We’ve been bad.
Yes, we’ve been bad. We’ve said bad bad things about Google Buzz. Well, mainly I have been saying bad things, but that’s not the point. You haven’t heard too much here in support of Google buzz, so I sought out to find some good things to show you about Google Buzz.
It’s great that links and photos can be embedded directly into “Buzzes,” you get full-sized photo browsing, and that it all integrates into your inbox. I can click the Buzz link and everything is read, so I get that “I did something” feeling, and the only messages that come to my inbox are comments on posts that *I* have put on buzz instead of everything everyone has said or posted.
Stephanie Crawford of Zeitlin & CO. InTown Realtors in Nashville, TN said, “I think Google Buzz definitely has potential. I love how easily it integrates all your social networks in one place. Lately I’m feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of junk and unrelavent content in my RSS feed subscriptions. I’m hoping that Buzz can eventually help me focus easily on the best and most recommended stories by using their Follow, Star, Like, and Share features.”
But wait, there’s more
Let’s move to list format so you can see the other positive thoughts I was able to muster to make the case for Google Buzz:
- Unlike Twitter, you can hide who you are following and who your followers are. Trust me, this is a good thing.
- You can use Google Buzz as a service aggregator (yes, just like Friend Feed), and it supports Twitter, Google Reader, Picasa, Flickr and more.
- There is no character limit on Buzzes. Some say this stifles conversation as some people can be quite wordy, but I believe it might be more comfortable for those that find Twitter and others to be too restrictive.
- Google Buzz has mobile functionality on iPhone and of course on Android so it’s easy while on the go.
- One of my favorite features- you can mute certain posts without unfollowing a person or having to mute EVERYTHING they say. I’m a Southern gal, so I prefer to be polite instead of ignoring someone altogether and Buzz lets me step out on a conversation just like in person (“oh, my phone’s ringing, brb”).
- I don’t have to sign up for a new account. As much as I hate Buzz, at least I don’t have to go fill out the standard five questions the trillion other networks and sites require. It’s all already there and happenin’.
- Supposedly (and I haven’t seen it myself), Google Buzz lets you comment about specific locations while you’re out and about.
- The tone on Buzz seems to be a little bit more productive than Facebook and Twitter. So far.
What good can you find about Google Buzz? Let’s get the ball rolling!
Lani is the COO and News Director at The American Genius, has co-authored a book, co-founded BASHH, Austin Digital Jobs, Remote Digital Jobs, and is a seasoned business writer and editorialist with a penchant for the irreverent.
Meredith Barnhill
March 3, 2010 at 11:02 am
It looks like Buzz has some pretty cool GPS/mobile applications to it: google.com/intl/en/mobile/buzz/
I’m still a little finicky about al the privacy issues when it first rolled out. Maybe I’ll turn it back on soon.