"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

Albert Einstein

Review of my Google Wave experience, after sort of using it for a month

January 7, 2010

Musings, Society, Technology

7 comments

The buzz on Google Wave has slowed down considerably, considering that Google had big news that was announced 2 days ago. I’m not sure how the Google Phone will compare with Google Wave, but I hope we can say that the impact of both still are or will be quite interesting.

Image Credit: Flickr user niallkennedy
During the holiday season, Google gave out thousands of invites to users who already had Wave so that they may invite friends to use the service. How many do I still have left? 18! I’m not sure if there just isn’t enough interest or people simply don’t care to find out what exactly Google Wave is, at least not enough to seek out an invite from a friend (i.e. that everyone who would want it or would be open to trying it already does have it).

So far, I’ve used Google Wave with friends and family to:

  1. Participated in a poll on how many people think Rain (the Korean hip hop star in the movie Ninja Assassin) is cool
  2. Load copies of my statement of purpose for my friend to proofread and give suggestions on
  3. Post pictures for my sister to access and use for her painting project
  4. Say hello, all at once, to the people in the academic department I was in for graduate school
  5. Play Sudoku with others
  6. Invite others to Google Wave

Number 2 on that list was particularly better than using email because I ended up making several edits between the time I posted it and the time when he was free to read it. I would simply go back and delete the old copy and post the new one. I could have waited until he had time to read it to send an email, but I like this way of doing things. Later, I would post other things for him to read and I have peace of mind knowing that they are waiting for him in the Wave whenever he would like to find them. Same thing with number 3.
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I have Google Wave!

December 1, 2009

Nerdy Things, Technology

1 comment

Last Sunday, I got my invite for Google Wave (from now one I will call it GWave). If you don’t know what it is, Google has created what they think email would be if it were invented now instead of 40 years ago.

Here is a short video with a basic explanation:

So far, I have done very little that could actually be called productivity on GWave. I did post to a friend my Statement of Purpose that he helped edit for my graduate school applications. There was also a poll on how awesome is Rain (Bi) the Korean star in Ninja Assassin. I started a Sudoku Wave with my sister and some friends. GWave also have maps! I’m sure the functionality will only get better, so the little complaints you might hear now are just because GWave is still in Preview. It hasn’t even been released to beta.

I’m glad that GWave exists and I look forward to using it for many more things!!

I even mentioned it in my Statement of Purpose. I’m thinking of including it somehow in my research, but that is a secret for now! If I make it into a program, perhaps I’ll release some more details. :)