Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level

Google just announced that it's bringing some serious location-based integration to its services, all centered around the new Buzz social networking tool built into Gmail. Google's going to do location better than the usual latitude / longitude coordinates -- it's able to snap those to actual place names and then take context-aware actions depending on where you are. The new location services is integrated into the main mobile Google.com search page and the new buzz.google.com page for the iPhone and Android, and into maps for Android, S60, and Windows Mobile. Buzz is rolling out starting today, and it should hit everyone within "the next few days."

[mrqs Posted Feb 10th 2010 3:30AM]

@seryozha i don't see it, there's just some "spartan coders" crap
is it only for donut+ (running cupcake here) ?

[SC40095 Posted Feb 9th 2010 4:19PM]

You can do following like Twitter. Update your useless status like Facebook all while telling people where you are like Latitude. Sound about as fun getting my wisdom teeth pulled.

[nickux Posted Feb 9th 2010 4:35PM]

Grammar Nazi Alert: Things don't "center around" something. They center on them or circle around.

[philipstinger Posted Feb 9th 2010 4:35PM]

I'm a big fan of the Google ecosystem and I like the way they handle a lot of things, but I keep getting hung up on the fact that, typically, the people you want to interact with have to have Google accounts for whatever services in question. Out of all my friends, only two use Google for anything, so I'm stuck with all these great products and services from Google and it's like I'm in a great big cave talking to my own echo...

I'm not sure there's any solution to that other than getting people into the Google system... just wanted to comment on that. Am I alone in my non-Google friends situation?

[PerryAJ Posted Feb 9th 2010 4:55PM]

@philipstinger well, I certainly don't share that problem. Most of my friends use Google. Even my University uses google for our mail services, so all students and faculty have google accounts (though some departments manage their own servers in addition to the general .edu address).

[Gigaflop Posted Feb 9th 2010 5:31PM]

@PerryAJ I used to be in your situation. This year however I have managed to convert about 8 of my friends to Android via the Droid or the Nexus One.

Things are starting to seriously turn around for me and get a lot better.

[theprophet84 Posted Feb 9th 2010 4:35PM]

I just visited buzz.google.com and you have to be android 2.0+. 90% of the android phones on the market are 1.5 and 1.6. This is b/s to exclude android users but include iphone and blackberry users.

[drumdbeat Posted Feb 9th 2010 4:44PM]

Android 2.0 compatibility.... What about me and my G1?

[ChazClout Posted Feb 9th 2010 5:15PM]

I love it! The Buzz layer on Google Maps is great.

[imwithcoco Posted Feb 9th 2010 5:16PM]

I can't wait until its live on my account so I can start using it!

[chosenone1 Posted Feb 9th 2010 5:20PM]

Google Buzz aka Googlebook (facebook)

notice how i compared them both

[TheHypnotist Posted Feb 9th 2010 5:34PM]

I don't get why if I ask a serious question, people respond with terrible jokes that don't answer the question. You guys are obviously just looking for positive feedback and highly ranked comments, but it won't happen, because your jokes aren't funny. To all the people that seriously answered my question, thank you.

[MichaelPB Posted Feb 9th 2010 6:02PM]

It's all about advertising. Idiocracy in full effect.

[dcoaster Posted Feb 9th 2010 6:05PM]

Where's webOS?

[jschaeff Posted Feb 9th 2010 6:16PM]

Didn't Nokia just do this last month except with Facebook integration?

[Robinator Posted Feb 9th 2010 6:29PM]

Great for Stalkers!

Oh . . and it will help burglars pick a great time to drop by your house . . . . .

[dachiefmizzy Posted Feb 9th 2010 6:30PM]

I'm with dcoaster, where the heck is webOS?
o well maybe in a few days....

[psyopper Posted Feb 9th 2010 6:33PM]

@krunal126 ...

Century Theaters
1500 North Shoreline Boulevard
Mountain View, CA 94043-1314
[phone]

[dalsassy Posted Feb 9th 2010 8:37PM]

Has anyone seen this? www.theroomstuff.com

[derekdevine Posted Feb 9th 2010 11:28PM]

Google trying to take over Facebook too?

[Wesscoast Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:56AM]

@derekdevine

*cough Twitter *cough

[FiB3R Posted Feb 9th 2010 11:39PM]

no maemo love :(

[Bobbo Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:17AM]

I just would like to have an Engadget app for Android already. Come on Engadget...lets get to it.

[Wesscoast Posted Feb 10th 2010 12:56AM]

Wow. Get a load of that retro Projector....

Is this the future, or... am I having flashbacks of 3rd grade?

[Jeffrey Fourmile Posted Feb 10th 2010 4:09AM]

Am I missing something. Give it a few days and when you turn on the Buzz layer, won't the map itself be obliterated from view by millions of speech bubbles?

[machwh Posted Feb 10th 2010 6:39AM]

@Jeffrey Fourmile Yes, I wonder about that as well -- it'll only really make sense when you're zoomed right in looking at people within spitting distance.

Mark

[d1mitrov Posted Feb 11th 2010 1:37AM]

ok soo can some1 summarize the purpose of this. is it kinda like twitter....you just post stuff but you can now show your location with your post? any actual functionality? i use google latitude with my friends but i kinda dont see the point of buzz....

[Real NY Deal Posted Feb 12th 2010 10:55AM]

Google Buzz is very exciting. The mobile app is killer on the iphone. We are Real NY Deal look forward to having another avenue to broadcast our content. Let the consumer/reader decide how they want to consume content on line. We embrace it and have added the Google Buzz link on our site www.realNYdeal.com

[basbisseling Posted Feb 12th 2010 8:24PM]

Check out the Amsterdam Buzz adoption: http://is.gd/8gQ3l