Back to Mobile View

Skip to Content

Google+ Mac "app" now available (Updated)

If you're one of the early adopters of Google+ and have been wishing for a native Mac app that you could use to check out your circles and swim the stream, you're in luck. A rudimentary Google+ app is now available for Mac, which bodes well for the future of standalone apps for the social media tool.

The app appears to be a pared-down version of Google's Chrome Browser, since the menu bar shows "Chrome" as the name of the running app instead of "Google+." However, the app is much smaller -- about 16.5 MB in size compared to 239 MB for the full-fledged version of Chrome.

Launching the app takes you directly into the same web version of Google+ that you're used to. Clicking any links will open a new browser window, so your Google+ session remains foremost on your screen and unsullied by tabs.

It's not really a native app, but according to the developer it's something to tide over Mac users until something faster and more Mac-like can be prepared. For the time being, the Google+ app should work fine for those who want to keep their social networking separate from their other browsing.

The app is hosted on Cloud App and is a quick download.

Update: We'd like to warn readers that this appears to be an unofficial app that is not sanctioned in any way, shape or form by Google. If you've already downloaded the app, you may wish to log into Google+ through your normal browser and change your password just in case this is a "social engineering" attack disguised as a harmless way to access your Google+ account.



Categories

Software Mac

A rudimentary Google+ app is now available for Mac, which bodes well for the future of standalone apps for the social media tool
 

Add a Comment

*0 / 3000 Character Maximum Comment Moderation Enabled. Your comment will appear after it is cleared by an editor.

17 Comments

Filter by:
Andy Barratt

i don't get it - i've been using an official Google + app for weeks.

or have i?

August 22 2011 at 12:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Andy Barratt's comment
Adrian von Gegerfelt

from "Google Mobile", right? Me too... I'm also wondering which is the official and which is the unofficial...

August 23 2011 at 5:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Martin C

I really don't understand the benefit of a native app over just using the site in whatever browser you like.

August 20 2011 at 3:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kevin

So tired of reading about a service I can't even join. How about a ban on Google+ until it is opened up to everyone?

August 20 2011 at 12:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Kevin's comment
Christian Trombley

Send your email and I will send you an invite

August 21 2011 at 1:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adrian von Gegerfelt

I have the Google+ app by "Google Mobile." Shouldn't I be using it?

August 20 2011 at 3:47 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Richard Shaylor

If this is a fake app with the possibility to steal your google password why do you still have the links here?

August 19 2011 at 6:15 PM Report abuse +4 rate up rate down Reply
BKO

Research is hard.

August 19 2011 at 6:07 PM Report abuse +3 rate up rate down Reply
Jeremy

So, basically he took 5 seconds to use Fluid app to create a web app and called it an "app"? Hm, ok.

August 19 2011 at 5:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
atm153

This is just a script to run Chrome (your own copy, if it isn't installed it won't work). The Google+ executable just runs exec /Applications/Google\ Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google\ Chrome --app="http://plus.google.com/" --user-data-dir="/Applications/Google+.app/Contents/Profile" "$@".

August 19 2011 at 5:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to atm153's comment
Franko

so, just to be double-sure: if you do not have Chrome, it won't do anything? now all this talk about password harvesting is making me nervous.

August 19 2011 at 7:16 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MacPsych

I just use Fluid app to create a standalone instance of Google+. It works just fine.

(http://fluidapp.com/)

August 19 2011 at 5:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to MacPsych's comment
ack154

Yup. This.

Until there's a "real" native app, I'm just fine with a Fluid app.

August 19 2011 at 10:52 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chase Fegan

Doesn't open. Just bounces once and disappears.

August 19 2011 at 5:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Chase Fegan's comment
Franko

yep - came back here just to say the same thing. is it Lion only? : (

August 19 2011 at 5:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Buy an ad here

Tweets

© 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.