Overloading GMail

Although adding context to GMail is cool and helpful, I prefer to keep it minimal.


Google Buzz screenshots Let’s compare the Google Buzz ecosystem to Twitter (I’ve wanted to do this for a while). The upper-left screenshot is from my Google Profile. I can only see my updates. This is like twitter.com/tehdik. The middle screenshot is from GMail (an account I consider dead - Google STILL doesn’t support Google Apps accounts). This is like twitter.com and, in my opinion, Buzz’s biggest problem. It doesn’t feel right as its own section inside GMail. That really should have been a 2.0 feature. Version 1.0 should have just been a new part of my Google Profile where I could see my own activity and that of my friends. GMail shouldn’t be touched until all the UI and UX issues are worked out (which they clearly weren’t on day 1).  The lower-right screenshot is from Google Mobile. I can see both my activity and that of my friends (default). This is where Google really nailed it. The UI is clean and simple. However, I really don’t care about nearby activity. Stranger Bob and Stranger Mary are a totally different demographic/ethnicity/nationality/generation and, therefore, have different tastes and opinions. I care more about my friends who are twenty miles away than strangers who are twenty meters away. Also, I have yet to see the actual restaurant/coffee shop I’m in when I try to “check in” via Google Buzz. Even major establishments like Starbucks don’t appear. Very strange. As of right now my Buzz looks like Friendfeed did in the early days (no one’s there!). We’ll see how Google Buzz changes in the future. I’ll continue with my Postling/Tumblr/Twitter practice for now.

Google Buzz screenshots

Let’s compare the Google Buzz ecosystem to Twitter (I’ve wanted to do this for a while).

The upper-left screenshot is from my Google Profile. I can only see my updates. This is like twitter.com/tehdik.

The middle screenshot is from GMail (an account I consider dead - Google STILL doesn’t support Google Apps accounts). This is like twitter.com and, in my opinion, Buzz’s biggest problem. It doesn’t feel right as its own section inside GMail. That really should have been a 2.0 feature. Version 1.0 should have just been a new part of my Google Profile where I could see my own activity and that of my friends. GMail shouldn’t be touched until all the UI and UX issues are worked out (which they clearly weren’t on day 1). 

The lower-right screenshot is from Google Mobile. I can see both my activity and that of my friends (default). This is where Google really nailed it. The UI is clean and simple. However, I really don’t care about nearby activity. Stranger Bob and Stranger Mary are a totally different demographic/ethnicity/nationality/generation and, therefore, have different tastes and opinions. I care more about my friends who are twenty miles away than strangers who are twenty meters away. Also, I have yet to see the actual restaurant/coffee shop I’m in when I try to “check in” via Google Buzz. Even major establishments like Starbucks don’t appear. Very strange.

As of right now my Buzz looks like Friendfeed did in the early days (no one’s there!). We’ll see how Google Buzz changes in the future. I’ll continue with my Postling/Tumblr/Twitter practice for now.


GMail holiday card: Here’s the back. I couldn’t think of anything to say to myself, so I went with the Erazti attitude of “you’re awesome.” Get yours here:mail.google.com/mail/help/holidaycard/out.html Note: They ran out. Note 2: I covered part of my address with a black rectangle using Flickr’s built-in Picnik editing tool.

GMail holiday card:

Here’s the back. I couldn’t think of anything to say to myself, so I went with the Erazti attitude of “you’re awesome.”

Get yours here:
mail.google.com/mail/help/holidaycard/out.html

Note: They ran out.

Note 2: I covered part of my address with a black rectangle using Flickr’s built-in Picnik editing tool.


GMail holiday card: I can’t believe it actually arrived in the mail. Get yours here:mail.google.com/mail/help/holidaycard/out.html Note: They ran out.

GMail holiday card:

I can’t believe it actually arrived in the mail.

Get yours here:
mail.google.com/mail/help/holidaycard/out.html

Note: They ran out.