Google Wave: Surf's Up!
I'm anxiously awaiting my official Google Wave invite. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about: No, this isn't the new thing to do at your next stadium game and it's not an update of the modern day saying "riding the wave." Techies got an introduction to this next new thing at a conference in May where it was previewed. Google then sent out 100,000 exclusive invites on Wednesday. That was enough to stir up an Internet frenzy.
What's it all about? Watch a little Google Wave for dummies video here:
The frantic rush for an invite has made these Wave passes into the hot ticket du jour. Think back to the first Lazer Tag, those Tickle Me Elmos, the first incarnation of the iPhone and even getting on the list for Michael Jackson's Memorial. Yes,we humans want to have a piece of that limited new, shiny toy, thing or experience badly... and now!
Scanning blogs and Twitter updates might make you think that Google Wave holds the secret to life's big questions. LA Weekly's Alexia Tsotsis even told me how tons of new people actually befriended her online after she jokingly tweeted that she had received an invite. Wow! It actually works like a good fake Gucci on Rodeo Drive.
For others though, it's no joke. The wave fever has led to eBay auctions, that have since been shut down, and even desperate pleas on Twitter.
After not looking too far, I tracked down one of the few lucky Wave recipients, Tyler Crowley, at his Mahalo.com office in Santa Monica, Calif. (View video below, or here.)
So, Google Wave will either add another convenient layer to our online lives or just add to the lists of places we need to "check in" every day. Personally, I'm already over Google Wave. I'm waiting for Google Storm, Google Tornado or Google Typhoon to hit -- how's that for being ahead of the curve?
Postscript: Another Mahalo.com employee, Michael Oakes, ended up sending me an invite. It's supposed to take two days, and so the waiting continues.