Buzz for Business
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5. It can go mobile
Google Buzz works on a mobile phone. Users can update their status
and set their locations from their mobile device. Most importantly,
they can find other Google Buzz users around their location with the
help of their phone's built-in GPS function. Admittedly, that
functionality can be found in several other tools that integrate with
social networks. But it's a nice option to have for those perpetually
on-the-go.
6. It's more FriendFeed than Twitter
Although Google Buzz is undoubtedly targeting Twitter and Facebook,
the service seems far more similar to FriendFeed than any other. Like
Google Buzz, FriendFeed allows users to update their status, share
photos and videos, and communicate with others on the site. FriendFeed
offers far more customization, and integrating other social networks on
the service is simple, but the way in which Google Buzz handles and
displays content is awfully similar to FriendFeed. Rest assured, there
are elements of Facebook and Twitter built into Google Buzz, but
they're not as obvious.
7. Buzz is coming to businesses
According to Google, it plans to bring Buzz to the enterprise and
educational institutions at some point in the future. The service seems ideally suited for the corporate world.
By allowing users to easily communicate with one another and
collaborate on products, Google Buzz could become a serious contender
in the enterprise-productivity market. Unfortunately, though, Google
wouldn't say when it will be offered to enterprise users.
8. Buzz suggestions are done right
One of the complaints some folks have with Twitter is its
friend-suggestion tool. Rather than help its users find people that
they might know or might like to receive updates from, Twitter
handpicked individuals to include in the suggestion list. Unlike
Twitter, Facebook does it right. Its friend-suggestion tool makes it
extremely easy to find friends and acquaintances. The same can be said
for Google Buzz. Rather than choose random folks to follow, it analyzes
a user's list of followers to find others they might know. It adds
value to the service.
9. It's all about real-time
Google Buzz delivers updates in real-time. When a user's follower
updates their status, it automatically shows up on Google Buzz. To
some, that might be overwhelming, since folks working in the software
will see updates appear out of the blue. But being able to see what
others are discussing immediately is a nice feature that should help
users stay engaged with the service.
10. No Facebook integration-yet
Although Google Buzz boasts some integration with Twitter, users
won't be able to share content with Facebook. It's a glaring omission. Facebook is the de facto leader in the social-networking market.
If Twitter is integrated into Google Buzz, it would seem only natural
that Facebook would be too. For now, it's not. And there's no telling
if that will change anytime soon.
