Google gives Google+ a facelift, enhances photo features

Google is taking significant steps to differentiate Google+ from Facebook by adding dozens of new features, redoing the social network’s design and adding a handful of tools that will make it easier for users to upload photo albums.

In total, Google+ is being updated with 41 new features, but the most notable change is in the content feed. Now, new posts show up in one, two or three columns depending on the screen size being used to check out Google+. Previously, the site displayed just one column, so the new look makes it easier to see more posts at one time. Users may also notice the similarity of the new Google+ looks to Pinterest.

Also, when users share videos or photos, Google+ may now display the posts across the entire width of the screen. On my feed, for example, a user shared a line graph that Google+ displayed across two columns, making it easier to see the information without having to open the picture.

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And when you post, the social network will also attempt to automatically add hashtags to the update for topics that may be related. For example, if you post a status about a Google product, Google+ may tag it with “#Google” and another hashtag for the Google product. Other users can then click on the hashtags to see what others are saying about the same topic.

The highlight of the new features may be Google+’s new photo editing and uploading tools. One of them will automatically sift through a bunch of photos taken during a vacation, for instance, and create a themed album to share with friends. Using the company’s technology, Google+ will choose the best pictures based on a variety of factors, including whether they feature people or important landmarks. Google+ will also make sure not to choose any duplicate photos or images that may be blurry.

Google+ will also help users quickly edit their photos. The company says Google+ will automatically “auto-enhance” images that are uploaded. These enhancements are designed to fix a variety of image issues, such as brightness, contrast, saturation, structure, noise and focus problems. Additionally, if Google+ detects that a series of pictures are of the same subject, it may create a GIF on its own.

The new photo features are intended to save users time and post pictures more quickly.

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