Gmail and Google's Buzz

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Google just introduced Buzz, its newest development in the world of social media. Last year, I registered for a Google account and signed up for a Gmail email account. I never realized that having a Google account would include so many fabulous features! For instance, connected to my Gmail account is my Google calendar, Google Documents, Reader, and more. Gmail even allows me to send from my other email addresses, notice in the screen shot that I am sending the email from my debbie@minutesmatter.com address. I also installed WiseStamp, which is an add-on in Firefox that allows me to add a personalized signature stamp and include all my social media icons. Google Docs includes online documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can even upload an Excel spreadsheet or a PDF document. We are still exploring the endless possibilities that these online tools can provide for our company. Currently, my design firm is using an online spreadsheet to enter data for a large design project. Because one of our designers is not always in the office, we realized that it would be beneficial if she could do research from her computer and still have access to current data regarding the project. When files and documents are online, you can access them from any computer. Of course, I installed the Gmail App on my iPhone so that I can access the information from my phone as well. We can also designate specific folders that we would like to share with clients. I will be sharing a lot more information regarding sharing documents online in the upcoming months. Look for my posts about the benefits of Working in the Clouds or Cloud Computing.

But now, let's get back to Buzz. Buzz operates similarly to Facebook and Twitter. The best part is that it's embedded right into Gmail; you don't have to launch another application. Imagine how easy it would be to click on Buzz to post an idea or ask a question, while you're reading email. Buzz was launched last week and the response has been tremendous.

If you already have a Gmail account you're ready to start Buzzing.