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.

So let’s get onto the new features that Orkut has to offer for better user experience,

#1 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

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

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

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

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

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!

Tagged as: facebook, orkut application box, orkut privacy, orkut redesign