Google Wave Makes A Splash

Google created quite a stir in the tech circles with its announcement of the Google Wave this spring.  It really has the potential to change the way we communicate online.

It is a real time communication platform that combines aspects of texting, email, instant messaging, blogging and social networks like Facebook.

Google Wave

All in the same screen, users are able to share messages, documents, videos, and pictures.  Friends can be added to the conversation, and if they arrive late to the thread, the Wave can replay the conversation.

Wave will resemble an email inbox where you can send your messages which are called “Waves”.  You can select who receives your Waves and a thread will be created that anyone can reply to or modify in real time.  You can also add others to the Wave at anytime.

Google Wave will be released as an open source HTML5-based application and a full API will be available for developers who want to try their hands at extending the service.

Ben Parr of Mashable had this to say about Google Wave, “While it looks and feels like email in many ways, its unique hybrid of real-time and message-based communication takes some getting used to.  Using applications in-wave, editing other people’s messages, and integrating robots into your conversations are going to confuse and even scare people.”

If you are chomping at the bit to ride the Google Wave, 100,000 users will have access to a beta version in September to give it a test and to work out any bugs and to give feedback.  You can sign up to be alerted when Google Wave is available.