Google Wave
I got myself an invite. And I guess I should share my feelings about it.
I wont include a lot of screenshots… because they’re everywhere. It’s the same basic thing, but with different content. So I’ll try to focus on how this can be useful.
For me, it’s incredibly useful – although slightly unstable at this point. Think of it as an instant messageboard with the focus being on content and more collaborative features.
What’s strange that stands out right away. Is if someone sends me a message, I can edit it. I can erase words and add new ones. It’s strange to have such a feature, but it make so much sense. I mean I’ve used it most recently with finalizing interview questions. Instead of copying and pasting, editing and then resending… like you’d have to do with emails, IM, message boards, or whatever you just edit them. Makes so much sense. It’ll let you know who’s edited what, too… if you want to know. It works well.
What makes this so much of an awesome tool, is that it really is useful. Small businesses will gain so much from this, in my opinion anyways. It has the speed of IM, but with the functionality of email. You really can do a lot, not necessarily in it, but through it. Attaching files, images, whatever. It’s got it all.
My "wave(?)" being updated in real time by a collaborator
I also rarely consider it a webpage, although… that is what it is. It’s really a very powerful application, it just happens to be viewed through a web browser. The only way you’ll ever know you’re in a browser is if you try and select some things and also happen to select part of the user interface… something that never happens in “real” applications.
It’s a game changer, but it’s definitely not finished. What’s missing, and really needed, is the ability to create tables. Which is strange because it’s such a basic feature. Also there are parts of the day where some things just don’t work as they should. But that’s to be expected in a preview.
It wont replace email. Email has this way of being able to transform itself as needed. I can send a very informal email and then send a very formal email. The way I’ve been using wave, it is very very informal. Think email but almost with an IM style. You can start answering questions before they’re finished being typed. It saves time, but kills formality. Which is great for getting things done. But I wouldn’t use it for any sort of professional comunication… especially with that edit feature.
