Google launches Buzz social networking site for iPhone and Android

Google launched its latest social networking land-grab late yesterday, called Buzz ( no relation).

Although built into the Gmail web app, Buzz combines the same social networking features found in Google’s RSS Reader application with a few of the conversation and content-sharing ideas from Google Wave. Buzz isn’t a separate application, however, but an additional in box within Gmail and it’s rolling out to all accounts now — try logging out and back into your account if you don’t yet see it.

Of particular interest to smartphone users, however, is Buzz for Mobile. This offers a suitably redesigned version of the desktop browser app, but also exploits the location-awareness features found in many devices. The idea is that if you want to use Buzz for a status update (much like Twitter), you can tag the information with your location to add some meaningful context — like Buzzing (that’ll be the verbification, trust us) “Ouch!” from the dentist.

The clever bit is that rather than simply mark your location as co-ordinates on a map, Buzz tries to identify likely nearby locations (businesses, parks, railway stations and so on) and displays a list to choose from. Your Buzz followers can then see where you are (and vice versa) without the need for an explicit mention, although there’s no character limit for Buzz posts.

The idea is that you can use Buzz for Mobile as a way to keep in touch with friends and find out about what’s happening locally — a ‘Nearby’ option shows public Buzzes from other users in your vicinity, even if you don’t follow them.

This local aspect has obvious implications for mobile social networking services like FourSquare and Yelp, and we can’t see many people clinging onto the ever-dwindling FriendFeed if Buzz gains critical mass. Buzz also provides a more readily accessible take on many of the features found in Google Wave, so it will be interesting to see if these two products stay separate over the coming months.

Buzz for Mobile is available now on the iPhone and Android 2.0+ smartphones only, via www.google.com/mobile/buzz. Android 1.6+ users can also download the Maps 4.0 app from the Android Market, which has Buzz functionality built-in. There’s no news on a version of the Buzz for Mobile site for Palm webOS, Windows Mobile or Symbian yet, but the latter two operating systems can make use of the Buzz features found in the new Google Maps for Mobile app.

[ Google Buzz | Buzz for Mobile]