Looks like Wall-E and the Luddites were right.

   With the limited release of Google+ this week, in combination with it’s current line of applications, Google has successfully created a one-stop technology shop that has made it possible to never have to leave the comfort of our Snuggies- ever again. Except to maybe grab a quesadilla and a Five Hour Energy. We are all now free to become obese couch potatoes who are slaves to our computers!

   Ok, so maybe a slippery slope could result in such a view but after experiencing Google’s newest attempt at social networking I can’t help but think how awesome the future looks! Being the early innovators that we are, my friends and I experimented with Google+’s features this week and I would argue that this new technology, if used properly, has a chance to truly cultivate human nature and help society flourish to the next level…or at least make it a lot more easy and way cooler. 

   As an enterprising recent film school grad, I have been thinking a lot lately about starting my own production company as I wait my turn to climb the Hollywood ladder. I have had my head buried in book after book absorbing all I can about development, budgets, and finding funding for independent projects. It all seems doable but of course everything is easier said than done. One of the line items often discussed when starting your own business (in this industry or any other really) is overhead. Good ole’ Wikipedia defines overhead as ”an ongoing expense of operating a business i.e. - rent, gas/electricity, wages, repairs, supplies, taxes, telephone bills, travel and utilities costs.” As I perused the new features of Google+, I began to realize how useful all of Google’s applications when integrated together could be when running a small business. Admittedly, I have been a bit of a Google advocate for some time now but any entrepreneur would be silly not to see the clear benefits that Google’s completely free toolbox of productivity can offer. 

   Here are just some of the services that come to my mind that Google’s applications make available that I use almost everyday and would be beneficial to any company. Keep in mind it’s all free for you the consumer.

-Google Search Engine. With Google Images. The Best. Bing Sucks. 

-Google Chrome (No need for any other browser)

-Gmail with Contacts and Priority inbox for easy organization.

-Google Groups where you can send others in your company messages on a list server.

-Google Sites. You can make your company website here and create and share web pages.

-Google Calendar with ability to share events, setup reminders(e-mail and SMS) and organize your different calendars and tasks. Also can send you a daily agenda. 

-Google Voice where you can create a custom phone number that peopel can call and leave messages that will be translated and emailed to you.

-Free Calling/Texting/Instant Messaging/Video Chats

-Google Docs (including Document, Presentation, Spreadsheet, Form, Drawing) with easy sharing and filing. No need to print ever again. Who needs pens and staples? With the forms you can create easy surveys with auto-filled spreadsheets and graphs that makes research easy. 

-Free Music sharing (with new Google Music Beta)

-Free Photo sharing and editing with Picasa which will soon be fully integrated into Google+

-Google Maps which now also has intuitive maps that tell you about real-time traffic to pick the actual fastest routes. You can also make maps noting your favorite vendors and places. Also if you’ve never used Google Earth well give it a try. It’s so awesome. 

-Google shopping to find the lowest prices in web shopping. Google Checkout also allows you to make your own store.

-Mobile Apps for all of this on your device of choice (well almost all of them)

- Or if you can get your hands on a Chromebook you don’t even need a computer anymore. All of this in one simple unit.

-Lastly the reason I wrote this whole post is because of Google’s new Google+ which is it’s answer to Facebook (and solution to its failed attempts at Wave). With G+ you can do everything you can do on Facebook, but wait there’s more! You can also use the cool “hangout” feature which allows you to be able to video chat with up to ten of you friends…AT THE SAME TIME. And yes I know you’re asking…does it actually work? YUP! We attempted the other night with no problems. Think about the possibilities. Now you can have production meetings, client meetings, presentations/pitches and much more with many people anywhere in the world. It also allows you to create circles where you can easily share pretty much anything with custom groups that you have selected. Amazing.

   And all of the above is integrated for you on your Google Profile! (which they also now monitor to make sure you don’t get any bad press connected to your name) Yes I know other services have offered similar products but I can;t tell you how nice it is to have it all in one place and fully integrated to work together.

So back to my point. Now you have no need for an actual office space as Google can now be your new virtual office. It can do everything you would ever need which means little or no overhead cost for your fledgling business! A friend actually challenged me to go a week without using anything but Google products and now with Google+, I actually think I could do it with ease. 

  Through Google Labs they are always making their apps better and coming up with something new. I only mentioned the ones I use the most and if you want to see the whole list go to: 

http://www.google.com/intl/en/about/products/index.html

   Basically I wanted to take this opportunity to confess my love affair with Google for making my life so easy. So easy that it has really given me the inspiration to start my own company. I hope that others see this too and take advantage of all of Google’s benefits before they realize what they’ve done and start making us pay for it. As I predicted, Google is slowly taking over the world. But I think I’m ok with that.

Or Wall-E could’ve been right…