X

Google's latest Android widget has people Buzzing

Google Buzz gives users the ability to tag their Buzz with the location from the spot in which it was posted.

Scott Webster
Scott Webster has spent the better part of his adult life playing with cell phones and gadgets. When not looking for the latest Android news and rumors, he relaxes with his wife and son. Scott also is the senior editor for AndroidGuys. E-mail Scott.
Scott Webster
2 min read

In an effort to make it easier for you to share your thoughts, pictures, and general experiences, Google released an official widget application for Google Buzz last week.

The application gives users the capability to geotag their Buzz location information. For example: You just enjoyed a fantastic dinner and the dessert just arrived. Now you can snap a photo of the cheesecake and let your friends and followers know where they need to go if they want to try it for themselves. Using the built-in GPS feature found in Android phones, Google recognizes most establishments and adds the names for you.

As Buzz continues to grow, users are finding many ways to take advantage of the service. You can check your Google Maps before leaving the house to see if anyone has Buzzed about traffic or accidents. If you have the latest release of Google Maps for Android (4.1), you can add a layer to your app and see all Buzzes from your handset.

One feature that I have found very handy is the capability to decide who gets to see my Buzz without jumping through hoops every time. Like the Web-based version of Buzz, users can opt to broadcast a message to the public or give specific readers access. For anyone worried about leaving a trail of information breadcrumbs out in the open, the choice to share with a select group of followers comes as a breath of fresh air.

To get the Google Buzz widget, you must have an Android handset running version 1.6 or later. of the operating system While that leaves a handful of devices of the table, I suspect most Android owners will be able to take advantage of Google's latest offering at some point in the second quarter.