(Update: Android app now available) Google launches Spaces, a sharing tool that creates mini social networks on the fly

Update, May 17: The Google Spaces Android app is now available in the Play Store.

Original post, May 16: Google has been trying to cut down on the amount of app-hopping that you have to do when using your device on the regular. Their recent changes to Google Translate, for instance, greatly reduced the amount of copy-and-pasting that goes into using the app on your mobile device, and naturally Google Now in its entirety echoes this no-hopping sentiment as well by contextually searching based on the content on your screen. Today Google has launched a kind of group sharing catch-all app called Spaces. It’s essentially a tool that lets you create very specific social networks on the fly. These ‘spaces’ can house a long-running conversation between close friends or a discussion between strangers about a specific topic.

The highlight of Spaces is that it integrates seamlessly with Google Search, YouTube, and Chrome, meaning that you can find and share content directly to the conversation without having to hop out of the app and return with your link. The conversations created this way are also searchable, so you can quickly locate a tidbit that someone shared months ago without hassle. Adding new people to the discussion is a cinch, and you can do it via any modern medium: from email, to text message, to the social network of your choice.

Spaces will be showcased at the Google I/O conference later this week. The search giant has created a space for each session, meaning you can jump in and see what people are talking about live. If you want to give Spaces a whirl, click the button below to get started, then let us know what you think the company’s latest service in the comments below!