With social networking’s increased popularity, Google has put its hands into the mix with Buzz. Google Buzz was designed to take on social-media giants Facebook and Twitter, but with their established foothold in the social market one has to wonder if it is too late for Buzz. Many consumers and prominent businesses have already established a presence on these two platforms, so the question becomes whether or not they will take the time to get acquainted with Google’s latest social product.

Google Buzz will be launched on two fronts: Gmail Blog and Google Mobile Blog. For those who have Gmail accounts, no initial setup is required, allowing users to automatically follow the people they e-mail and chat with. Google Buzz also has many user-friendly features, including controlling who sees updates and displaying updates from sites like Twitter.

Some of the greatest benefits of Google Buzz are experienced on the mobile front. Buzz offers more location-based information in an iPhone- or Android-based browser, and offers a “Buzz layer” for updates and posts on Google Maps. But Buzz, like all social networks, does have its downfalls. Inbox clutter is the main concern, as users will receive e-mails to their accounts whenever others they follow reply to their updates. Google Buzz will also recommend updates or posts to users from people who aren’t already being  followed. Despite the many benefits and even pitfalls of Google Buzz, only time will tell which platforms will prevail in social media supremacy.