Google has many very social properties that exist as islands. The core properties are Picasa, Gmail, Voice, Chat (and Video), Reader, Blogger, YouTube, and Orkut. Buzz was an attempt to bring together many of these properties and connect them. Think of Buzz as a hub and the other properties as spokes. However, Buzz did not gain widespread adoption. For some, it was the privacy missteps in the first few days of operation that kept them away. I believe there are more obvious and compelling reasons why people aren’t using Buzz in large numbers right now. First, people want to interact with their existing associates, many of whom they communicate with on Facebook. Second, the Buzz interface is somewhat confusing. Facebook and Twitter primarily operate on a chronological model. Buzz doesn’t. Back to the point, Buzz was a failed attempt to create a widely adopted hub linking Google’s social properties, the islands.

I believe Google Me will connect the islands in a very similar way that iGoogle can be used to connect all of Google’s services. In fact, iGoogle has long had some social features unique among all of Google’s properties, including rudimentary social gaming. I actually think Google Me will, in fact, look quite a bit like iGoogle. We will design our own social networks. We may choose a box for YouTube, a stream of Buzz, some Picasa albums, Gmail previews, Chat pane, etc. which would all appear in some integrated fashion on one page (or a group of tabbed pages). Unlike Buzz, Wave and other Google properties that have “fixed” UIs, Google Me may have a more “dynamic” user-customizable look and feel. Drop and drag a feed of friends on the left, maybe another for co-workers in the middle and keep Chat on the right. Or, maybe have it the other way around. Oh, and the top will likely have a search bar and a status update-like field (not too dissimilar from Facebook). Oddly, if I’m correct about the user-customizable look and feel, Google Me may be somewhat similar to *gasp* MySpace in some respects. (Don’t get too discouraged. MySpace was once wildly successful and there may be some elements worth salvaging.)

Will Google Me succeed where Buzz has failed? I’m sure Google will control the rollout and check, double check and triple check to make sure there aren’t serious privacy concerns. Well, this alone won’t assure it’s success. As I pondered above, many people’s existing social networks exist on Facebook. Zynga could help lure massive numbers of virtual farmers, mafia wannabes and others from Facebook to Google, particularly if Zynga and Facebook completely part ways. There is also an enormous installed base of Gmail users. If there is a way to convert them into Google Me users, Google should find it. Also, consider that Google could leverage its upcoming Google TV, Google Music and Google Books properties. Another angle Google could play is integrating Google Me with Apps. Enterprise might be more likely to permit employees to use Google Me, if there were dedicated business streams and corporate discussions. Whereas, Facebook is practically a complete suck on employee productivity.

In any event, I’m straying want into the “will it work?” topic and I intended to merely write about what it will look like. My bets are on a user-customizable iGoogle-like platform. I don’t have a shred of evidence to support this but, as I titled the post, this is my best guess.

You might also enjoy:

--Google to Launch Facebook Killer, “Google Me” [Rumor] --Google Dumping Wave --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet.

Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked. We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects.

This news came as a complete surprise to me and many others. It seems like just yesterday Wave was released and it was the buzz of the internet. It was a trending topic on twitter for nearly a week and many people were scurrying to get invitations to the beta. Nonetheless, Wave failed for very good reasons.

While I was initially jazzed about Wave, just like many at Google according to the official blog, I was blinded by the fact that it was new and shiny. I blogged about it several times and even created a Google Wave category for the blog. However, when I began Waving with friends, they quickly pointed out reasons why they didn’t like it. It was difficult to use. It was launched without full features like email notifications. It was another mode of communication that was redundant with our existing modes. In short, they felt it was a waste of their time and apparently many people felt that way. They just didn’t “get” Wave.

I haven’t read the other commentary in the blogosphere on the failure of Wave but I think many will be discussing Google Buzz and the rumored Google Me project. I suspect that Wave will be replaced with Google Me and if Google Me gains tractions we may see Google Buzz fall by the wayside too. While I would be sad to see Buzz go, I would welcome a better replacement that achieves more widespread adoption. Frankly, I can’t convince anyone in my social circles to get active on Buzz. Hopefully, Google has a recipe for marketing a service that will compete with Facebook which is now 500 million strong. I’d like to see a superior replacement for Facebook with better governance.

You might also enjoy:

--Google Wave team at it again… soliciting your feedback --Will Google Wave enforce a Storage Quota? How? --Want Your Google Wave Invitation? More Coming in “Weeks.” Suggestions. --Google Wave: “Waving Goodbye to 2009″ by Whirled Interactive --Mozilla Labs Raindrop (Efficiency) vs. Google Wave (Revolution)

I’m a big fan of Google Buzz and I’ve been vocal about it. The CEO of miio, Richard Lusk, is also a Google Buzz fan. I’m not alone in saying that I plan to shift some of my social networking time to miio.

I’m not going to attempt to reinvent the wheel. There’s an excellent review of miio in the blogosphere entitled, “Why miio isn’t Twitter or Facebook: And why this is a good thing.” The post contains a video demo and a terrific overview of the service. It’s recommended reading.

If you check out miio, add my profile to your network. It’s at http://miio.com/jon.

You might also enjoy:

--Google Buzz: Effects on the Blogosphere and Digital Media --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet.

Ok, umm, huge rumor: Google to launch facebook competitor very soon “Google Me”, very credible source

TechMiso picked up the tweet and the rumor is gaining steam on Google Buzz.

I believe there is room in the Google ecosystem for a new social network. While Buzz is still fresh out of the box, it really isn’t ideal for keeping up with friends and family. Buzz is somewhat more like Twitter in terms of the relationships between users, although discussions tend to be more fulsome than those on Twitter. Google does already have a Facebook like service, Orkut. However, Orkut is significantly behind Facebook in terms of features and it never really caught on outside of Brazil and India. Some point to Wave as a social network of sorts but it’s really a different animal. Wave is more like a collaboration service that better suits business purposes than social purposes.

If there really is a Google Me, I’m really curious what the service will look like. Surely, it will incorporate many Facebook features but I would expect some significant departures from the mold, and not just better privacy settings. Surely, there’s room for improvement upon the Facebook format.

I believe the biggest obstacle to any Facebook competitor is that many Facebook users have invested significant time amassing their group of Facebook friends. Even if an large group decided to defect from Facebook, it’s not easy to export Facebook contacts to Google. It actually requires a Yahoo! account to pull from Facebook and export to CSV file. From there, the CSV file can be imported into Gmail. Instructions can be found here.

I’m hoping Kevin is right. It’s about time someone shakes things up and competes meaningfully with Facebook.

You might also enjoy:

--Google Music to launch this Fall [Rumor] --Skype Killer: Google Voice + Gizmo5 App Soon, Place and Receive VOIP Calls --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet. --Updated: Google Chrome OS to Launch by Next Friday? --Google Teaming up with HTC to compete with Apple Tablet? [RUMOR]

I’ve been blogging less lately. I haven’t lost interest but I have been allocating my time differently. Among other things, I’ve been playing around with KIN 1 and KIN 2 (short review coming soon); I’ve been customizing the heck out of Ubuntu linux to make it look more like this video; I’ve been catching up on Google Reader which has been redlined at 1,000+ articles for weeks; oh, and I’m still playing on Google Buzz.

I wrote on May 17 that Google Buzz deserves a second chance. It looks like I’m in good company; now, some tech heavyweights have written similar posts.

• Yesterday, Robert Scoble wrote “Is it time to reconsider Google Buzz vs Facebook or Twitter?” It’s a great read and he’s an avid Buzzer.
• Pinging off of Scoble’s post yesterday, Matt Cutts wrote a post entitled, “Give Buzz another look.” Matt works for Google so you couldn’t expect dissent but I still think it says something about Buzz that he’s prominently featuring a Buzz endorsement on his personal blog.

If you haven’t been to Buzz lately, check it out. Simply load up Gmail and click Buzz in the left-hand pane. Do some searches for topics that interest you and begin following people. I’ve been fortunate to have grown my followers on my personal account to over 530 and I’m always welcoming new followers (http://www.google.com/profiles/jonathan.mallin). I also have a blog account with another 215 followers (http://www.google.com/profiles/techbottle).

P.S. I shipped my Blackberry Tour off to Australia to reward a loyal RTer for his generous efforts. #payingitforward

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Salomondrin Posts Pics and Video of Blackberry “Stratus” 9100 --Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer. --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz Tips for Newbies

I’ll start with the awesome announcement. The mobile version of Google Buzz now works on virtually all smartphones, including Blackberry, WebOS, Android <2.0, Nokia S60, and Windows Mobile. Previously, only iPhones and Android 2.0+ could access the mobile site. The Blackberry version can even support location based searches by following some simple instructions. The inclusion of Blackberry specifically should help build the Buzz user base because 43% of smartphone users are toting Blackberries, as of Jan. 2010.

The so-so news is that Buzz now has a native rebuzzing feature which is called “reshare.” Some people are wild about this but I’m not. While it’s only been out a few hours, it seems to fragment meaningful discussions into multiple tidbit buzzes. Also, who wants to read the same blog post 30 times in their Buzz stream? Nonetheless, the eagle has landed and rebuzzing is here.

[via Official Gmail Blog]

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --mIQ Backup from Best Buy Mobile for Blackberry and Mobiles --HOW-TO: Send a Google Buzz from your Blackberry --Blackberry and Google Buzz Notifications & Gmail Dupe Emails [Workarounds] --Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer.

• Android 2.2 “FroYo” debuted at Google I/O. Many people have it up and running on rooted Nexus Ones. It supports the creation of mobile hotspots which basically turns a FroYo device into a wireless router.  IntoMobile has been providing good coverage. It recently reported that the “leaked” version is not the final version, according to Googler Romain Guy, but it is apparently very stable.
• Google I/O attendees found HTC Evo 4Gs in their goodie bags, Oprah style. I’ve written about the Evo 4G before (which should have stayed with the codename “Supersonic” but, anyhow…).  What happens when you give an hot Android phone to hundreds of developers? Well, someone figures out how to gain superuser access by rooting the device (video). Robert Scoble started a high traffic Buzz comparing the Evo to the iPhone platform. Many newly minted Android fans weighed in and dueled with Apple fanatics. The iPhone 4G (or HD or whatever they decide to call it) has a fierce competitor comprised of Google and virtually every major device manufacturer.
• Mark Zuckerberg conceded by email (which he agreed to make public): “I know we’ve made a bunch of mistakes….” Captain Obvious? I wonder, however, whether they did as big a land grab as possible with a slight retreat in mind from the onset. Don’t know.  In any event, it remains to be seen what Facebook intends to do about the mistakes. I suggest that they include a lockdown button in the privacy settings which basically toggles off all information sharing except with friends. In my opinion, that would be a step in the right direction for Facebook.
• Gizmodo found or stole another prototype, depending on your perspective. This one appears to be the Motorola Shadow which runs Android. The story goes that a gym employee found one laying around and Gizmodo got ahold of it (follow link for pics). This phone looks great and it’s almost certainly Verizon bound. It could be branded as the “Droid 2.”
• The Google Orkut experiment is still ongoing. A number of Google Buzz users are playing around with Orkut and enjoying it. If you’re at all interested, check out my post about it.
• Finally, this blog has been getting very heavy traffic lately compared to historical numbers. I attribute that primarily to my posts about the HTC Incredible which is still back ordered at Verizon. I’ve loaded up on apps and if you don’t know where to start, check out my AppBrain page. Also, I redid the TechBottle logo in the header of the blog. Do you like it? Be honest. I’m on the fence about it but I’d rather read and write to the blog than tinker with the logo more.

P.S. I have something brewing with a major carrier. Expect good but very honest hands-on cellphone reviews.  It’s also possible I’ll have some leaked info about upcoming phones soon. Stay tuned!

You might also enjoy:

--Mashup of Best Tech Stories of the Past Few Days --Apple’s Lesser News of the Day… VOIP on the iPhone --Bad News for Blackberry [Survey] --If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Finance Updated… Real-Time News Streams

Facebook support waivers and A list bloggers like Mashable speculate about the fate of MySpace, but nobody seems to be reporting on Google Buzz. Sure, it faltered out of the gate with a privacy misstep. To briefly recap: users were set to auto-follow their Gmail contacts and those auto-follows could be seen by other Buzz users. However, this was done inadvertently and the problem was patched faster than a speeding bullet. This issue was addressed quite well at SXSW. Google apologized. (It differs significantly from Facebook intentionally taking what was previously private and unapologetically broadcasting it to the entire 400 million plus Facebook community but that’s another post altogether.) Now, in case you were wondering, Buzz doesn’t have any known privacy bugs. You can buzz publicly or privately. You can show or hide your list of people you follow and people who follow you. Has anyone in the media or blogosphere been reporting on this?

To me, this is what makes Google Buzz appealing and more so than competing social networks:

• Building a Buzz environment to your liking: It is easy to build followers and to reciprocate follows. My Google Buzz followers are largely active Buzz users. I have more Google Buzz followers than Twitter followers and I joined Twitter ages ago. I enjoy both reading and writing on Buzz.
• Twitter falls short: Twitter is often difficult to follow. Conversations, which rarely develop, need to be decrypted because of the 140 character limit and the lack of meaningful organization of Tweets. It doesn’t help matters that many active Twitter users tend to be get-rich-quick schemes and pure follow-back whores.
• Facebook is a different animal: Facebook isn’t really about expanding horizons. Sure, I like keeping in touch with people and Facebook makes that easy. I suggest you ask yourself these questions if you think Facebook is the be-all-end-all of social networks: How many new people have you met on Facebook? How many real conversations have you engaged in on Facebook? What is the signal to noise ratio on Facebook? Are you content with Facebook governance and frequent changes in policy?
• The Buzz platform is well designed. Sharing information from Google Reader, YouTube and by URL has never been easier. We are expecting to see the Buzz API opened up at Google I/O which should benefit the platform and accelerate Buzz growth.
• Community support and mobilization: We’ve taught each other how to use Buzz and some conventions for Buzz use have developed. We’ve mobilized to support Buzz and provided feedback to the Google Buzz Team. The Google Buzz Team has responded with improvements and is currently privately beta testing new features.
• Buzz is a community. I have met new people near and far (very far) and joked, shared opinions and debated. Buzz users have engaged and thoroughly discussed many topics. My posts and ideas have generated more discussion on Google Buzz than any other platform. I’m not alone in this regard; other people report the same. It’s nice to have feedback every once in a while from a diverse group of people.

Buzz is social media at its finest! If you were scared off by the privacy glitch and haven’t experienced Buzz recently, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Give Buzz a second chance.

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet. --Google Buzz: Effects on the Blogosphere and Digital Media --Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer.

These are my impressions: Orkut’s interface blends Facebook and MySpace both circa 2008. Users follow one another (requiring the followee’s consent) and status updates appear in chronological streams. In this regard, it functions pretty much like Facebook and MySpace and differs from Twitter and Buzz. Like MySpace and unlike Facebook, users can customize their experience by selecting themes and completing detailed and risque profile information (turn ons, turn offs, things you can find in your bedroom, etc.). Many of us tame folks just pasted a link to our Google Profiles that we use for Buzz. One feature that caught my eye today is that users leave “tracks” when they view other people’s Orkut pages. Some might find that objectionable but Orkut otherwise provides significant control over your information, moreso than Facebook does.

Where do I think this is heading? Probably nowhere outside of Brazil and India but it is a Facebook alternative that some people might consider. Some of the Orkut plumbing was probably integrated into Google Wave and Google Buzz. Speaking of Buzz, apparently the API is going to be released at Google I/O, per a buzz by Robert Scoble, which could boost activity. In my opinion, Buzz is alive and well despite the hiccups at launch and dearth of media attention since then. Leo Laporte, Louis Gray, Robert Scoble and other tech notables routinely hang out on Buzz. It’s really become an interesting platform because headlines, excerpts and full posts become launchpads for in depth discussions that don’t (couldn’t?) occur on Facebook and Twitter. Also, some users have reported that improvements are being privately beta tested on Buzz, although details are scarce.

If you click over to Buzz, feel free to follow me or if you want to try out Orkut send me a friend request.

You might also enjoy:

--Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer. --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz Tips for Newbies --HOW-TO: Send a Google Buzz from your Blackberry --Google, Buzz could replace Blogs if…

How do I get many followers?

One of the best methods of attracting followers is to begin following people. Many people will follow back. Another good method is to comment on popular buzzes with insightful remarks. Do some Buzz searches for topics that interest you and comment on relevant buzzes.

One way to lose followers is to import tweets from a twitter account. Many Buzz users find tweet importing annoying.

What can I do to spark conversation?

Ask a question. The most popular buzzes, even those from the large blogs, are those that begin with a question. Also, add a picture or link to the buzz. Buzzes with pictures attract attention. Use bold when asking your question. You can do this by putting a * before and after your question.

Have fun with it!

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Chrome Tabs — 10 Tips & Tricks --Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer. --HOW-TO: Send a Google Buzz from your Blackberry --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions

I’m starting a buzz campaign to bring Music Mondays from Twitter to Google Buzz. For those who unfamiliar with Music Mondays, people simply tweet the music they’ve been listening to lately to generate some Twitter activity and to help spread the news about good recording artists.

Music Mondays make more sense on Buzz than Twitter because you can embed YouTube videos directly into a buzz. Simply put “Music Monday” in your buzzes (hashtags on Buzz are for losers) and share your favorites. Maybe include a brief bit about why you like the song or how you discovered it.

My campaign is, admittedly, off to a very warm reception but a slow start because I only have 260 followers on my personal account and 124 on my blog account. Please consider rebuzzing this post with the buzz this link below or just buzz “Music Mondays are now on Google Buzz. Please post a YouTube video like this one…” To embed a YouTube video, just click on the insert link button in your buzz box and paste a YouTube URL into it.

My buzz tomorrow will be a terrific Beck music video with cool robots in it that I discovered on YouTube earlier today. Follow me on Buzz to see and hear it tomorrow. Click here to follow me.

UPDATE: If you want to search buzz for all Music Monday posts with videos, do the following search: “music monday has:videos”

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Buzz: Effects on the Blogosphere and Digital Media --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet.

1. Duplicate emails. Each time I received an email at something@something.com it also ends up in my Gmail inbox. Works great on the computer. However, my consolidated Blackberry Inbox would show two copies of every message except for those sent directly to my Gmail. I considered removing all email addresses from my Blackberry except for the Gmail address but that would prevent me from composing or replying from any address other than Gmail.
2. Buzz notifications. My Blackberry was going berserk every time a new buzz appeared in my stream. I would receive an email with every comment on that buzz. This happens even though I have a filter in Gmail to auto-archive those emails (instructions here). Not only was this annoying but it was also hogging the memory on my Blackberry.

The “workaround” isn’t too elegant but it does work. Install the standalone Gmail app from Google (http://m.google.com/ on the Blackberry browser). Use that to read your Gmail. You’ll probably want to move it to your home screen. Remove your Gmail address on your ‘berry through the Email Settings icon. Now, you will not receive any Buzz notifications on your ‘berry if you have a buzz filter to auto-archive those emails. Your Gmail inbox will receive every message your Gmail on the PC receives. Admittedly, this can be kind of slow because sometimes Gmail waits up to an hour before POPing email from other accounts. However, your normal  consolidated Blackberry Inbox will receive push email from your non-Gmail addresses. And, you can compose and reply from all of your email addresses. Note that your Gmail will not appear in your consolidated Blackberry Inbox.

This is only a partial solution to problem #1 because anything sent to something@something.com will appear in both the Gmail app and the consolidated Blackberry Inbox. Frankly, I tend to ignore my consolidated Blackberry Inbox because I don’t need to respond to my emails immediately. The workaround above  is a complete solution to problem #2. Also, the Gmail App is handy to have for other reasons. For example, you can search your entire email archives for old emails.

I hope that the BIS update RIM is promising solves the duplicate email problem but it is unclear when the BIS update will be released. For the Buzz notifications, I wrote to Google to help make them aware of the problem. If the Buzz notifications are skipping the inbox in Gmail, they shouldn’t push to the Blackberry. The most elegant solution would be to allow users to simply turn off the notifications completely.

You might also enjoy:

--HOW-TO: Send a Google Buzz from your Blackberry --Google to Add Status Update Feature to Gmail [Analysis] --Brief How-To: Google Wave — E-mail Notifications --If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Buzz Expands: Now on all Mobiles and ReBuzzing

What do I mean by “succeed”?  I mean that Google Buzz becomes a useful repository for information sharing that is frequented by many for news, opinions and sometimes everyday chatter.

Google Buzz Differs from Existing Social Networks

If Google Buzz succeeds, then a relentless flow of information will come into Google Buzz making it very sticky. This is very unlike Twitter, which I contend is not a very sticky site at all. Almost all tweets, other than casual banter, have outbound links. This has created a cottage industry in URL shortening. Tweets are essentially headlines that direct people away from Twitter into a different realm, often the blogosphere. While Google Buzz could be used to drive traffic into a different realm, it is much more sticky for a few reasons. First, there’s no character limit on Buzzes. Google Buzz could be a substitute for blogs, particularly simple ones like the Posterous blogs. (This is a topic I mused about before: “Google Buzz could become a Substitute for Blogs if…”). Second, there’s absolutely no start-up cost and it is easy to begin buzzing. You can login and can begin almost immediately. You don’t have to mess with customizing WordPress. Third, unlike Twitter (and Facebook to some extent), Google Buzz has very good support for images and video. Rich content buzzes are quite common. With Twitter, you needed an outbound link to see any rich content at all with the exception of user avatars. Fourth, Google Buzz has a good commenting system (which is likely to be improved) and discussions are easy to follow, unlike Twitter. With Twitter, even if you read a post on a blog and decide to comment, most likely you would do so on the blog and not via Twitter. Google Buzz, on the other hand, is self-contained and comprehensive.

Google Buzz is designed to draw people away from other sites and into Buzz. It’s baked into Gmail which many millions of people use daily. Google’s popular RSS reader also draws people into Google Buzz through prominent links in Reader. Google made apps for phones and cooked in a location sharing sharing feature via Google Maps (a la FourSquare). Picasa is wired into Google Buzz. Every buzz has an email link at the bottom for sharing it. This draws people into Google Buzz, not away from it. In other words, Google Buzz is well integrated with other properties in the Google ecosystem.

If Google Buzz Succeeds and it’s as “Sticky” as I say, then…

First, traffic to blogs will go down as Google Buzz becomes a substitute for blogging. As long as people can locate people with similar interests (and I’m sure there are third party sites mimicking “WeFollow” as I type and Google may roll something out too), affinity groups can stick with Google Buzz. Second, with rebuzzing, sharing via Google Reader and upcoming integration with Google News, sites that simply aggregate news will be irrelevant and unprofitable. Third, if aggregators are “buzzed out,” then what about the fate of publications like Mashable/TechCrunch or old media like the local newspaper? I predict that they will publish more original content  and less “mash-ups” or aggregated content. Further, they will be leery of  publishing their content to Google Buzz. Instead, they will try to stick to the Twitter model and drive people with outbound links to their websites to generate advertising revenue. Already, we’re seeing Mashable which boasts 2.3 million followers post outbound links as opposed to publishing directly into Google Buzz. This model could succeed if the original content is attractive enough to draw people away from Google Buzz to read it and the person chooses the outbound link over Google Reader.

How does Facebook fit into the picture? Surprise: Facebook wants to become what Google Buzz already is.

If Google Buzz does succeed and the blogosphere contracts, particularly the amateur blogosphere, it will do so where Twitter and Facebook have failed. As I already discussed, Twitter’s model was to aggregate headlines but it has not produced a sticky site. Facebook is a very sticky site but not for the same reasons Google Buzz will become a very sticky site.  Facebook is sticky because people want to share their life’s experience with people they know and/or read about friends and family.  Major media outlets and significant blogs have not yet gotten much traction on Facebook. People don’t want to pollute their stream of friends’ news with other content (like the backlash against Zynga’s games publishing into streams). Accordingly, I believe Google Buzz is very unlike Facebook… and in a useful sort of way. While theoretically Google Buzz could be used like Facebook, it is better suited as a sticky news and opinion social network of sorts. This is one of Facebook’s goals but Google actually has a significant head start because of its integration with other Google properties. This runs absolutely counter to what you read elsewhere that Google Buzz is a startup challenging a 400 million strong Facebook. I contend that Google is today buzzing with what Facebook wants to become. (Perhaps I just answered the question of whether Facebook and Google Buzz can coexist. Yes, Facebook for friends and family and Google Buzz for news-worthy content and opinions.)

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Nexus One being reviewed in the blogosphere… --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet. --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions

Some buzzers are reposting news articles and other material that comes to them by RSS via Google Reader.  The integration among many different Google properties is truly amazing. In addition to Google Reader integration, there’s Google Maps for viewing local buzz, Google Profiles for sharing contact information (you can verify email addresses and even your name, similar to what some high profile people did on Twitter) and a reportedly well-designed app for Android.

There’s plenty of support among tech blogs for Google Buzz. Tech Crunch rolled out a “Buzz This” button and Mashable followed soon thereafter. Some blogs posted DIY instructions for Buzz This buttons. Pete Cashmore, CEO of Mashable, has had some significant interactions with readers. Presently, he is soliciting ideas for Mashable articles.

I haven’t seen much in the way of celebrities or news outlets using or promoting Google Buzz. Ashton Kutcher, where are you? Are you going to challenge CNN in this new forum?

If you have ideas for improving Google Buzz, you can submit them here: http://mail.google.com/support/bin/request.py?contact_type=buzz … but let’s hope the Buzz team gets some sleep and enjoys the Olympics like the rest of us.

You might also enjoy:

--Tech News from the Past Week --Timeless: Seiko Re-Releasing Talking Pyramid Clock (in case you missed it in 1984) --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet.

1. Download the free BOLT! Browser (if you don’t have it already)

Instructions here:

http://tbottle.com/tb/2009/12/07/bitstreams-bolt-free-blackberry-browser-upgraded-to-v-1-6/

2. Point BOLT! to:

https://m.google.com/app/buzz?force=1#~buzz:view=me

You may be required to login to Google services before Buzz loads but this works…

Voila!

Incidentally, if you click on the link above from your desktop instead of your Blackberry, you can view Buzz with collapsible comments.

Please follow me on Google Buzz: http://bit.ly/9z4c2M (personal) & http://bit.ly/asucfb (blog)

UPDATE: For a complete rundown of mobile browsers and their compatibility with the Buzz link above, visit WAP Review by Dennis Bournique.

You might also enjoy:

--Blackberry and Google Buzz Notifications & Gmail Dupe Emails [Workarounds] --If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Buzz Expands: Now on all Mobiles and ReBuzzing --Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer. --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions

If you haven’t watched the video, I’ll sum it up. Google’s core strength is the search business. Google wants to be branded indelibly as the map for the internet. (It didn’t pick the Parisian Love Superbowl advertisement by accident.) Up until now, Google crawled the web to map it. The map was periodically (but not continually) updated. Some sites refreshed daily, some hourly and some nearly instantaneously. Now, more and more, consumers are looking for instantaneous news and communication. Google Buzz was created primarily to bring content to Google instead of the present model of crawling the wires to update Google’s map of the web.

The Twitter Argument

If you want breaking news, you can find it on Twitter and find it faster than anywhere else because all major news outlets bring content to Twitter. Twitter is the king of real-time news. Twitter doesn’t crawl for anything. Google got very lucky recently when it inked a non-exclusive deal to index Twitter. (Microsoft did too.) Although little is known about the contract, the rumor is that Twitter received a combined $25 million for the indexing deals (which, in turn, put Twitter in the black for 2009). This is a threat to Google for a variety of reasons. First, the contract may not be renewed or could go exclusively to Microsoft in the future. Also, the entire Twitter company could fall into unfriendly hands. Google does not like relying on any company that may not commit itself to “openness.” Second, Google probably paid more for the Twitter contract than it cost Google to build its own Twitter-like service, Google Buzz. Third, Google Buzz is virtually guaranteed to be more successful than Twitter due to the tie-in with Gmail which has an installed active user-base of approximately 174 million regular users.

Why Facebook Isn’t a Serious Threat Yet

Facebook has yet to challenge Google’s model of mapping the web. While you can do rudimentary web searches through Facebook, nobody does. Facebook is not populated with the same real-time news content as Twitter. This trend is shifting with the growing number of fan pages and professional accounts but up until now Facebook was simply a place to crack a joke to a large crowd, post pictures of kids or invite people to a party.

HOWEVER, Facebook could easily become a serious threat. It is among the most sticky of all websites. It has an installed user-base of over 400 million users. If it made a serious push to have meaningful content come to Facebook (news outlets, blogs, etc.), it could challenge Google’s efforts to be the best map of the internet perpetually.

Predictions

Twitter will get wiped off the map by Google Buzz. It may continue to exist in a MySpace-like state. Some lesser player could buy it or it might have a weak IPO. The real fight will be Google vs. Facebook but that’s on the horizon and will only occur if Facebook makes a meaningful effort to map the web. The scariest scenario for Google would be Microsoft and Facebook uniting forces. Bing plus Facebook could mount a meaningful long-term challenge to Google. Keep in mind that Microsoft already has a small piece of Facebook. So, Google isn’t simply looking for a piece of the social networking business. It is also playing defense to keep its dominance in mapping the world’s information.

You might also enjoy:

--TweetDeck terrific for Facebook, no need to espouse Twitter --If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Buzz: Effects on the Blogosphere and Digital Media --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions

[via YouTube]

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--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google Buzz Tips for Newbies --HOW-TO: Send a Google Buzz from your Blackberry --Google, Buzz could replace Blogs if… --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions

I believe that many present day blogs can be replaced with Buzzes. Because there is no character limit for a Buzz, I could simply Buzz instead of futzing with WordPress (which entails updating plugins, dealing with spammer comments, security issues, backing up and upgrading WordPress from time to time). The biggest obstacles to Buzz replacing the present day blog are:

1. Plain Looking Content — Solution: Gmail Interface. Maybe add an advanced tab to the Buzz input that would allow buzzers (buzzards?) to change text and background colors. Something akin to the Gmail interface would work well.  I envision this being entirely optional.

2. Inability to Monetize a Buzz — Solution: Adsense for Buzz. As I see it, there is no way for someone who writes a buzz to monetize it right now unless you draw users away from the Buzz ecosystem and into a blog or other site. Google should allow buzzers to opt-in for Google Adsense. If someone takes the time to write a thoughtful, lengthy buzz that attracts readers and advertising clicks, share the wealth in the same fashion you share it with bloggers. This would speed the adoption of Buzz by bloggers and make the site more sticky with fewer out-bound links. Accordingly, Adsense for Buzz could improve Google’s bottom line.

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Google, why Buzz? This is probably the answer. --Google Buzz Tips for Newbies --HOW-TO: Send a Google Buzz from your Blackberry --Google Buzz — Complaints and Suggestions

Here I gripe about Google Buzz…

I believe that Google Buzz has a lot of potential and I’m digging it.  However, it has some kinks that need to be worked out:

1. Notifications should skip the Gmail inbox by default. We can see the notifications in the left-hand pane and don’t need to intermingle buzz with email. Filters can be used to route the buzz to archives and skip the inbox (instructions courtesy of LifeHacker at http://goo.gl/3Iyt) but it would make more sense to have a toggle whether the user wants buzz in the inbox.
2. Kudos to Google for making responses to buzzes (which work like comments on a blog) editable. However, it would be really nifty if the buzz responses were (a) nested and (b) could be hidden. Many popular buzzes have so many comments that it’s almost impossible to follow the conversation. The clutter on the page is overwhelming too.
3. The “Mute” button doesn’t work. Be warned: If you mute a buzz you commented on, then new replies will all show up in your new buzz count. Because the mute button doesn’t work, long discussions like the ones Mashable started are to be avoided.
4. The “Mute” button is dangerously close to the “Unfollow” button.
5. Let us harvest our Facebook friends list and add them in buzz. While I appreciate the efforts to avoid mentioning Facebook anywhere and not link to it, the ability to draw in our existing social networks would be helpful. Pulling in Twitter followers simply doesn’t cut it for many of us.

I’m actually kind of digging buzz but the issues I identified above need to be addressed ( at least 1 through 4) or this ship won’t sail.

P.S. Mini-Gripe: Couldn’t Google add some more background/color themes to Gmail? The existing ones get mighty boring.

You might also enjoy:

--If you missed Buzz this week… all the buzz is about… Buzz. --Want Your Google Wave Invitation? More Coming in “Weeks.” Suggestions. --Google Buzz deserves a second chance --Why Google Buzz is targeted at Twitter… not Facebook yet. --Google Buzz: Effects on the Blogosphere and Digital Media