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Google Wave
Google Wave

A new model for communication and collaboration on the web

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Great Potential

  • Oct 14, 2009
  • by
Rating:
+4
A private "preview" was given out earlier this week.

Google has always been on the cutting edge of technology. They've been innovating how the internet works... from Gmail to Google Maps.

But this time, Google has created a whole new beast on its own.

Wave is a communications tool.  It allows multiple users to collaborate on a single "wave"--a topic, item, or whatever--in real time. 

It's a bit hard to grasp at first.. but the best I can describe is this:  Wikipedia + Facebook + Chat + The Internet.

The potential for this kind of product is mind boggling.  Groups can use it to discuss trending topics, while artists and musicians can use it to collaborate on "group think" items.

Just like many "web 2.0" products, Wave isn't about the technology.  It's about the community.  And with a growing number of users, the community is being built from some of Google's hardcore fans and critics.  This will definitely mold Google Wave into the next "wave of the future". 

Another great feature that promises a lot is the extensions.  Currently, there is only a voting and a map extension for Wave.  But as more and more developers get on Wave, the possibilities would be endless.  Remember how Facebook was just a social site, but is now a hub for a million and one apps?  Or remember how the iPod was just for music, but is now a haven for developers?

Google is bringing together two great things:  the social aspect of group think, and the ingenuity of open-source programmers.  These two combined with Google's amazing cloud technology will definitely be something to look out for.

The only reason why I rated this as a +4 and not a +5 is because of the complexity of such an application.  Regular users will have a hard time grasping the concept.  It isn't easy to dive right in and mingle.  If you're a new user, none of your existing contacts will show on your Wave account.  It'll seem as though you've been stranded in an ocean full of tidal waves without a liferaft or paddle.

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November 04, 2009
Wave is certainly exciting. I think we're currently in one of those evolutionary explosions where Web2.0 is concerned. Lots of cool new stuff, and we'll winnow out the things that are actually useful and end up with a manageable amount of stuff -- as happened with search engines. Still room for innovation, though.
 
October 15, 2009
A nice overview and gives good understanding of what Google are doing. Now the question is, where do I get my invite!!!? @corinh
October 15, 2009
As of right now.. it's in a private preview (pre-alpha, pre-beta)... so the only way you can get an invite now is by someone who has access. I've given all of mine out already.. but once devora gets hers.... I'm sure she'll be taking bids :)
 
October 14, 2009
So glad that you reviewed this, Justice!  Wikipedia + Facebook + Chat + The Internet all in one sounds like a bit much to fathom, but it seems like a lot of social media sites having been trying to incorporate several popular aspects of those sites.  I really dig the fact that it's more than just technology and that community has a big part in it. 

I see this having so much staying power and potential because 1) it's Google and everything that they create is amazing and 2) the community will definitely keep people interested if not just for the great and convenient technology.  Will Google Wave be the new social networking site?  Fingers crossed my invite!  Thanks! ;D
October 14, 2009
I'm still a bit overloaded from sooo much information! According to Lifehacker, there are about 100k users right now. But all of them are crazy fanatics!!! I think I'm reading about 20 different "waves" with over 200+ entries. It'd be interesting to see how Google organizes all that data and how they'll make it easier on the normal user to digest.
 
1
More Google Wave reviews
review by . October 21, 2009
Google Wave
In an earlier review of Getting Productive with Google Apps, I wrote about how great working on the cloud can be and how revolutionary the concept of the cloud was for smaller businesses.  Well, time to take your head out of the clouds for a minute and go on a surf on Google's latest, potentially revolutionary project, The Wave.        The Wave is actually just another part of the cloud, but unlike most other cloud computing mediums, it also has a social media aspect …
review by . December 01, 2009
Okay... I'm going against the grain here and stating that I don't get it.  I simply do not get the hype surrounding Google Wave.  After figuring out that you had to have an invite (yeah I got one - thanks B3) and sitting through the most boring, over an hour (you read that right) tutorial, I sat down to give it a go.  It reminds me of an early-day AOL chat room gone bad converged with a modern-day wiki-like communications environment.  Dare I call this Chatiki? …
review by . November 13, 2009
Did not get to use most of its features, just a brief chat with devora , but it is very similar to an old chat program we used to use before the year 2000 called PowWow where you could actually see the words people type as they type them. A little weird but familiar to me at the same time. The wave can also be persistant and other people can read it too, which is interesting, it can also play video inside as well, so its great for sharing links and just BSing with friends.      …
Quick Tip by . June 19, 2010
future of communication and calibration!
review by . March 27, 2010
posted in letstalktech
 Google wave is one of the best e-mail clients because it is not only a e-mail but messenger as well in a way. This changes the way we will talk to each other and will change how we get together simply by using widgets.       Google wave uses widgets/bots to make make stuff easier for all of us, for example if you want to know who will be coming to the to a wedding, you can just add the yes or no gadgets to your wave and people can click yes no or maybe instead of responding …
Quick Tip by . March 12, 2010
Need major work still. but a good idea.
review by . December 02, 2009
Since most people are nerds or wannabe nerds lately (or almost forcibly nerds due to the ever-growing world of technology), I suspect that most of you have heard the term "Google Wave" in the recent months. It started out as a small murmur amongst techies and is gradually becoming more and more talk-worthy. Not everyone cares to understand or use this new process of online communication, but with inundation of social media in today's society, even internet novices are curiously asking …
Quick Tip by . February 28, 2010
For now, it gets a +1. Brilliant app, but learning curve is too high. Once someone else learns how to use it, I can move my rating up.
Quick Tip by . November 15, 2009
Love the concept, but after using it a bit more, it just looks like a big mess. Guess that's what being in beta's for!
Quick Tip by . November 15, 2009
I see the potential for Google Wave to change the way we communicate on the Web, but I've yet to figure out exactly how!
see all Google Wave reviews (14)
About the reviewer
Justice Erolin ()
Ranked #142
Hmm... let's see.    I'm a 20-something living in Los Angeles, CA. I was born and raised here, with the exception of a 3 year stint in the Philippines. This "long" vacation helped … more
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About this topic

Wiki

Google Wave is a product coming soon that helps users communicate and collaborate on the web.

A "wave" is equal parts conversation and document, where users can instantly communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more. The concurrency control technology will let participants reply anywhere in the message, edit the content at the same time and add participants at any point in the process. The program also allows anyone to rewind the wave to see how it has evolved.

Google Wave is also a platform with a rich set of open APIs that allow developers to embed waves in other web services and to build extensions that work inside waves.

Google Wave Overview
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