Google Wave vs Email

Once you send an email, it's gone, you can't edit it. If you want to add someone to the conversation, you have to search and forward messages.

In Google Wave, you can always edit and adding more people is as easy as drag and drop.

Google Wave vs Google Docs

In Google Docs, if you want to know who write it, you have to previously agree in some kind of code to identify each other. You can see the date of the last modification, but have I read it already? Is there something new? Who knows…

In Google Wave, you have the choice to edit or reply at any place in the document / conversation. There's a clear green indicator of unread items.

Google Wave vs Instant Messaging

Sometimes when you're chatting with several people, you have the need to say something in private, so you'll end up with multiple windows open and more chances to make a mistake.

In Google Wave, you can have private conversations inside a public conversation, so you can deliver the message to who you want, without making noise to the others.

Conclusion: Google Wave at the workplace

Google Wave has a good mix of communication and collaboration tools to work in a project with other people. ¿A new member has joined the team? Just add her to the wave, and let her know what you've been doing.

In other words, Google Wave is just great for the workplace.

Conclusion: Google Wave with friends and family

Forwarding a video attachment is a waste of time and resources, but when you are hanging out with friends, who cares about productivity?

For a senior citizen, email is easy, after all is a letter that she can send from the comfort of her home, but a wave, a blip, an extension and a bot… what are you talking about? There are too many new terms. Adding a bot to your contacts, and then to a wave, to perform automated tasks, I can't imagine explaining that to my mother.

For friends and family, stick with Facebook (or email, or better: get together in person!).

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