This article was published on March 3, 2010

Tweeting Buzz Brings Universal Status Update One Step Closer


Tweeting Buzz Brings Universal Status Update One Step Closer

mm_twitterWhile Twitter integration was a major selling point of Google Buzz, it seemingly went only one way.

Or at least it used to be that way. However, the recently released Buzz Can Tweet application allows Buzz posts to be automatically posted to Twitter.

By integrating Buzz updates into Twitter, the developers hope to integrate access to Buzz’s media capabilities into Twitter.

For those that find themselves constantly reposting statuses and links from one service to the other, this could be a valuable time-saving tool.

The tool provides a linkback to the user’s public Buzz profile if the Buzz update is too long to fit into a tweet. The tool also includes bit.ly integration and hashtag-based import control (updates sent to Twitter only if #twitter is at the end of the status).

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The most interesting potential use of this service is based around Buzz’s media integration. Essentially, the tool allows users to use their Buzz accounts as a twitpic killer by linking to the media components of the original Buzz post. This integration is significantly simpler than linking the media with a URL shortener because it’s done automatically.

Of course, linking Buzz to Twitter has its own unique issues. It remains to be seen whether or not a Buzz post to twitter, reposted to Buzz via Twitter importation would start an infinite loop. At the very least, the tool’s creators admit, Buzz updates will reappear back in Buzz via Twitter. There also appears to be a significant time lag in certain cases, as Buzz connects to Twitter only intermittently. The tool’s developers claim that both problems are Google’s fault and that they’re hoping for a quick fix soon.

In any case, this tool probably won’t make users stop updating their Twitter accounts manually, but it could be a useful time-saving measure for those of us that make frequent use of both services.

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