A few thoughts on Spaces after the first 24 hours:
A few thoughts on Spaces after the first 24 hours:
Did Google Alphabet really need another communication tool and can we trust to exist in 12 months?
Just yesterday the folks over at Mountain View released a brand new app/web service called “Spaces,” found at spaces.google.com. Marketed as “small group sharing for everyone” and “Comic books, tiny homes, Paris trip, study group? Just one tap to make a Space about any topic” Spaces are supposed to be, well, spaces to have intimate discussions with only those who need to be involved with the discussion.
Since its launch there have been plenty of questions regarding which need is Spaces suppose to be addressing. If we need immediate conversation with a small group of people, isn’t that what Hangouts are for? If we need long form discussions, don’t we already have Gmail? If we need space for limited conversations, can’t we already have those private discussions within Google+’s Circles?
Some have surmised that Spaces is a direct take on Slack or Telegram, both services I’ve never used. If you have input from how Spaces compares to one or the other, please let me know.
That being said, what need does this new service address that can’t be solved with a current (Google) service? If the idea behind Spaces is being easier collaboration within small teams of people - such as students assigned projects in class, coworkers tasked with getting a report, or presentation, together - then is an entirely new service even needed? Gmail allows for long form content with links, videos, images and the ability to embed Docs or just about anything with a link. Hangouts gives us the ability to send and receive quick notes, either individually or to a team. Widely ignored, Google+ allows the creation of Circles, each can be created for independent products, projects or needs and limited to only those necessary. Google Docs allow collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more.
So, again., what need is being addressed by Spaces?
Like the retired Google Wave, it allows inline multimedia sharing and, unlike the aforementioned Wave, more control over the flow of the conversation than either Gmail or Hangouts. Google+ also allows direct control of the conversation in a closed environment (posts to Circles are not public nor searchable outside the people within the Circle). Then take into account G+ Collections and Communities and once more we have to ask what need is Spaces trying to address.
Collaborating on a document? Docs allows that.
Collaborating on a social subject? We have Google Plus.
Trying to get the word out about something? Gmail or Google+ solves that need.
Only need a few people involved? We have Hangouts, Gmail and Circles.
Collaborating and need a federated service? Gmail solves that problem.
About the only feature that Spaces brings to the table not already found elsewhere is the ability to seamlessly add multimedia content within the (mobile) app. Desktop is still limited in this regard.
So, aside from being an extremely niche service, what does Spaces solve that doesn’t already have a solution?
http://spaces.google.com
Did Google Alphabet really need another communication tool and can we trust to exist in 12 months?
Just yesterday the folks over at Mountain View released a brand new app/web service called “Spaces,” found at spaces.google.com. Marketed as “small group sharing for everyone” and “Comic books, tiny homes, Paris trip, study group? Just one tap to make a Space about any topic” Spaces are supposed to be, well, spaces to have intimate discussions with only those who need to be involved with the discussion.
Since its launch there have been plenty of questions regarding which need is Spaces suppose to be addressing. If we need immediate conversation with a small group of people, isn’t that what Hangouts are for? If we need long form discussions, don’t we already have Gmail? If we need space for limited conversations, can’t we already have those private discussions within Google+’s Circles?
Some have surmised that Spaces is a direct take on Slack or Telegram, both services I’ve never used. If you have input from how Spaces compares to one or the other, please let me know.
That being said, what need does this new service address that can’t be solved with a current (Google) service? If the idea behind Spaces is being easier collaboration within small teams of people - such as students assigned projects in class, coworkers tasked with getting a report, or presentation, together - then is an entirely new service even needed? Gmail allows for long form content with links, videos, images and the ability to embed Docs or just about anything with a link. Hangouts gives us the ability to send and receive quick notes, either individually or to a team. Widely ignored, Google+ allows the creation of Circles, each can be created for independent products, projects or needs and limited to only those necessary. Google Docs allow collaboration on documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more.
So, again., what need is being addressed by Spaces?
Like the retired Google Wave, it allows inline multimedia sharing and, unlike the aforementioned Wave, more control over the flow of the conversation than either Gmail or Hangouts. Google+ also allows direct control of the conversation in a closed environment (posts to Circles are not public nor searchable outside the people within the Circle). Then take into account G+ Collections and Communities and once more we have to ask what need is Spaces trying to address.
Collaborating on a document? Docs allows that.
Collaborating on a social subject? We have Google Plus.
Trying to get the word out about something? Gmail or Google+ solves that need.
Only need a few people involved? We have Hangouts, Gmail and Circles.
Collaborating and need a federated service? Gmail solves that problem.
About the only feature that Spaces brings to the table not already found elsewhere is the ability to seamlessly add multimedia content within the (mobile) app. Desktop is still limited in this regard.
So, aside from being an extremely niche service, what does Spaces solve that doesn’t already have a solution?
http://spaces.google.com
Comments