Google+: now you don't need friends to join

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For the past 3 months or so, you needed an invitation from an existing member to join Google+. Not that this was much of a problem - there were numerous on-line presences that would extend an invite to anyone who emailed them and asked for one. A few enterprising souls attempted to sell them on eBay. Still, "by invitation only" gave the service the cachet of pseudo-exclusivity, much like Facebook in the early days.

No more!

Google announced on the Official Google Blog that, among the many other numbered improvements they've added, invitations are no longer required.

Take that, Facebook.

Most of the other improvements announced centered around the Hangout feature, which I've never used. By the way, my Google+ profile is shown on the right sidebar of the blog (at least until they catch wind of the fuzziness of my actual identity). Update: I've been busted by the Identity Police!

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