I’ve had Google Wave for a few weeks now. Thanks to invites, the majority of people I contact regularly now have Wave as well.
And, it’s pretty cool without a doubt. There are a lot of good ideas and useful scenarios, bugs aside.
This being said, I can’t help but ask the question: What if someone else invented Google Wave?
I can’t help but think that Google Wave’s reputation as “revolutionary” is largely due to the word Google. Nothing Google Wave does is particularly revolutionary by itself. All of the technologies they have implemented are in wide usage around the Internet. It isn’t an idea that, if put before a group of web developers, they would respond “It can’t be done.” (but, of course, it is worth noting that until this point it hadn’t been done)
I suspect that if another, smaller entity put together a product like this it would not be taken seriously on its own merits. The fact is, if anyone at all has a chance at “reinventing e-mail”, it’s Google. I also suspect that the gradual roll out is in part an effort to drum up excitement that is only possible when there is an air of exclusivity. Where users not only have access, but they are granted the lofty notions of privilege.
The potential effectiveness of Google Wave as a sequel to e-mail are far from being realized at the moment. There are so few ways to interact with wave outside of a browser (if you don’t have an iPhone or Android phone) and while the protocol and API are at least partially available, the time when large providers put their weight behind it is a long way off, if it ever happens.
My intent is not to take away from what Google has accomplished. Certainly these features, in this configuration are novel, but perhaps their true novelty and usefulness are being overstated because we are predisposed to love what Google does?
Anyway, that’s my two cents.
#1 by Mike at October 28th, 2009
I haven’t used google wave yet, but from what I understand I think I agree with you. It seems like there is soo much hype but at the end of the day everyone says “I don’t get it…”
#2 by Nicolas at October 28th, 2009
I’ve been thinking the exact same thing! Mainly because I’m part of a small startup that is attempting to do to forums what Wave is trying to do to email and, well, basically we’re jealous as hell about how easy it is for them to get massive publicity
#3 by Socraton at October 28th, 2009
Yeah, I partially agree with you. I have not tried Google Wave yet, but I see the expectations is high above what the product will deliver. One of the key mistakes Google has made with Wave, is that they market it as something that takes over E-mail. This is, in my opinion, totally wrong. I believe Facebook already did this.
As a big google-fan myself, I think facebook is getting frightening good these days, especially with the new group updates. If they continue to improve and don’t fuck up, I think we can see them taking over for smaller internet communities, that has usually used forums etc. to keep in touch.
For people on facebook, I believe Facebook pretty much took over for emailing between friends. What they haven’t taken over yet, and Google might win, is the business segment, emails with attatchments, and the people that doesn’t use facebook due to lack of popularity in their country, old age etc.
For Wave to succeed, I think they need to be able to take users from facebook soon. If the growth doesn’t stop in Facebook, Google will not be able to catch them.
Good thoughts anyway, it was just my 2 cents too. It would’ve been fun (though less likely) to see a company rise with google wave the same way twitter rose.