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Google+ Adds Support for Webcam Video Sharing

 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

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Because words and photos just aren't enough, Google this week made it easier for users of its social media platform Google+ to share videos.

The Web giant updated Google+, rolling out a new feature that allows users to record a video using their Webcam and post it as an update to the social media platform, according to Shana Gitnick, an engineer on the Google+ Photos team.

"Google+ has long been the place to share and interact with video—Whether it's using Hangouts [a video conferencing feature] with your friends or watching YouTube videos," Gitnick wrote in a Wednesday post on the social media site. "Today we're making video a bit more fun by letting you record and share videos of yourself using your webcam."

The new feature, which began rolling out Wednesday, allows users to avoid the extra step of having to upload a video to YouTube before sharing it on Google+. Users now will now be able to upload video directly from their Google+ homepage.

The new feature requires Adobe Flash, so users without the software on their computers will be left out.

To begin recording video updates, users can click on the video icon in the Google+ share box and choose Record Video. Users will then be required to authorize Flash to access their web camera before being able to record video. Once a video is recorded, users can post it and share it with their circles.

Facebook, meanwhile, has had similar feature for some time.

For more, see PCMag's full review of Google+ and the slideshow below.

About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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