1. Google already knows who my friends are.
2. Google knows stats.
3. I already use Google products every day.

I like almost 200,000 other people,  use Gmail for email.  This means that Google already knows who I communicate with most often.  The suggest tool in gmail prompts me to confirm the recipient if there might be confusion over which John or Bob I’m trying to send a message to.    Google could  apply this or similar algorithms to my plus account to help me figure out who belong in which circle.  Google isn’t doing this yet but some variation of this is going to come.

I’m a big fan of Google Analytics.  I use it on a large number of websites including Google Knol (Google’s Crowdsourced encyclopidia) and just recently Google Picasa (Picture Sharing website).   The latter are two are Google servicess you don’t generally associate with Google Analytics.  I don’t think it will be long before you can track your Google Plus traffic in Google Analytics.  Facebook offers stats if you use their “Pages” but you can’t see them for your profile.  Would we be alarmed to see how often our profile is viewed?  Is this something we want to know?

Today on Facebook one of my friends said he wasn’t switching to Google Plus until he had to.  I get his thinking.  All his friends are on Facebbook so why switch.  This is a sound rational if you are are already on Facebook and really, who isn’t?   I invited another friend to join me on Google Plus and he declined because he doesn’t use social media.  This is where Google has an edge.  Pretty soon all Google services will have a g+ hook.  Any Google service that offers sharing today will easily hook in to g+.  Services like Google Reader, Bookmark, Library and others will all be made more useful when attached to Google Plus.  The social graph is a powerful filter.   These services all have an installed base.  Leveraging that base is a way for Google to overcome the enormous inertia that Facebook has.

Ultimately who knows if Google Plus can usurp Facebook’s dominance in the social graph.  The folks at Facebook will have something to think about if the adoption rate keeps up with the current pace I’m seeing.

For a while now I’ve been trying to get my daughter to use Google Docs for her homework.  Not only has she pushed back but the phone call home from the teacher had me upgrading her applications to Microsoft Home & Student.  Three licenses for Office 2010 seemed like a good deal to me.  Now she has Word 2010 which will make her and her teacher happier.

What makes me happy is this new plug-in from Google that allows my daughter to upload her Microsoft Office documents to the Google Cloud.  This is a seamless process.  My daughter simply saves the file to her netbook and Google does the rest.  Gone will be the days of her using “I left my file at home” as an excuse for not having her homework done.  (We are likely to see a rise in the “I forgot my password” or “we couldn’t get connected excuses”.)  Once she is at school she logs in to her account and downloads the file.   If she converts it to a Google Doc she could edit it on the web but she likes the fonts and other tools in Word.

This is definitely a good move on Google’s part.  Let people use the tools they like until the become accustomed to Google Apps.  Getting users to switch from Microsoft Office will get easier.

Here is Trailer Todd’s view of movie going!  Thought you might enjoy it…

So while visiting movie theatres this weekend, I would have to say the average moviegoer is probably experiencing a less than wonderful visit. Not horrible, but not fantastic!!

AMC WINSTONCHURCHILL
They don’t have a pre show but show slides, the projector is so out of focus it was pain full to watch, the slides are three years old (I’m not kidding…the same trivia has been playing on the screen for the last three years and yes I know the trivia answer to the Jumble in slide ten is “Die Hard” (in fact we all know it!) Concessions are fast and they have the best wash rooms…Good for you.  This is important.  The fact that the security guard was smoking with his buddies just outside the exit door…doesn’t give you confidence that this is a tightly run ship.

CINEPLEX COLISEUM
Walking up to the theatre, the marquee promotes their web site… Dude I’m  right in front of the theatre I want to know what your playing… not log onto a web site to find out what movie to see….

Other that it looks like some marketing guy threw up in the lobby, they manage to plaster signs everywhere. I’m not sure people know it’s a Cineplex with all the Scotiabank branding (I thought I would see a loans officer when I rounded one of the corners) The preshow is okay, and yes I get it you have a DVD site and your trying to sell DVD’s, but tell me a couple timers not ten times… ).

Buying a hot dog was painful.. After standing in line at the concession stand, I ordered my hot dog then had to go to NY Fries to pick it up…and to stand in line again.. Total wait time 11 minutes) For full motion they run two COKE commercials, both in the wrong format, giving that Coke bottle a short squatty look..COKE must be very proud!!!

So once you have survived the pre show, full motion and then five trailers, the movie starts…finally!!

EMPIRE
So to save a few bucks they close the box office and make you purchase your tickets at the concession stand… doesn’t matter that you may not want anything to eat, they will at least tempt you… This poor theatre has closed their two concession stands..the coffee bar and the french fries counter..they sit there empty… Gives a sense of a business slowly dying…Please do something with the space.

Sitting in the lobby you have these cute little tables (with Cineplex logos on them… Are they nuts!!) (They bought the theatre from Cineplex years ago…boy the guys at 1303 Yonge Street must chuckle if they ever see this).

I wish I could tell you what their preshow was but it wasn’t running a fact that any advertiser in the preshow must be really pleased about. (How do you get make good on this stuff?) If you can’t run a preshow, how about a little music so I don’t feel we are eavesdropping on everyone’s conversation.
So I’m pretty sure Empire has been around for while…how about a “Coming Soon House Trailer” so when the car ad finishes It then goes to a movie trailer.. I know that… I just thought Russell Crowe was a spokesman for some product before I realized it was a trailer.

Now nothing disastrous happened while watching the movies at these theatres. The sound was good and picture quality good. Staff was all pleasant and generally it was a good time….but imagine if they could kick it up just a notch…now that would be a movie going experience worth talking about!!

You may have a different list or you may prefer some other device.  Here is my list of 10 reasons why I love my Blackberry.

1. It has a real keyboard.  You have to use your thumbs but once you are used to that you can pound out short messages very easily.
2. The built in camera is very handy.  I’ve used it to take pictures of my kids, grab pics of a whiteboard diagram, everyday dramas.  It just comes in so handy, especially on the social web.
3. Geocaching software.  Don’t know what geocaching is then jump over to Cachemania to find out – What is Geocaching?  Not only is it paperless geocaching it also allows you to geocache anywhere, anytime without preperation.  Get to an intersting spot where you think there might be a geocache?  Spark up the Blackberry and Geocache Navigator to find out.
4. Google Maps.   I can’t count how many times I’ve used Google Maps to either help me find where I”m going or even to help me find a place that I didn’t realize I needed to go until I was in a different city.  Buying roses for my wife comes to mind.   I was out geocaching and realized I needed to get the flowers for our 15th Anniversary the next day (give me some credit it wasn’t a last minute decision).  I dropped florist into a Google Map search and it lead me over to the Florist in Barrie.  That was handy.
5. Google Latitude. This one creeps a lot of people out but it is not as creepy as you might think.  Google Latitude allows me to share my location with my friends.  I chose who gets to see where I am and when.  Adoption on this feature is bound to be slow.  I”m sure some people don’t even realize but I know use it to automatically post what city I”m in to my Google Talk status.
6. Twitter Tools.  Whether it’s Twitterberry or Twitpic both of which beneifit from being accessable from my Blackberry.   I posted pictures from a major traffic jam on the 401 to my Twitpic account.  That wouldn’t have been possible without the Blackberry.
7. Bright enough to be an impromptu flashlight.   My wife and I were at concert featuring Squeeze when she managed to knock her glasses off.  Try finding those on the dancefloor of a club without illumination!
8. Speaking of music, now that there is a Blackberry Application store I’ve been able to install Shazam for my Blackberry.  So to all you iPhone users that thought you were special, not anymore.
9. Even more music.  RIM has updated their Blackberry synchronization software so that now I can sync playlists from my iTunes directly to my Blackberry.  That has been so very helpful.   I still use my iPod as my main music listening device, in the old days we called them Walkmans, but having a subset of my music everywhere I go has allowed me to carry two devices less often.
10. I can get email, addressbook and calendar while I’m mobile.  We shouldn’t underestimate how powerful it is to remain that connected when your business is you.  I have no receptionist, I have not assistant, it’s just me.  The need to stay connected is compounded when your business runs on Internet time.  There are no timezones, there is no business day when you are operating on Internet time.

So what did I miss?  I’m sure you have your reasons for liking the Blackberry or for you Apple fans your iPhone.  Tell me what you think I missed by posting a comment.