Google has developed it’s own version of Twitter, but will it take off?
What is Buzz?
Buzz lets you share updates, photos, links, and pretty much anything else you’d like with your Gmail contacts; it’s an easy way to follow your friends, too. When you click Buzz in your Gmail account, you’ll see the stream of posts from people you’re following, and a box for you to post your updates.
Here’s a run-down of the basic functions:
- Post some buzz: Click in the text box next to your name, and share what’s on your mind.
- Comment: if you see something in your stream you’d like to comment on, just click the Comment link under that post. Your comment will appear alongside it, and the author of the post will be notified.
- Like/unlike: If you don’t have something in particular you want to say, but you just happen to like someone’s post, you can click Like. It will show up on that post that you liked it; if you have a change of heart about something you’ve liked, you’ll see an Unlike link; just click it to remove your name.
- Reply by chat: Click this link if you’d like to send a Chat message to the author of an update
- Delete comments: You can delete comments people have posted to your buzz, or comments you’ve posted.
- @replies: Write @ in front of someone’s username as a way of directing your buzz at that person (it will automatically go to their inbox). You can only use @replies with people who are in your contacts, and other followers won’t be able to see the Gmail username.
- Mute: You can mute buzz that appears in your inbox by enabling keyboard shortcuts and pressing the ‘m’ key while you’re reading it. Muting keeps the update from continuing to appear in your inbox as people reply to it.
- Link to: Click the down-arrow to the right of a post, and select Link to this buzz. This allows you to send a link to this content
- Email: Click the down-arrow to the right of a post, and select Email; a new Gmail message will open with the buzz content in the subject and message body.
Watch the Google introductory video to find out more Google on Google Buzz
Our Guest contributor Natalie Khoo, is a Freelance Writer and Editor based in Melbourne. Starting her professional career in London at Cosmopolitan Magazine, Natalie has since returned to Australia where she has played the role of editor and contributor to a number of magazines and websites. Natalie also has extensive marketing and advertising skills from being appointed Advertising Manager of Pepper Publishing, which she has combined with her writing skills to become the accomplished business copywriter she is today.