HENSON: Brave new tech from Google

At work, some of us received coveted invitations to beta test a new platform, the Google Wave, form Google's development team.The Wave won't officially be launched until earn 2010 or later (Google is't pinpointing any specific date), but right now plenty of buzz abounds about its unique features and interesting con concept.

Basically stated,Google Wave is an online communication and collaboration toot that allows participants ("Wavers?" "Those who Wave?") to participate as a group in things such as conversation with family members, collaborative projects, planning/brainstorming sessions, idea exchanges or game's.Any registered member of Google Wave can start a Wave (which is one collective conversation, one document, one game, etc.) and add others, if they are also registered users.Once you are added to a particular Wave,you can then add others.Parts of anything posted on a Wave- a message (referred to as a "blip"), a video, a blog post, a document, a map, a photo,a script-can be tagged, added to, or otherwise edited by any or all participants, whenever they choose.They can even make edits or add-ons simultaneously.Think of it as instant messaging or chatting or network sharing on steroids.As a Wave participant, you can see a Wave change or evolve before your eyes, even witness the typing lines as fellow Wavers add blips.

A Wave can be viewed and input simultaneously by every participant, but it can't be seen by those who aren't.Waves can be saved in files and searched for later,so unlike instant messaging, nothing discussed or changed is lost after participants log off.

Of course, small problems exist in the beta version-profile pictures sometimes don't show up where they're supposed to, only a limited number of extensions (APIs) are available, the program is only available in Apple Safari, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox browsers, recommendations for adding users from personal databases is not yet a feature, and other issues, all of which will undoubtedly be worked out before launch.

Google Wave will change a lot of ordinary tasks, making many of them quite remarkable.The dynamic platform will allow business and other organizations to meet online to innovate, improve operations and make decisions faster, powered by more comprehensive input.It will allow large families and extended families living apart to come together in conversation, it will allow communities, special groups and government agencies to instantaneously solve problems and share ideas.And it will definitely promote and facilitate creativity-all in real time.