Google Wave: Reinventing Online Communications?

May 28, 2009: The day that communication changed forever?

Probably not.

But there is a ton of hype surrounding the latest Google invention – Google Wave. (Available later this year)

Currently in preview mode, the application operates around the concept of stacking e-mail and instant messaging together. Sound confusing? Here’s the deal.

Let’s say Andrew G.R. starts a conversation via instant message with Dear Reader. They start to debate which tastes better on corn, butter or bacon salt. They reach an impasse and decide their buddy Billy Blogger can help pick a winner.

This transcript of the original chat is archived and then made available to Billy.

To follow the progress of a “wave” you can access the different branches of the conversation later on. Images, maps and other mutli-media content can be added. And here’s the sweet part. These elements will show up on everybody’s monitor at the same time – in real-time. Oh, and the elements within the conversation are searchable in real-time too!

A tool within Wave known as Bloggy will allow you to publish an entire Wave to a blog – allowing readers to get in on the conversation.

There will of course be a Wave API and the app is expected to play nicely with Android and Firefox.

Waves can be kept private at the creators’ request. But that might defeat the tool’s true purpose.

As any ocean can tell you, waves form, crest and crash…only to be followed by another wave. We have a hunch that their will be conversation – or “waves” – that will last a lot longer.

AllFacebook Marketing Conference returns to San Francisco on June 28-29! Join us and get a how-to guide for marketing to Facebook’s 800 million users. A full agenda will be announced soon. Keep an eye on our event site for more information. Special early pricing is available for only $249 until this Wednesday, February 15, so register today.