This Tech Tuesday we are going to have take a look at Google Wave. I have had a chance to try this new web experience over the past few weeks and have been blown away by the potential of what Google has created. How to describe it... Take the concept of email, texting, web collaboration, social networking, and communication – then put them all in a giant blender and the result is Google Wave.

In its simplest form it allows people to communicate. Similar to email – you have an inbox full of messages that are called "Waves". Unlike email, Wave communications can happen in real-time when the people communicating are present. While I type a message, my recipient will be able to see me typing in real time and immediately start to respond to my message. It speeds up communication and takes web messaging to another level. While in the Wave I can also share things like photos, video, maps, web pages, and much more.

One of the most powerful components of Google Wave is the possibility of multi-person collaboration. Several people invited to participate in one Wave can all work and communicate simultaneously. For example, imagine writing a business plan while several people worked and edited it at the same time. Or, imagine planning a family trip while everyone could post links to great places to stay or even drop in maps with directions to where you are going.

It even has a built in translator so you can chat with people who do not speak English. For example, you can have 3 people participating in one wave where one person is speaking French, one English, and one in Chinese. The person typing in Chinese only sees the Chinese words. The French sees French, and the English person sees English. It opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities for communicating with people from around the world.

There is an 80 minute presentation on the full features of Google Wave from its creators at Google. It’s been pre released at an early phase in its development because it is open source and Google is looking to have programmers collaborate to continue to build it and take it to the next level.

- AJ