Google Wave is "a personal communication and collaboration tool" - a web-based service and communications protocol designed to merge e-mail, instant messaging, wiki, and social networking.I got my Google Wave account yesterday (09/30/2009) - it looks like another Knol (a Google Wikipedia clone that few people use) - very much beta - it could be more useful after they activate more features.
If you have a Google Wave account and you send an invitation, they cannot be used immediately - it takes time for the other account to be "activated." Google Wave invites are only nominations and don't necessarily mean you'll be let in immediately http://bit.ly/7IN40
I would set my Google Wave expectations low if I were you - this is probably the best way to be pleasantly surprised when you get your account.
Image source: Wikipedia, Google.
Related:
Google Wave's Best Use Cases. Lifehacker.
How to Manage a Group Project in Google Wave. Lifehacker.
Updated: 11/18/2009
Google did announce that this release is more of a late-alpha/early-beta version of the finished project, and current users are likely to find it very buggy. Google should probably go down the Apple marketing route and just come out with a polished, finished product. Hype generates interest, but it also generates let-downs.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the grounded heads-up, though.
Re: "Google should probably go down the Apple marketing route and just come out with a polished, finished product"
ReplyDeleteBeta version is OK but this prototype is not very usable - it creates new problems rather than new solutions... :)
Please invite me. I'm an Iranain physician and one of your blog readers from 4 years ago. Thanks. my email: alirezamajidi at gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI don't think the invites work as of yet. System functionality is limited anyway.
ReplyDeleteEveryone I have nominated as since received their invites. The new users (to my knowledge) have not been given invites to offer, as of yet, but I'm sure they will.
ReplyDeleteAnd if you get creative, there are some useful things in Google Wave, now that all of the "How-To's" and "Abouts" have been created. I like to fly, and I have found a few aviation Waves. If you like football or baseball, there are plenty of waves for the MLB Playoffs, College games, and the NFL. In fact, I am working on a series of waves which (eventually) will include a seperate wave for every game in the 2009 season for the NFL. Do a search for "NFL 2009 Season Schedule". A few of us came up with a creative way to build this, by using linked waves.
So if the users are creative enough, Wave can be useful.Is it on the breaking edge in medical news and collaboration...ehhh...not quite. BUt the more people start experimenting and building waves, the more people with continue using it and add more meaningful content.