off your cable or satellite TV service and using alternative sources of "tv" content. 

Is it actually possible to use alternative sources of tv content, not subscribe to cable or satellite, and meet all of your television needs? I would say a resounding yes. 

First you'll need to determine what content or channels do you actually need. You need to perform an inventory of the programming (shows & channels) that you consume on a regular basis and write it down. This will help you identify what products or services you will need as alternative sources of TV.

Next you will need to consider the costs. There's investment into new equipment, cancellation fees of current service, if any, and actual monthly savings, if any, by switching to the alternative source(s). If you are like most households on cable or satellite, you are paying anywhere from $70 to $200 per month for your service. Most can get by with Netflix and Hulu Plus for paid alternative sources, along with the many free content providers. The 2 of these services combined is only $16 (+ tax as of this writing) per month. You can see the significant savings already. Cancellation fees can be a bit hefty though. Dish Network for example is $17 / month times the number of months remaining in your contract. That could equal 200 - 300+ bucks... just to cancel. Ouch. But do the math. That's $17 + $16 / month. $33 / month is still a significant savings over $70 - 150 / month. The cost of new equipment to start using alternative sources are as follows:

1. Roku 3 - $99

2. Amplified Antenna for Off-Air HD local channels - $40

3. AppleTV (optional for YouTube, Airplay, HD movie / TV show rentals) - $99
4. Google Chromecast - $35

With the hardware and services listed above, you can access most if not all of the content / channels that you normally consume using your existing cable or satellite service. With Netflix, you can watch (on-demand) movies and TV shows from past generations or current content. Whole seasons of past TV shows are available on-demand. There is also up-to-date TV episodes as well from some content providers such as the Disney Channel. Hulu has a similar service but typically with more current, up-to-date content. There is definitely some overlap between the 2 services, but at $8 / month each, you can afford to have both and make up for any gaps in either of the 2 services. Both Netflix and Hulu Plus have free trials so you can "taste test" each service. And you don't need any of the above equipment to try them out. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection and you're on your way to getting a taste of freedom from the cable and satellite TV providers. This is where having that aforementioned inventory of your currently watched channels / shows will come into play. Verify that you will be able to watch your usual shows by using the off-air local HD TV channels, Roku / AppleTV / Chromecast with Netflix, Google Play and Hulu Plus. Be honest with yourself about each show that you watch. Do you REALLY watch that show that often. Would you just "die" without it. These are very important to consider and weigh against the significant savings over cable / satellite.

Something else to keep in mind is the additional content that is available on Roku and AppleTV that is FREE outside of Netflix and Hulu Plus. There's the NASA Channel, NASA Edge, Revision 3, TWiT network, CNET, Newscaster (aggregates news from CNN, Fox, NBC, CBS, and more), Medical channel, and much more on Roku. Then there's rental of HD TV shows and movies from the iTunes store on AppleTV, plus a TON of video podcasts on all types of topics for free in the iTunes podcast directory, Sky News, Smithsonian Channel, Weather Channel, YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, iTunes Radio, and Vevo on AppleTV - all FREE. Plus AppleTV has HBO Go, Major League Baseball, NBA, NHL sports, plus the Wall Street Journal, and even a music concert channel called Qello all for a small subscription. Trust me when I say, you can watch TV for hours using these above free and inexpensive services using the 3 pieces of hardware above. You may even miss one of your favorite shows for a month or two. But you'll soon forget about it with all of the content available to you. Much of it commercial free.

To see listings of available programming, see:

1. iTunes podcast directory from iTunes (free) on your Mac or PC and the AppleTV page
2. Roku's website for available free and premium channels
3. Hulu's website for available shows
4. Netflix's website for a free trial to browse through available movies & TV shows
5. Your local TV guide for shows available from free, local, HD, off-air channels

I know it can seem impossible, scary, or even possibly difficult to make such a transition. But its not as difficult as you may think. And remember you can try all of this out using your computer before making the switch. For $50 - $100+ in monthly savings, its worth the consideration. Plus more content and on-demand content (without the need for  DVR).

Think about it. Please post your comments, questions, and suggestions.