Google getting into Facebook territory?

by on September 9, 2007

Danny Sullivan reports that Google is getting a bit more like Facebook by enabling a Facebook-style news feed within its Orkut social networking site. I know a few people were briefed on that last week so I’m sure more info will come out soon.

The problem for Orkut is much deeper than just the news feed, though. The UI on Facebook is a lot nicer, and the application platform is going to continue getting PR until someone provides a more powerful one.

  • Besides, I thought Orkut had been co-opted by Brazil. I mean, if that's not accurate, that's the way it's told in the hallways, and so that's the perception most folks have.

    Until this post, I doubt I've heard ANYONE say Orkut and not say Brazil. It's practically a case study.

    But hey, as these features bleed out into other places, as all the other apps briefly go clean white with a little blue highlight here and there, I can see a lot more Facebook comparisons.

    Meanwhile, I hope the 'Book builds on their momentum, opens up RSS to lots more spots, and moves to a modular sharing scheme.
  • Orkut Statistics:
    http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1350229...
    Techcrunch post about Orkut
    http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/08/24/is-orkut-a...

    I saw in TechCrunch a post where they say that Orkut is more internationalizated than these other social networks. India and Brazil have very different cultures and are big countries.

    Still, any social networking site needs to figure out how to get users. My friends on Orkut are not rushing to make Facebook profiles.
  • India too. There are probably, just a guess based on population, more Orkut users in India than Brazil.
  • I won't be switching to Orkut any time soon from Facebook...Though I do have a stale account over there.
  • BD
    I find the Orkut UI more intuitive than Facebook. Simplicity is the key.
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