Not buzzed about Buzz

Last week, Google added a new social networking aspect to their Gmail client. The idea seems to be that you would sign up to follow friends of yours and get updates from their linked YouTube, Twitter, and blog accounts.

However, over the weekend I saw this post on the Cnet blog and I agree with it. I don't think Google's Buzz is suddenly going to explode and take over Facebook.

As a Facebook user, I am not terribly impressed with Buzz. What I like about Facebook is that I can speak with friends with Facebook's built in instant messenger that I otherwise would not be able to contact. Friends who either do not have other IM accounts, or who never told me their e-mails.

I also enjoy playing some of the games that are available on Facebook to help me relax during the day. Google has yet to come out with a Games site (that I know of) where I can just take a few minutes and play a quick game.

On the other hand, my experience with Buzz is that it mostly meaningless Twitter posts that come through, on a regular basis. There is a reason I never signed up for Twitter before, because, as much as I like my friends, I don't need updates on what they're doing twenty times a day. I would rather sit down on AIM and just talk to them once, for a longer period of time. Therefore Buzz has only annoyed me thus far and unless it changes drastically, I don't see it becoming any less annoying a time goes on.

iPad the Future, but not Today

After all the hype and news stories about Apple's new iPad, I finally got some time to sit down and watch the keynote video.

Once I got past the marketing speeches in the beginning, I found the concept interesting. I think that computers will all eventually head in the direction the iPad has gone first. But I don't think the technology will come into it's own for a few years.

In the keynote speech, Steve Jobs mentioned that apple invented the first practial laptop computer, but laptops now have gone far beyond the Powerbook he showed in the screen and laptops did not become common until just a few years ago. I think that the idea of a portable touch-screen computer is a good idea and I think it will eventually become more widely popular, but it's still an infant technology for now.

I have high hopes for miniature touch screen computers, as a Star Trek fan, but I think I'll wait until they have larger hard drives and more program compatibility before I seriously consider a handheld touch-screen computer.