Orkut adds 6 new features for better user experience
After Facebook trashed orkut & surpassed it last year, Google is now planning to do something different to regain it’s lost “regular users”. There are also rumors that Google ME would be a Facebook killer, but things aren’t official. Also after the huge failure of Google Buzz, which certainly created a huge ‘BUZZ’ at it’s launch but failed to sustain it. The addon’s & tutorials for disabling & avoiding Google Buzz is more popular than itself.
Few days ago it changed it’s design a bit too. But that was a minor change to the design, which made me visit Orkut again, but found nothing as much interesting as it should have been.
Orkut
So let’s get onto the new features that Orkut has to offer for better user experience,
#1 Group Scraps
Group Scraps
Group Scraps is similar to the groups we create on facebook for Facebook chat. But fb doesn’t allow us to send updates to each group selectively which we choose. This probably is the only stand out feature when you compare the new orkut & facebook. It’s pretty simple. Create a group which includes people whom you would like to send your updates to. Choose that group while sending a scrap & that it!
#2 Send scraps to Selected people
Send scraps to Selected people
This would take care of privacy & ensure discussion among the people you have selected to make your scrap appear to them. You can select ‘n’ number of people among your friend lists to view your scrap. Suppose you’re a blogger & you want a discussion regarding blogging but pro blogging, then you can select some pro-bloggers & discuss your issues with them.
#3 Better Privacy
Better Privacy
Privacy is the main issue when it comes to Social Networks. With this additional privacy feature you can select from the drop down to whom you want to display your update to. To Select individual users look for the above (second) option.
#4 Post an Update from any profile page
Update from any profile page
Previously Orkut had a scrapbox for every profile page to send an update to them. Keeping that feature intact, it has now added an option to send updates to all your selected users from any profile page. Now its like you can add recipients to your updates.
#5 Tab System
Orkut Tab System
Now you can change the last tab in your profile page. Unfortunately you can’t add/remove but only change the last tab. This seems like a feature which either should be enabled completely (enabling add/remove tabs) or it shouldn’t have been added at all.
#6 Application Box
Application Boxes
Now your homepage would be having an Exclusive box on the sidebar for the applications you use, just below the Friends & the communities box. This would make it easier for the user to access the application directly.
Do you feel Orkut would regain it’s popularity with all these new additions ? Share your views with us using the comments section!
26 Comments Comments RSS
Whatever orkut does, facebook has an answer which always prove effective.
We all say facebook chat sucks but we still say facebook rock.
We all say google rock and yet we say google’s product, orkut is not impressive at all.
It is mere luck.
But still prefer sticking to facebook mostly because all my friends are in facebook. 😛
Completely agreed with you 😛
Seriously, now orkut is kinda sidelined by Facebook.
I think orkut regains its readers through this changes…
We need to hope so, else Google ME needs to do something big & effective to overcome the next Google threat Facebook 😛
I simple hate orkut..
I kinda don’t hate but never (or rarely) visit it 😛
Extremely useful and informative article. I wish i can do all of that in a short period of time. But for sure doing those will produce results. I will try to spread your words through my blog and link it back to you. Thanks a lot for those tips.
Glad that you liked the article & dropped in by.
Orkut is over and scraps are shit. Orkut is too slow for me.
I agree with you Dinesh. I logged into orkut for posting images of these features
hey now since orkut is losing its glory they had come up with something for it to survive against facebook….
Ya.but orkut is still popular in the Indian & African Subcontinent.
Now orkut wanna do competition with facebook 😛
Well it tries its best to compete, but unless they are open for links, people won’t be interested.
I do not think that this kind of small changes and addition of small features is going to help Orkut gain leverage against Facebook. Google really has to come up with something huge to compete against Facebook
yup it needs to. Lets wait for Google Me 😛
ahh i am not aware of these new features… will see it soon… this time google updated all products…
Yup check it. Hope you like them.
Orkut is trying hard to regain it’s popularity but with the way Facebook got the social media presence and now it has become top social networking site..It seems hard for Orkut to get to that stage..
Questions: Is any1 using orkut these days?
ya I agree with you when u say tht fb tops the Social media. It’s now pretty difficult for orkut to get there.
I personally stopped using Orkut when I shifted focus to Facebook 🙂
orkut is a dying project by Google.
I feel delighted to read such a good post, I would like to thank the Author for this marvelous efforts.this post is good in regards of both knowledge as well as information. Thanks for the post.
I didn’t know Orkut had addeded these features. Even though it’s been quite a few months now, but it’s something really new for me. Thanks for sharing.
The blog was absolutely fantastic! Lots of great information and inspiration, both of which we all need!
I Don’t think Orkut will be able to gain Popularity and attract new users like Facebook does.
The post is absolutely fantastic! Lots of great information and inspiration both of which we all need! Also like to admire the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you offer! I will bookmark your blog