Google Buzz--Is it Really Needed?

Google has introduced a new social networking tool known as Google Buzz. Google Buzz is automatically built into Gmail and many users are already using Buzz now. Some features include Facebook and Twitter integration, location awareness, Buzz Maps, public and private sharing, and a fast sharing experience. You can also easily import information from Twitter, Picasa, Flickr, and Google Reader.

All of these features sound amazingly good but...do we really need them? There are already many social networking websites that do the exact same thing. Google Buzz has gotten criticism already from Microsoft and Yahoo! on this situation.

Microsoft said, "Busy people don't want another social network. What they want is the convenience of aggregation. We've done that. Hotmail customers have benefited from Microsoft working with Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and 75 other partners since 2008."

Yahoo! has stated "There are now more than 200 Yahoo! and third-party sites that feed in to Yahoo! updates like Flickr, Twitter, YouTube, and Yelp. It allows people to see and share updates such as when they uploaded photos, changed their status, buzzed up a news story or posted a new restaurant review."

Considering that these services have been active for awhile, does Google have what it takes for Google Buzz to become successful? I personally think it does.

I have been trying out Google Buzz for a couple of days now and I can say that it is actually very organized and fun. Sharing is actually extremely quick as you insert various types of content. It is extremely easy to see your follower's posts and to add your own. I have not had much time to play around with it but so far, I feel that it is a pretty strong application for Gmail users. As the months roll on, I believe that Google will add a few adjustments to Google Buzz and make it even better.

The only aspect of Google Buzz that I do not like is the location awareness. I noticed when I was using Buzz from my iPod Touch, I had the option of posting updates that included my current location. And when I say location, I mean the actual address and everything! You can turn this feature off but I find it to be rather a privacy nightmare if you do decide to post it.

Now as far as Google Buzz being needed, I personally do not believe that it is. It is definitely a great addition to Gmail but there are many other services out there that do the same thing. Yes I can admit that Google Buzz is very easy-to-use and rather enjoyable, but I can easily post updates using other social networking sties. All in all, Google Buzz is definitely a great addition to the Google family, but it is not necessarily needed. It will still, though, be very successful and popular among Gmail's many users.

Source:
Claudine Beaumont, "Google Buzz isnt new and isnt needed, say rivals", Telegraph.co.uk