Following the announcement earlier today of Google Buzz, the extension of Google and Gmail into social networking, Google Maps (for Mobile) 4.0 has been released, advertised with the feature: “Post and view real-time messages & photos at places around the world”.
For Symbian at the present, Buzz is just implemented as another Layer in Google Maps’ existing system, though there will be a compatible web site soon as well. For the Gmail integration to work, you’ll have to click the link on the Google Buzz web site and then hope that your Gmail region has been Buzz-enabled (it’s being rolled out). Otherwise, just use Buzz direct from the new Google Maps, just ‘Add Buzz’, tap the speech bubble and you’re off. Screenshots and more below.
You can get Google Maps 4.0, a 1.6MB download, by going to m.google.com in Web on your Symbian smartphone.
From the official Google blog post on Buzz:
“The new Buzz layer allows you to see buzz near you or anywhere on the map. You can post public buzz directly from the layer, and even attach a photo from your phone. Also, try visiting a mobile Place Page to read recent comments or to post buzz about that place. You can access Place Pages from the web app as well, by tapping on the place name in any location-tagged post.”
A Symbian-optimised mobile Google Buzz web site is ‘coming soon’, apparently (and is available now for iPhone and Android). You can find out more about Google Buzz by going here
Clicking an image below will open up the full sized image
The Google Maps icon
About Google Maps
On symbian phones you have to select Buzz within the layers men
The new Buzz icon on Google Maps. This lets you add a Buzz
Adding your Buzz to the map. Google also suggest any "known" local GPS locations you may be at
You may also add a picture to your Buzz either from file or directly via your phones camera
If a picture is attached to a Buzz a small camera icon is displayed
A text Buzz shows up as a speech bubble on the map
Highlighting someones Buzz shows details of the person, the Buzz itself, the GPS location and when it was made
You can open someones Buzz and add a comment to it. The person then gets an email with the comment posted to them
A back and forth conversation can then take place within the Buzz between people
Another feature lets you open every Buzz that has happened within the map
[...] of screenshots here. Thanks Ade H for the [...]
By: Google buzz on N97 » Nokia Fever on February 10, 2010
at 7:01 pm