TweetDeck releases app for Android OS

TweetDeck released android app, Wednesday, after months of beta testing. The multi-social-media manager is already one of the most popular social media managers on the iPhone and iPad, however, as the Android operating system continues to grow (last August, Google said it activated more than 200,000 Android phones a day) , TweetDeck could see massive download numbers over the next few months.

Users can sync to their Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Buzz accounts, however, Facebook Fan Pages are not included in the app. This is a big problem for Fan Page users like myself who need to update both Twitter and Fan Pages in one click.

Fan Pages aside, the Android app has customizable update notifications that allow users to assign specific vibrations and sounds to specific friends, geodata, and a speed dial feature similar to that of Google Chrome's SpeedDial extension and Google TV's speed dial feature.

I've had a chance to try the app on a first generation Droid and so far the apps seems pretty fast. Unfortunately, on a 3G iPhone, I've noticed lag time which doesn't appear in the official Twitter app, nor the HootSuite app.

Google Buzz: Twitter-Killer or another Google flop?

When rumors hit the Twitterverse that Google had created a social network of it own, bloggers were quick to dub the network a "Twitter-Killer." Twitter was shaking in its nest....false!

What Google would later call Google Buzz is now no Twitter killer. In fact, most users would agree that without the ability to sync their accounts directly to Twitter (and Facebook) Google Buzz would be little more than an expanded version of Gchat.

But the real question is, would Google Buzz even have any real value if not for Twitter? My response, barely. Without Twitter and Facebook, there is really no need to use Google Buzz because, at least in my case, Buzz is only a means of organizing a Twitter into a more personalized feed.

What do I mean by this? Twitter users often need to follow over 500 people to get a following of over 800. In trying to build a following, most users have to give up a quality group of users to follow. However, with Google Buzz, users can revert back to that smaller group of friends to follow. This is where Buzz can excel.

In other business, Buzz is a middle ground between Twitter's restricted 140 characters and Facebooks unfiltered clutter. It is a place for Google account users to post all forms of media including photos, videos and text content (like Twitter) without archiving the content in a personal profile (Facebook archives wall photo and video content).

But if there wasn't the added conversational content taken from the two other network giants, users may have eventually seen Buzz as another network that couldn't "catch-on" and the "twitter-killer" would get rolled up and thrown in the waste basket beside it's compadres Google Wave and Orkut.

The Birds and the Bees make the perfect team:

In my opinion, Buzz is actually one of Google best tries at creating a social network thus far. The fact is that Buzz, being that users can access it direct from their Gmail accounts, has accomplished what Twitter, so far, has not. Google has created a network as accessible (and visible) throughout the day as email.

So don't expect to see Buzz pushing up daisies anytime soon. My guess is that eventually it may find a way to surpass Twitter in accessibility and usage. That will take a long time but if anyone could do it, it would be Google.

What is the One Forty Blog about?

Welcome to the 140Characters blog. Being that this is my first post I would like to provide readers with a few ideas of what one can expect to find here.

1. This blog revolves around Social Networks-

I've never claimed to be a social networking specialist. In fact, I may be just like you. I'm a heavy user of social networks like Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and Buzz. But we should keep in mind that blogs, YouTube and even Google Wave are also forms of social networks and those will be covered here too. This blog will ultimately revolve around Social Networks.

2. This is a place to learn about Social Networks and how they can be used-

Any business, organization or individual that has yet to grasp the power of social networking is far behind today's standards of technology, marketing and promotion. However, if you are a reader who doesn't necessarily understand social networks both new and old, hang in there. This is the place to learn about them!

3. I have no life...outside of Tweet Deck...

It's true and it may be true for many of us. Talking about your social life in 2010 is far different than what one would call a social life in 2000. While this blog will also be a place to read up on my (physical) social ventures, and how they lead back to social networks, expect a few posts on what Foursquare badge I've just won and who has retweeted me.

Just to kick things off, I've posted a few items from my previous blog "Renewing the Voice" which runs out of MontgomeryNews.com. So adjust your lumbar support, stay a while...and welcome to the One-Forty Characters Blog.