Posted by Flick in
Opinions on 02 10th, 2010 |
1 Comment
Google Buzz snuck up on most of us, avoiding the pre-release hype and allowing us to form opinions of Buzz as it was hitting our
Gmail accounts. If you haven’t heard yet, Google has fully thrust itself into the social networking arena, by integrating Buzz with every Gmail account. Yes, emails in Gmail have been called “conversations” since the beginning, but Buzz allows them to realize that vision.
Buzz is available in two versions: desktop and mobile. Interestingly, there are features in the mobile version that are missing on the desktop version. Both versions allow you to follow and be followed by your contacts, start conversations, leave comments, ‘like’ conversations, email them, etc. Responses appear in your inbox with a link to fully view or respond.
We’ve experienced similar features for several years, so why all the buzz about Buzz?
The mobile version of Buzz is where we see the full potential, carrying the strongest implications on society and music (we’ll get to this). Whether you’re on your smart phone or your Touch, Buzz is divided by buzz from people you’re following and ‘nearby’ buzz. By allowing Buzz to locate you you’re able to pin your Buzz to a location.
With the ‘nearby’ Buzz feature you can see what people are buzzing about in your community. Switch to the map version and comment clouds dot the map. This tool is what excites and terrifies me the most.
First, the social implication of pinning your Buzz to a location invites seedy behavior, such as stalkers. The privacy concerns abound, but this has never stopped Google from moving forward. Anyone adding a location to their buzz should do so carefully.
While being concerned, we also see positive uses of this ‘nearby’ feature. Imagine if twenty people are at a concert buzzing photos, videos and chatting about the band on stage. Others looking at their Buzz map will be intrigued (or annoyed), pushing on the street word-of-mouth to a new level. The ‘nearby’ feature is also a great tool to help people that share similar interests to connect with others in their physical community.
It’s our hope that applications are built around location-based Buzz. Imagine a map revealing the songs people around you are listening to, via Last.fm. If tools like this are developed, and we suspect it’s only a matter of time, Buzz will stand apart from other social networks.
Beside the privacy concerns, we also see other implications that are worth noting. The younger generation has been moving away from emails since the onset of text messaging and social networks. Recent studies show that they’re not very interested in Twitter or Blogging, but they ‘get’ Facebook. Will Buzz pull the younger generation back to email since Buzz is integrated with Gmail?
Though some companies understand the benefits of using Facebook in the work environment, many offices block Facebook and see it as a time waster. Since Buzz is integrated with Gmail, it will be difficult for companies to block their employees from using Buzz. This could be a factor in the ways Buzz is used.
We often think of Twitter as a tool that connects you to people around the world, as Facebook connects you with friends from the past. Could Buzz become a tool that connects you to people in your physical community? Time will reveal what the social implications will be.
