Although, a lot of why it looks better is that there aren't any ad... I'd assume that this won't last.
That's true, but that's a competitive advantage that google can maintain for a long long time.
What you overheard in the park today is hardly evidence of some kind of trend. Google+ isn't even open to signups yet and is on an invite-only basis, used mostly by celebrity bloggers and other tech personalities who think every new social networking site is the greatest thing ever. Even the name "Google+" and the use of "+1" is too techie and mathematical for a lot of people.
I think "G+" stands a chance at being a memorable name. "Are you in G+?" sounds alrite.
The name Google+ is about as scary to non-mathmeticians as Facebook is to non-biologists.