How to track people's location check-ins at Google I/O

Who is checking in to Google I/O and what are they using to do it?

Buzzzy, the search engine that started out as a Google Buzz interface, is busily adding features and the latest is location. This maps a person’s geo-location data to events or locations.

So it can look at where and when someone uses a location enabled device to tag them and provide context. The obvious choice today is anyone at the Moscone West center in SF during the Google I/O event. Anyone there will get tagged as an I/O attendee and then tracked. Check it out here.

The product aggregates data from the major location services including Twitter, Foursquare, Gowalla, and Google Buzz. It’s a little like a wildlife program but for geeks, says founder William Fischer.

Instead of relying upon explicit “Check-Ins,” Buzzy+Location looks at where an individual is when they publish to the web not necessarily where they say they are.

That means Check-In and Hashtag spam can be reduced and the event spammers shut out. That also means that you can see where attendees are when not at the event. Like where they are in town having drinks, for instance. Pretty useful when you want to talk to sponsors like restaurants and bars.

Buzzy was one of the 11 Google API launch partners yesterday.

And who’s winning in the Check-in battle? So far it’s Foursquare on 1105 check-ins, versus 739 on Twitter, 197 on Gowalla and only 30 on Buzz.