14 DAY TRIAL // Google has recently announced that Google Buzz has become available for the desktop version of Google Maps, after having received numerous user requests. This service was initially launched for mobile devices only, allowing people to add notes to a certain location displayed on Google Maps, with the sole purpose to provide useful information, tips and advice to all those interested in the same place.
Due to its great success, more and more desktop users also wanted to enjoy the advantages of this service, and their dream has finally become true. In other words, everyone will have the possibility to use their computers for reading whatever notes people have added about all sorts of places, ranging from latest news to friendly restaurant suggestions from specific areas.
Rather than being restricted to providing brief and elliptic data about places, you can also post pictures that might interest other users (the way a park looks in the spring or a glimpse of a theater, for example) or ask questions about cities you are not familiar with (for instance, you could get details about parking rules or local celebrations by simply posting an inquiry). Furthermore, when uploading all this information to Google Buzz, you will also be sharing your location, so others will be able to easily identify your recommendations and avoid or search for your suggested areas.
The entry from the Google Blog offers some details about the way desktop users will be able to enjoy the newly added Google Maps layer: “To view the Google Buzz layer from your computer, go to Google Maps in your web browser and select Buzz from the More... menu in the top right corner of the map. Find an interesting area like your neighborhood and select any available icon to see what’s going on there. In the post’s window, click on the name to see the author’s public profile, the timestamp to comment on the post, or the place to see it in Maps.” Another great thing about Google Buzz layer is that it is already available for maps.google.com in all currently supported languages.
However, unlike the mobile one, the desktop layer is view-only, and the sole way that data can be inserted is to access the web app (buzz.google.com) on any phone, Google Maps for mobile or the Android widget.