The buzz on google buzz

[Deleted User]

So wanted to open up a discussion on Google buzz. Still in it's infancy, it looks like there is not a ton of interest from what I see, Facebook, twitter and the like are much more established.

I have facebook but don't use it often, the way facebook has changed it's privacy settings so many times and makes alot of the stuff opt-out has been turning me off to it. Facebook in my opinion has become a monster and all these third-party applications that are really data miners veiled as little cute games and the like seem to allow your information to be easily given out. I think most people either don't realize that, or want to to be bothered with constantly checking their privacy settings, or simply don't care. For me, I'm under the opinion that there isn't some big conspiracy to catalog all that stuff for some evil purpose. At the same time, I think we should be concerned with privacy and not freely just give out that information. Another turnoff of Facebook is all those stupid applications that people use and click on and just clutters things up.

I just want an outlet for family and maybe close friends for something like a small blog. In fact, part of what I want to do is educate family members about online safety and awareness. Also a place to post comments and pics and the like about the family and kids and such. So I've started to take a look at buzz. Now given my feelings toward facebook does it seem a little silly to even consider buzz? Should I just stick to email? Google is a marketing/advertising company at it's core. However I do like their services. To use those services I am giving up some privacy in exchange. One concern is my google account has all my contacts and personal information and with buzz tied to it, does that make it a little too integrated?

Not all of my family have google accounts and it looks like to use buzz they'd need to have one, correct? As much as I like gmail and recommend it to family members who are looking for an email solution, I'm not looking to change what they are using.

So, anyone use buzz? comments on it? thoughts?

 

[lekky]

I use it a lot. Well I say use.. It buzzes all my tweets and blog posts. So technically I use it more than twitter, without actually using it at all. I do know of some people that don't have twitter that follow my buzzes tho.

 

[Deleted User]

So playing around with it a little bit one thing I found is to follow someone you just add them if you know their email address, there is no confirmation from them to allow you to follow. You can however block someone once they start following you. A little backwards I suppose. Would be nice if, like facebook, you could confirm to allow someone (if you so wanted to with an option).

 

[elwray]

I use it a lot. Well I say use.. It buzzes all my tweets and blog posts. So technically I use it more than twitter, without actually using it at all. I do know of some people that don't have twitter that follow my buzzes tho.

Care to elaborate on any nuances in getting Buzz to follow tweets?

I'm trying to get my Foursquare to go into Buzz via Twitter (since 4Square will push to Twitter, but Buzz can't pull 4SQ directly, yet..).

My 4Square posts/"checkins" post to Facebook and Twitter just fine. But Buzz will not pull the Twitter posts in... regardless if they were created by FourSquare, the Twitter app, Peep App....

I know this is possible because a friend of mine is doing exactly this (4SQ to Twitter to Buzz) from his BB....

 

[SoFLO]

I tried out Buzz in the beginning but it's pointless buzzing to myself...I have no friends or family on Buzz. I only use Twitter and Facebook. I do like the Buzz idea, Google's error is not having a dedicated site IMO.

 

[elwray]

I was initially having that problem, but I've since decided that any friends or family that don't use Google/Gmail aren't worth having as friends and family, so I've severed all communications with them until they accept my Gmail invites.