We enjoyed our official Twitter Bithday Party today and we’ve picked out a few of our favourite Tweets from an afternoon that saw us Trending in London and then the UK.

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement, we have been genuinely overwhelmed, please come and celebrate our decade in the game at our DECA parties in October. Details at deca10.com.

Even though Google+ is still in its infancy many are already taking to Google’s new online service (we’re not calling it a social networking site just yet as Google themselves have named it otherwise, referring to their recent online offering as a “sharing site”). So far it’s billed as the fasted growing social networking site in history and has already amassed a staggering 18 million users… But everyone is asking one question and one question only, ‘What the hell happened to MySpace?’ ‘Will Google be bigger than Facebook?’ Danny Walker investigates…

Ok, so for the last month or so everyone has been going on about Google+, Facebook being “dead” and Twitter “in trouble” because Internet giant Google Inc. have had another go at being social. Many of you know this isn’t the first time the company have ventured into the world of social networking. Those who rid their ill-fated collaboration-thing Google Wave – I’m being vague about Google Wave to try and hide the fact I was in fact an early supporter of that nonsense – and are currently enjoying the weak spoils of lackluster Google Buzz will know that they’ve been trying to come up with the next big thing for a few years now. In the meantime they’ve bought video giant YouTube, popular blogging site Blogger and picture sharing site Picasa in a further bid to be much more than just a search engine. After a few weeks of trying out the project, it looks like Google might actually be on to something here…

What is Google+?

The Welcome page reads; “The Google+ project makes sharing on the web feel like sharing in real life.”

On 28 June, Mashable.com Editor-at-Large Ben Parr describes it as “the company’s most ambitious social project to date, and it comes with a lot of features.”

On 1 July, early adopting Ryan Singel (Wired.co.uk) described Google+ as “a well-designed social network, centered on the concept of Circles — the idea that relationships are more complicated than the binary friend-or-not-friend model that has served Facebook so well.”

Today, I say (after using Google+ since 8 July), it’s basically Facebook without the crap.

How Do I Use Google+?

Circles

Group your friends, family, colleagues, stalkers, people you stalk, etc. in different groups. This means you can share different information/ pictures/ scandalous content with different people.

Here is a suspect Google promo vid…

Hangouts

Simple. Video chats with up to ten people at a time. Google give a different spin to it of course, the equally suspect promotional YouTube video states, “It’s like bumping into someone you know at a local café.” That reminds me, how do you spell ‘cheese’?

Sparks

RSS feeds on steroids.

Google+ vs. Facebook

Although Google+ is only open to those with a Google Profile – due to world domination reasons – there are already over 18 million users on Google+ according to Ancestry.com founder Paul Allen. Even though Facebook has well over 700 million active users (and a film about it) that is pretty good going for a service that’s still invite-only.

Google+ differs from Facebook as it’s much easier to use for a start, simply drag and drop when you want to add people to your groups. Circles really are an innovation and set Google+ apart from its Like-wielding counterpart. Another factor which may catch on are Hangouts. So much so Facebook have recently linked up with Skype to offer a similar service. Only difference is, with Hangouts, you can speak to up to 10 people at once. Until Google sort out their Privacy settings and what is actually going on with the brand/ company pages – currently only people with full names and not pseudonyms are allowed to exist on Google+ – it will be hard to tell how this battle will end. RWD are on Google+ (for now).

Interestingly…

Summary

The launch of The Google+ Project is exciting, especially as some people are getting bored of Facebook (and Twitter), but only time will tell if it will truly take on Facebook.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Google+ Tips

Bold Text in Google Plus: If you want to write bold text then you would start your text with star ‘*’and end with’*’ for example *Bold Text* will appear Bold Text.

Italic Text in Google Plus: If you want to write Italic text then you would start your text with underscore ‘_’ and end with ‘_’ for example _Italic Text_ will appear as Italic.

Strikethrough Text in Google Plus: If you want to write Strikethrough text then you would start your text with minus sign ‘-’ and end with ‘-’ for example -Strikethrough Text- will appear as Strikethrough Text.

Bold with Italic Text in Google Plus: In this case you would be start your text with star together with underscore ‘*_’ and end with ‘_*’ for example *_Bold with Italic Text_* will appear as Bold with Italic Text.

Words by Danny Walker (I’m on Google+)

RWD are on Google+ (for now).

Having started on Twitter, it’s only right that the Odd Future, Chris Brown feud, which nearly turned violent this week, end there.

Chris Brown’s “cousins” chased down Frank Ocean, calling him out for a fight earlier this week following a fairly petty Twitter feud between the two singers but the beef was squashed yesterday when Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean’s Odd Future crew member spoke his piece. Following which, Chris Brown officially extended an olive branch.

This week we’ve got some classic Twitpics from Tinie Tempah, Wayne Rooney, Ed Sheeran, Mistajam, Jason Biggs, Chris Brown and more.

@sbtvonline: SB [@jamaledwards] x @RichardBranson

SBTV’s Jamal Edwards gives Richard Branson a few words of inspiration. One day Branson, one day.

@TwinTings: Selena Gomez coming to meet Uncle Tinie

Selena Gomez stops by backstage to see Tinie Tempah. Not pictured, Justin Bieber hiding around the corner chewing his fingernails.

@WayneRooney: The new hair is coming on people. Swelling gone down #hairwego

We’ve mentioned how much we respect Wayne Rooney’s openness about his summer hair transplant but we’re not sure a day by day account of Frankenwazza’s head is entirely necessary.

@biggsjason: A sneak peek at the #AmericanReunion script! Important plot details exposed!!

Jason Biggs confirms the existence of an American Pie reunion script and it’s only right that people are partying outside Stifler’s house.

@mistajam: Just snuck a peek at the rehearsals for tonight’s #DubstepSymphony. Epic. Goosebumps. Make sure u watch!

Mistajam was dropping behind the scenes teasers before Nero and the London Philharmonic Orchestra tore 1Xtra to bits as part of their Dubstep week.

@edsheeran: Get involved…..

Ed Sheeran says that if his new single The A-Team fulfills its destiny and reaches the number one spot next week, him and Jamal Edwards will film a video of them performing the PJ & Duncan classic Let’s Get Ready To Rumble.

@Persie_Official R&R @ rio ☺

Who says footballers can’t escape the game? Fresh from a New York vacation with Cesc Fabregas, Robin van Persie drops by to see Ronaldinho in Rio.

@THISISMAXONLINE: Big up’s to the lovely pretty doll that is @kimkardashian good to hang out earlier, defo get the lighter hair it w

Kim Kardashian passed by Choice FM on her traffic stopping whistle-stop London tour.

@TinieTempah Just had brekkie @ this wicked spot in Williamsburg called ‘Egg’… They even let you draw on the Tables!

Sometimes people are just natural artists, they can express themselves with finesse and clarity in any media, some people not so much. We can’t see Tinie Tempah hanging his sketches in the Tate Modern any time soon.

@chrisbrown: We in here!

Chris Brown, Jim Jones, Waka Flocka Flame, Maino, Juelz Santana and a few people we’re sure have names let their fingers do the talking backstage at Hot 97’s Summer Jam.

@rioferdy5: Chef for the day, it was top drawer if I must say so myself!

Sometimes a Twitpic doesn’t need a caption. A shirtless Rio Ferdinand in a chef-hat peering over his shoulder with a cheesy grin and a mini spatula kind of says it all don’t you think?

@jammerbbk: The pussy hole’s just let me out the police station WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOF

A very late entry to this weeks Week In Twitpics, we want to hear the full story of why Jammer spent the night in the cells but that photo is priceless.

Check out last week’s Week In Twitpics here.

Dappy took his time joining Twitter but it was worth the wait as the N-Dubz genius goes Tweet crazy.

Tulisa [@officialtulisa] is a Twitter veteran, Fazer maintains the N-Dubz Twitter [@NDUBZ] and joining them better late than never, Dappy [@thedappy] announced himself to the social network on Sunday night and has since amassed a huge 27,213 followers [correct at time of publishing] and a whopping 183 Tweets [although a fair few of those are ReTweets].

If you’re not following Dappy yet, we advise you rectify that, until you do, we’ve picked a couple of our favourite Dappy Tweets so far.

The French don’t want disproportionate support for leading social network sites Twitter and Facebook when there are so many others [are there?] out there who could use the support.

We’re not saying for definite that Damon Dash has been going country to country explaining why his 2006 social-network BlockSavvy failed, we’re not saying that at all, we are saying though that the decision of the French Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel (CSA) [think Ofcom] to block the use of the words Twitter and Facebook on French TV has a whiff of high-profile complaint about it.

Twitter has of course been one of the major news stories in recent weeks with the so-called “super-injunctions” being flouted by Tweeters and if the CSA are to be believed, then that coverage was unfair on the likes of MySpace and Bebo, mainly because nobody uses those sites any more. CSA spokeswoman Christine Kelly offered in a statement “Why give preference to Facebook, which is worth billions of dollars, when there are many other social networks that are struggling for recognition? This would be a distortion of competition. If we allow Facebook and Twitter to be cited on air, it’s opening a Pandora’s Box – other social networks will complain to us saying, ‘why not us?’”

American commentators are already calling the move an act of passive aggression against their media outlets.

Read more about the reaction right here.

This week we’ve got the funny, the motivational, the Kerry Katona in our Week In Twitpics. Includes shots from Russell Brand, Example, Jonah Hill, Adrianne Curry, Skepta, Drake and more…

One of our favourite Twitpics of the week by far, Monday to Sunday is BBK but Maximum found a day for the infamous Kerry Katona. Somebody get that former Atomic Kitten a chain.

@maximumbbk: Me and kerry katona in marbs

We’ve been laughing at this Twitpic since Artwork posted it earlier today. We’re thinking of getting the dubstep don’s agent in to design our next cover.

@artworkmagnetic: I Moaned about not having a logo to my agent… This is what she came up with … Guess I deserved it !

Former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O’Day shares because she knows we care. We’re not strong swimmers Aubrey, can we watch?

@aubreyoday: Fresh outta the gym, heading to the pool… Gonna shoot for 50 laps, who’s with me?

Jonah Hill must think he’s Superbad after catching an Alligator. Sorry, why did we do that? We are ashamed. Seriously though, look at how much weight he’s lost.

@JonahHill: Caught me a gator today.

Josh Osho’s name might just be reaching the masses but legends already know him, Ghostface, Rza and of course, Ronnie Wood?

@JoshOshoMusic Oh rah one of my fans look mad like ronnie wood!!

Tinchy Stryder boasts about his not-internet ready Nike exclusive trainers. The official Nike headed paper the note was written on is as close as we’re going to get to seeing the drop.

@TinchyStryder: Thanks to every1 @ Nike for keeping me flee ; )…So exclusive I can’t even show the trainers lol #Spaceship

A man of few words, if Tweets are rare, then Drake Twitpics are practically dragons and unicorns out here. Toast to the douche-bags?

@drakkardnoir:

Adrianne Curry, the very first America’s Top Model is very, very excellent at Twitter.

@AdrianneCurry: Ok, 3rd times the charm. Fantastic butt shot of me by my friend @panther_modern at my friends party.

Example and Wretch 32 get their summers started on stage in Ibiza. Our summers don’t officially start until the sweat from our necks reaches the bottom of our backs on a sweaty tube home. That’s official.

@example LAST NIGHT: @Wretch32

Russell Brand and Alec Baldwin get acquainted on the set of their new rock-comedy Rock of Ages.

@rustyrockets: Now this has happened with me and @alec_baldwin does reality even matter?

Skepta didn’t need words when he Tweeted this photo from Marbella. Just like we didn’t need words when we responded…we stuck our middle fingers up.

@Skepta:

Previously: The Week In Twitpics [May 27]

We’ve kept an eye on Twitter this week and have put together our favourite Twitpics. Shots this week come from Example, JME, Bun-B, David Haye, Rita Ora, Gerrard Pique and more.

Example assumes the “Throw a bucket of paint over me” pose.

@example: This is me in a fur coat
@example: *awaiting hate mail from animal rights activists*
@example: Don’t buy fur coats!! Unless the animal died naturally. But not horses. Don’t wear horse fur

Chantelle Fiddy’s planning a summer of festivals under her assumed persona.

@ChantelleFiddy: Gonna have fun with these @tinchystryder

Bun-B’s in the middle of Gumball 3000 and used his stop in London to stop in on Tim Westwood and get a few shots of himself in the capital.

@BunBTrillOG: #Gumball3000 is a dream come true! #BallerForLife

Roc Nation’s beautiful Rita Ora has a great view.

@RitaOra: wat u know huh?

David Haye learns a few slight of hand tricks ahead of his career defining bout with Wladimir Klitschko in July.

@mrdavidhaye: The legend @Dynamomagician just came to the gym and pulled off some crazy magic!! He is EVIL!!

JME’s eternal feud with his local postmen continues as he responds to nature’s call while waiting for a package of Paintball accessories.

@JMEBBK: Wait in the house for the postman. Go toilet. Come downstairs, and this is on the mat. Open door. No postman

Our very own Danny Walker seriously contemplated eating a day-old half-eaten burrito left in his draw overnight. He really did.

@DannyWalker1: I left half a burrito in my (humid) draw in the office yesterday, can I eat it today?

@DannyWalker1: Based on the thoughtful words of @TegoSigel and @NardeneScott (who called me ‘A Tramp’ LOL) I shall be re-purchasing today’s lunch.

Tinchy Stryder’s manager Jack Foster caught a shot of the rapper peering ominously from Sir Alex Ferguson’s Wembley dugout ahead of the weekend’s Champions League Final against Barcelona. Little did we know Strydes was there getting ready to perform at the biggest club match of the season.

@TakeoverLtd: Tinchy chilling in Man Utd’s dug out for Saturday at Wembley… Assuming the Sir Alex role…

When Barcelona flew into London early for the Champions League final Arsenal invited them to use their training facilities but that didn’t stop Gerrard Pique and Carles Puyol aggravating Gooners by tweeting about stealing a photo of pal Cesc Fabregas from the dressing room.

@3gerrardpique17: @Carles5puyol y yo robando un cuadro de la taquilla de @cesc4official en el vestuario del Arsenal!!

@3gerrardpique17: @Carles5puyol and I stealing a picture of @cesc4official from Arsenal’s dressing room.

Football journalist James Horncastle notices NBA superstar Lebron James sporting the jacket of his new favourite football team.

@JamesHorncastle: Pic of LeBron James in his Liverpool jacket after Heat-Bulls series

Our cover star Ed Sheeran introduces fans to what’s helping him through his time on the road.

edsheeran: Everyone say hi to Lesley…. He’s the tour mascot

A major, major step has been taken today by the lawyers of a Premier League footballer who have served Twitter with a privacy injunction.

Twitter is seen by many as the the ultimate evolution of the social network, cutting the gimmicks, the extras and the distractions from previously dominant MySpace, Bebo and Facebook and focusing totally on the social connectivity of ideas, thoughts and opinions between willing parties. The colossal rise of the site over the last 24 months has seen it become the centre of news, in almost all media and culture, which has seen it caught-up in controversy surrounding freedom of information and privacy. Twitter found itself at the centre of a storm last week when a page was set up to specifically reveal details of cases granted “super-injunctions” by UK courts which today lead to a Premier League footballer’s lawyers serving a privacy injunction to the company.

The status of the injunction could have major ramifications for online journalism, opinion and social networking in the future. It has been confirmed that the player who has served Twitter is the same player who has a “super-injunction” out against The Sun newspaper and Imogen Thomas.

More info from The Guardian.

A freestyle by 17 year old Birmingham MC OG Niki has been such a massive talking point over the last two days that she is currently a worldwide trending topic on Twitter.

Do you, like us, keep an eye on the trending topics on Twitter to see what’s inspiring people to talk? Well we really haven’t needed to for the last two days because the topic, the issue and the subject has been teenage female MC OG Niki who released a raunchy freestyle video this week, causing extreme reactions both for and against the Birmingham rapper for her explicit content. With the obvious comparisons to Lil Kim, herself a young MC when she debuted in the mid-90s, OG Niki has defied her 1,714 Twitter followers [correct at time of publishing] to become a worldwide and United Kingdon Trending Topic on the social network site. Check the screen grabs below.

Watch the controversial freestyle video below and read the thoughts of respected Grime commentator Hyperfrank on the MC here.

Have your say on ‘The OG Niki Debate’ in our Friday Poll right here.