It is literally the biggest Buzz in tech town. And seems to be in no mood to die down. We are referring to Google Buzz, the new service from Google that adds a vast element of sharing to the already pretty power-packed Gmail. We have been tinkering around with Buzz for the past day or so and to be honest we can frankly say that we are very impressed indeed. Yes, we are not saying it is perfect, and no, we are not sure whether it will wipe out Facebook as some pundits are saying, but all in all, it might just redefine e-mail very much in the way Gmail did a few years ago. There are seven reasons why we love Google Buzz:
1. Everything in a single place: One can microblog, share pictures, check mail and do a whole lot more without having to exit Gmail. Remember how convenient it was to chat while checking email? Well add sharing information to that and you will get what we are talking about.
2. Geotagging: Many will point out that geotagging your posts has been around on other services for a while. We will merely point out that none of them has worked this smoothly. It especially rocks on handsets where you can see who is Buzzing around you!
3. Mobile and computer: We have not seen a social networking application that works as well on cellphones as on computer. In fact, throw in geotagging and we think that the cellphone version is actually better than the computer one!
4. No setup: All right, we have to admit that one of the reasons that we do not explore new social networking sites is the fact that one has to go through all the registration hassles. Google Buzz, on the other hand, is pretty much there for you if you have a Gmail account, with followers and those to follow already marked out for you, based on the people you e-mail the most frequently. Very convenient, say we.
5. The graphic element: Send someone a URL and they get to see not just the URL, but also some of the content of the page; play video and browse through pictures without leaving Gmail - Buzz is just perfect for all those who like sharing graphics and multimedia.
6. Real time: It is a trifle spooky initially, but by now, we love the fact that we can see posts being made even while we are browsing through Buzz or making our own post. Real time stuff is so much fun.
7. Linkages with other sites: You can import stuff to Buzz from Picasa, Flickr, and Google Reader, and -surprise, surprise - Twitter. And we are sure that we have not heard the last of this either. No, we do not expect Facebook or Linkedin to come on board, but Buzz could integrate a lot of other social networking sites in the coming days, making Gmail one colossal social networking portal!
