Google continues to spread its wings, most recently launching a social networking service to compete with the likes of Facebook and Twitter. Here's the lowdown.
WHAT IT IS
Google Buzz is for users of Gmail - Google's email program. It allows people to follow others they email and chat with regularly by receiving their Buzz comments and updates of their internet activity through their Gmail accounts. For example, users can post links to Google services such as YouTube, photo sharing site Flickr and websites and can import posts from micro-blogging service Twitter.
Google Buzz users can choose to make their updates private, available to certain people or public - in which case Google's search engine can find and display their posts.
Buzz users can see lists of your followers and people who you are following, but again, you can choose to make these lists private. You can also block people from following you.
Google is planning to launch a version of Buzz for mobile phones. This version will make use of the GPS available on many smartphones, identifying where the mobile user is and showing them Buzz posts from other users nearby.
The service will also be integrated into Google's Place Pages - more than 50 million locations have their own Google websites, which feature a map, photos from Google's Street View service, reviews and information about the location. Buzz posts that are made in these locations will be added to their Place Page.
So why has Google launched Buzz? Google says it is trying to deliver a social networking service that will filter out meaningful information from the endless stream of updates flowing from other services.
Commentators say Buzz is Google's attempt to claw back internet audiences from Twitter and Facebook, which has more than 400 million users around the world. Google's own social network, Orkut, has largely failed to attract a following.
WHAT IT IS
Google Buzz is for users of Gmail - Google's email program. It allows people to follow others they email and chat with regularly by receiving their Buzz comments and updates of their internet activity through their Gmail accounts. For example, users can post links to Google services such as YouTube, photo sharing site Flickr and websites and can import posts from micro-blogging service Twitter.
Google Buzz users can choose to make their updates private, available to certain people or public - in which case Google's search engine can find and display their posts.
Buzz users can see lists of your followers and people who you are following, but again, you can choose to make these lists private. You can also block people from following you.
Google is planning to launch a version of Buzz for mobile phones. This version will make use of the GPS available on many smartphones, identifying where the mobile user is and showing them Buzz posts from other users nearby.
The service will also be integrated into Google's Place Pages - more than 50 million locations have their own Google websites, which feature a map, photos from Google's Street View service, reviews and information about the location. Buzz posts that are made in these locations will be added to their Place Page.
So why has Google launched Buzz? Google says it is trying to deliver a social networking service that will filter out meaningful information from the endless stream of updates flowing from other services.
Commentators say Buzz is Google's attempt to claw back internet audiences from Twitter and Facebook, which has more than 400 million users around the world. Google's own social network, Orkut, has largely failed to attract a following.
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