Hold it! I know what you’re thinking. “Another post about Google Buzz. Yawn”. But wait – you’ve probably missed the single best thing about it.
While most tech-obsessives have been complaining about privacy or moaning about it being a cut-down FriendFeed, some of us have been out there discovering the mobile side of Buzz – and it’s fascinating.
As I discussed at the weekend, the Gmail and mobile sides of Buzz amount to something of an identity crisis. While Gmail-based Buzz is all about sharing the web, mobile Buzz emphasises location in a way that turns it into exactly what Twitter’s geolocation feature should be.
Putting people’s thoughts on the map
Buzz mobile’s ‘Nearby’ function allows you to browse what’s on people’s minds as they make their way through their days. Yes, it’s just like Twitter but because it’s tied to a location it’s fantastic to browse.
If you have an Android phone, the latest version of Google Maps even includes the option to browse Buzz posts around the map. Looking around my city of Manchester today I see that a man down the road is having a “Yummy dinner” with his brother, just north of me someone is wondering why his bus is late. Someone is cuddled up in bed while another is reviewing the restaurant he’s eating at.
Sounds a bit mundane? Well yes, it is a little at times but it’s addictive. Those little speech bubbles dotted around the map are intriguing – you see them and you just have to open them up.
With mobile Buzz you can browse people’s thoughts based on where they are. As Buzz’s userbase grows this is only going become more powerful. Imagine browsing the opinions of the crowd at a concert or a political rally just by looking at a map.
But can’t Twitter do this already?
Yes, Twitter’s geolocation API makes all of this possible with tweets but the users have been slow to take up the chance to tag their tweets with a location. It’s something of a leap to tweet your location when you;re used to not being able to, especially as it’s so damn difficult to switch on in the first place.
With Buzz, users don’t have to sign up to anything new and they know from the off that they’re tagging their location – it’s part of Buzz’s initial offering and they’re embracing it.
What’s more, this isn’t just a handful of early adopters – this is everyday users picking up their phones and Buzzing.
So – stop moaning about the uninspiring world of Gmail Buzz and get mobile. It’s what Twitter geolocation really should be.
Well, i still can't use it fully on Android 1.5
Yeah, the differing support for Android versions is a problem. Upgrades for devices really should come quicker.
Using buzz web mobile this morning I looked under the local tab and saw a post that they were filming a TV show (Trauma) a few blocks from my usual commute. I adjusted my route and got to see the set. My first real time/world experience brought to me by buzz left me impressed.
I've got a custom Android build on my G1 (which I still love!) and it won't work until I rebuild. (if it's possible).
Not supporting older (1.5, 1.6) Android versions is where Google “screwed up”. Sure, you can use Google maps 4.0 on those devices and even on a Symbian phone to view buzzes on the map but it lacks privacy settings which you to some point get when using buzz from Gmail. Also, in a perfect world, a user should be able to use a different user name when buzzing publicly and those buzzes should not be linked to his Google profile thus protecting his anonymity to some point.
Not supporting older (1.5, 1.6) Android versions is where Google “screwed up”. Sure, you can use Google maps 4.0 on those devices and even on a Symbian phone to view buzzes on the map but it lacks privacy settings which you to some point get when using buzz from Gmail. Also, in a perfect world, a user should be able to use a different user name when buzzing publicly and those buzzes should not be linked to his Google profile thus protecting his anonymity to some point.
Well, i agree that Twitter should be like Buzz in mobile aspects. But I can use twitter better than the Buzz using my iPhone. and I think it's better. Buzz is not what it is expected to be.
No Buzz for BlackBerry yet. What's the point?
I saw this and immediately had two thoughts: 1. Neat idea. 2. How in the hell do I opt out?
Still haven't figured out to adjust my privacy settings for this, outside of turning Buzz off altogether. Really concerning, if you ask me.
totally agree. Buzz in browser form isn't that functional. Spatially, Buzz truly shows how many people are on-line around you. It's enlightening & disturbing at the same time. I only wish I could review the maps from a computer browser, when wanting to look at other geographic locations e.g., Antartica, North Korea, Russia, etc.
I haven’t tried Google buzz in the phone although Twitter works for me. I am not really a big fan of google buzz since its not the way I expected it. I got tons of buzz from unknown people.