Are you a Buzz user? Still? Were you?

In October 2011 it was announced that Google Buzz was shutting down. The DAY has come – On or after July 17th, 2013, Google will take the last step in the shutdown.

It is said a copy of your Buzz posts would be saved to your Google Drive, its service for storing files online.

The Process:

Google will store two (2) types of files to your Google Drive, and the newly-created files would not count against your storage limits.

1. The first type of file will be private, only accessible to you, containing a snapshot of the Google Buzz public and private posts you authored.
2. The second type of file will contain a copy of only your Google Buzz public posts. It will be viewable by anyone with the link, and may appear in search results and on your Google Profile (if you’ve linked to your Buzz posts).
3. Note, any existing links to your Google Buzz content will redirect users to this file.
4. Any comments you made on other users’ posts will only be saved to those users’ files and not to yours.

My Drive:

Google claims ‘My Drive’ is the home for all your files. With Google Drive for your PC, you can sync files from your computer to ‘My Drive’. [Google Drive lets you access your stuff on every computer and mobile device.]

A Caution:

If you have commented on another author’s private post, that person could choose to make that post and the comments therein public. To avoid that eventuality, delete all your Buzz content now.

If you’re on Buzz, why don’t you view the posts you wrote there. You may delete your posts or comments if you do not want any of them to be saved to Google Drive files.

Delete Google Buzz Account:

Deleting your Google Buzz Account will delete all Buzz posts that you have made and disconnect any Buzz connected sites. This will not (not) affect your Google Account or your Google Profile.

What’s Buzz?

Announced on February 9, 2010, Buzz was created by Google to compete with social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter. Google Buzz was available to Gmail accounts in the following weeks. A mobile version of the site optimized for Android phones and Apple’s iPhone was also launched subsequently. However, it could not bridge the gap between work and leisure.

Food For Thought:

Great people or organisations aspire to do great things and build great products that really change people’s lives [ Click Here to read ‘Most trusted brands in Indian homes ], products they use two or three times a day.

To succeed one needs focus and thought – thought about what one works on and, just as important, what one doesn’t work on. “It’s why we decided to shut down some products, and turn others into features of existing products,” says Bradley Horowitz, Vice President, Product, @ Google+.

Earlier, Alan Eustace, Senior Vice President at the company, so rightly said: “Technology improves, people’s needs change, some bets pay off and others don’t.”

Ultimately, as and when such things happen, a user like you and me get improved products and features that make lives simpler. These transitions are welcome.