Author Topic: Buzzzzzzzzinggggg - Google Buzz - Gmail with facebook features (Read 44,656 times)

Lutz_ · « **on:** February 10, 2010, 02:12 AM »

Google Buzz - Gmail with facebook features:

http://www.google.com/buzz Check the video there.
And this article: http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7021156.ece
It seems to have nothing to do with the previously presented Google Wave service.

And I just read previously today that facebook is going to start a freemail service. (http://news.softpedia.com/news/Facebook-Rumored-to-Launch-Email-Service-134212.shtml). Looks like they might be a little bit late to the battle.
Buzz does not seem to work for me yet. The website says the roll out is ongoing.

nite_monkey · « **Reply #1 on:** February 10, 2010, 05:07 PM »

yeah, I'm still waiting for it to be rolled out to my account... Though I would like to know if it will be rolled out to google apps accounts also, because I don't use my gmail account anymore since I have my apps email.

scancode · « **Reply #2 on:** February 10, 2010, 05:13 PM »

Nice try google, but if what I 'buzz' can't be posted to Facebook/Twitter/FF I'm staying away from it. As in _very_ far away.

Peace.

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 10, 2010, 05:44 PM »

Tried it, hated it, left it, now hiding from it

rgdot · « **Reply #4 on:** February 10, 2010, 07:33 PM »

It says a lot about how innovative it is that google didn't even need a beta phase for it

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 10, 2010, 08:05 PM »

Its a pretty sad effort for a Social Media/Lifestreaming outlet...I've seen some bad ones, and this is amongst the worst.

wraith808 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 10, 2010, 09:09 PM »

I plan to give it a chance- I liked the idea of Wave, and I like the way that reader handles your friends. Now if it would just roll out...

wraith808 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 10, 2010, 09:24 PM »

Quote from: Stephen66515 on February 10, 2010, 08:05 PM

Its a pretty sad effort for a Social Media/Lifestreaming outlet...I've seen some bad ones, and this is amongst the worst.

Why do you say that?

JavaJones · « **Reply #8 on:** February 10, 2010, 10:49 PM »

I'm buzzed! And it's underwhelming. Of course, keep in mind this is from a guy who hates Facebook, Twitter, MyFace, SpaceCase, and the rest. I've never updated my Facebook status, hardly even update my IM status when I'm "away" (it doesn't seem to make much difference anyway, people know when I'm idle automatically). So I'm probably not the target market for this. I could see it being interesting leveraging the existing data of Gmail and other Google services, but at the same time I wonder whether people actually like the separation between Gmail/email in general and something like Facebook. I think I do...

- Oshyan

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 11, 2010, 12:00 AM »

Quote from: wraith808 on February 10, 2010, 09:24 PM

Quote from: Stephen66515 on February 10, 2010, 08:05 PM
Its a pretty sad effort for a Social Media/Lifestreaming outlet...I've seen some bad ones, and this is amongst the worst.

Why do you say that?

They are not including any of the features that are loved by the users, there is no way to 'export' your posts, and it seems like a very very simple platform, which could be launched by anybody, they should of taken a leaf out of Facebook's book, or even adopted scripts such as PHPizabi ... at least those have interesting features

wraith808 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 11, 2010, 12:03 AM »

I don't know... I like the simplicity of it, and how it's integrated into gmail. I'll see as time goes on, but so far, it's made a pretty positive impression on me. I've never really bought into the whole facebook thing, but this seems to combine the best of twitter with threading and the lack of extreme limitations on messages- like IM without the pressure of it being instant.

Tuxman · « **Reply #11 on:** February 11, 2010, 02:11 AM »

Hmm, it is indeed a sign of consequence that Google started their own social network (no. 359857, I presume).
Now we all have the choice: Use Facebook and lose your privacy or use Buzz and lose your privacy. Leaked user data vs. profiling.

I think I'd choose none.

Lutz_ · « **Reply #12 on:** February 11, 2010, 04:36 AM »

Quote from: JavaJones on February 10, 2010, 10:49 PM

...... but at the same time I wonder whether people actually like the separation between Gmail/email in general and something like Facebook. I think I do...

This is my sentiment, too, somehow. I like the functionality otherwise. Not as cluttered as other offerings.

Deozaan · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2010, 05:02 AM »

I don't think Google Buzz is just Gmail with Facebook features.

Did you know that buzzes appear on Google Maps with your precise location via GPS? I'm not talking just a dot on the map, I mean the street address, as well as your name. It's probably not accurate everywhere, but it correctly displays the address I'm at right now on my phone.

So now my Google Map (on my Android phone) is full of little Buzzes like "Just at work" written by Jake Tucker 8 hours ago (with address displayed) or from Matt Miller: "Just chilling in the car... Going to the dump on a feild [sic] trip." Once again the street address is listed.

Just to make it clear, I don't know any of the people these Buzzes are showing up for. But they all contain a profile picture, real name, street address, and of course the "tweet" containing useless information nobody cares about.

Kind of scary from a privacy perspective. I can just imagine it now:

"walking around nakid sinse no1 else is hear... hoap no crazy stockers read this lol!" Susan Dumfart 5 minutes ago. 123 Easy St, Springville, IL

Deozaan · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2010, 06:13 AM »

In other news, I think Buzz broke my Gmail.

My Compose New Message, Inbox, All Mail, Sent Mail, Drafts, Starred Mail, etc., and all my labels are missing. They've been replaced by a More dropdown link that doesn't do (or show) anything when clicked.

[attachimg=#]

EDIT: Right after I posted this I reloaded Gmail again for the nth time and everything is back to normal!

SKesselman · « **Reply #15 on:** February 11, 2010, 05:38 PM »

Quote from: Stephen66515 on February 10, 2010, 05:44 PM

Tried it, hated it, left it, now hiding from it

Saw the sign up page yesterday, made it a point to not touch that "Try it" button, and logged into my gmail account.
Woke up this morning only to find that while I was sleeping, it had snuck into my gmail account & made a comfy little home for itself.
It showed me the people I'm "following" and the people who are "following" me.
W T F ??????? I don't "follow", I don't Tweet. I'm only on Facebook and I keep FB & Gmail separate for a reason.

Uggghh...I feel like I'm being stalked by a google app!!!!
Get away from me, Buzz, you creep! Can't you take "No" for an answer?

KynloStephen66515 · « **Reply #16 on:** February 11, 2010, 05:42 PM »

Quote from: SKesselman on February 11, 2010, 05:38 PM

Quote from: Stephen66515 on February 10, 2010, 05:44 PM
Tried it, hated it, left it, now hiding from it
Woke up this morning only to find that while I was sleeping, it had snuck into my gmail account & made a comfy little home for itself.

Google desperate for users by the sound of it lol

nudone · « **Reply #17 on:** February 11, 2010, 06:10 PM »

probably just turn it off here...

bottom of gmail pages.

SKesselman · « **Reply #18 on:** February 11, 2010, 06:17 PM »

Thanks so much, nudone.
Armed with nothing but a keyboard & some determination, I've already cornered him and kicked him out, I found out how to do it it on Life Hacker.
I tried to post the directions I found for anyone else but I keep forgetting how post pics as links here & am in a hurry so I gave up.
(Notezilla!!)

I just didn't want my followers or those I'm following me to think I was ignoring them when they were misinformed that I was on buzzz...
Posting pics & stuff to a group I'm included in or worse, just me...bad, Google. Not nice at all. Stupid idea IMO.

Thanks, again

wraith808 · « **Reply #19 on:** February 11, 2010, 06:33 PM »

Buzz isn't an opt-in platform, much like Talk... it's integrated into Gmail, which is supposed to be one of its selling points... *shrug*

tomos · « **Reply #20 on:** February 11, 2010, 06:35 PM »

Quote from: SKesselman on February 11, 2010, 05:38 PM

Saw the sign up page yesterday, made it a point to not touch that "Try it" button, and logged into my gmail account.
Woke up this morning only to find that while I was sleeping, it had snuck into my gmail account & made a comfy little home for itself.
It showed me the people I'm "following" and the people who are "following" me.
W T F ??????? I don't "follow", I don't Tweet. I'm only on Facebook and I keep FB & Gmail separate for a reason.

Uggghh...I feel like I'm being stalked by a google app!!!!
Get away from me, Buzz, you creep! Can't you take "No" for an answer?

lol
I just joined Facebook lately and that's the way I feel about it (I dont want the fecker to keep shoving potential 'friends' in my face...even if I do half know some of them, & how do they know I half know them anyway - it's just creepy I find)
** But I can really understand you wanting to keep the two seperate - that would be a nightmare having an email account like that

SKesselman · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2010, 06:17 AM »

Quote from: tomos on February 11, 2010, 06:35 PM

I just joined Facebook lately and that's the way I feel about it (I dont want the fecker to keep shoving potential 'friends' in my face...even if I do half know some of them, & how do they know I half know them anyway - it's just creepy I find)

Yeah, the grid's always there. I think I understand why it bugs you.
I liked it at first, because I lost touch with a lot of people throughout my life, for no real reason other than moving, etc.
The suggestions were great, but now that I've found my friends & they've found me, the friend suggestions are pretty pointless.
I'm certain you already know this, but it's just a program showing you random friends of your current friends & I think you can maybe even stop the suggestion feature from showing on your home page. If I figure out how, I'll inbox you.

y0himba · « **Reply #22 on:** February 13, 2010, 01:27 AM »

You can update everything via Google Buzz. 50 services. Here is how:

http://blog.seesmic.com/2010/02/pingfm-already-updates-google-buzz-instantly-from-txt-apps-email.html

I personally like Buzz, very convenient. I would prefer to see a standalone service though.

parkint · « **Reply #23 on:** February 13, 2010, 02:46 PM »

After playing with WAVE for a few months I was a bit under-whlemed, too, by BUZZ.
But, it appears to be in its infant stage and provides all the 'services' of Twitter/Facebook/etc (albeit those services are arguably useless) in one convenient place.
I am reminded of the 80s when, in corporate IT, you heard "No one ever got fired for choosing IBM". Google seems to be the one to follow. It is remarkable that Google can provide a service (without any hype) and steal attention from the other, more established, services in a few days. Even Microsoft in its hay-day couldn't do that!

I am on-the-fence about BUZZ. And I am disappointed that all my efforts to learn how to write apps for WAVE may be wasted if BUZZ does not provide the same capability. But having everything in my GMail account - which provides THE BEST spam prevention, bar none - is quite convenient.
The trend to push everything into 'the cloud' is one I favor. A single, very light, interface to all my data makes my computing truly portable.

rgdot · « **Reply #24 on:** February 13, 2010, 05:06 PM »

If google and users too accept that the appeal of something like Wave is primarily for groups of people doing something together and (for example) not for short entries like twitter then you haven't wasted time working on Wave. The problem is the expectation that one app will be all things for all people.

Buzz is kind of messy now because it's interface is within gmail, practically the only thing one can do is expand or collapse entries.