Google Wave Is Not Ready for Prime Time

This application from Google combines elements of e-mail, chat, Wiki documents, blogs and photo-sharing sites to create a form of Internet communication called a "hosted conversation," or a "wave." Google hopes this is the 'wave' of the future and will somehow replace email. Replacing email is a stretch, but many of the features will likely streamline how user communicate with people they frequently are in contact with.

There have been far too many glitches reported for this application to go mainstream any time soon. Google Wave has slowly been tested over the past few months and has had positive reviews from extremely tech-oriented people every day web users may find it overwhelming.

Google is aking “early users” to nominate people they know to also send them an invitation. The best way to test this product is with people that you frequently communicate with, so this is a smart move on Google's part. The problem is, lots of people want to try it but it's going to take some time before they can. Smart move on Google's part not to roll it out in full full of bugs.

In Wave,communication in an e-mail like manner can be edited by several users simultaneously. Users can chat within the Google Wave application about certain sections of Wave documents in real time, where all users see what a person is typing as it is typed. If a person comes to the conversation late, they can replay everything they've missed.

Sounds useful, especially for businesses who can work on projects in real time on the computer instead of gathering in a conference room with a speakerphone. However, it looks like Google Wave is going to be going through the initial growing up stage for a bit before it becomes a standard application for everyone to use.