After introducing new versions of its social network back in May for Android and iOS phones, Google+ has finally created a tablet application.
The network says that the tablet allows "crisper text, fuller photos and easily tappable actions like +1 and comment.
The Android app (version 3.0) is already rolling out to phones and tablets later today (v3.0), and the iPad update will be available soon.
The social networks’ tablet announcement is also joined by it offering a new events feature for its 250 million users. The feature allows events to be fully integrated with Google calendar and aims to make all parts of planning an event a breeze: before, during, and after.
Before the event, users can create cinema graphic themes for events like a beach game or birthday party. The feature also allows Google+ users to attach a personal video greeting straight from YouTube.
Google+ events will appear in Google calendars automatically with guests’ updates constantly arriving in the stream.
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During the event users can share photos in real time at events.
"Photos are the cornerstone of any great event," said Vic Gundotra, Senior Vice President at Google in a blog post. "They get people laughing and smiling, and they let us relive our favourite moments after the fact. The challenge — especially with the explosion in smartphones — is that too many photos get stranded in too many places. We struggle to even find people’s photos, let alone enjoy them all in one spot. Fortunately, Party Mode fixes these problems with a single tap."
Once party mode is enabled on a mobile device, all of a user’s new photos are instantly added to the event. Invitees will receive more pictures from events as more invited guests turn on and use party mode.
After the event invitees can see everyone’s pictures in one place. Pictures and comments will be displayed on event pages in chronological order which users can browse by popularity, photographer, or photo tag.
"Today’s online event tools are really just web forms that ask, "Are you going?" said Gundotra. "Worse yet, they bail when you need them the most: during the actual event, and after everyone leaves. In life we plan, we party and we keep in touch. Software should make all of this more awesome, and that’s exactly our aim with Google+ Events."
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