Google only launched Wave last year but is apparently shutting down the service because of poor uptake and the fact that some users found it hard to use. Although I am not that surprised with both comments I am a little saddened that it is to be canned.
The trouble with a lot of new technologies is finding a use for them. I've thought for a long time that tablet PCs are a good idea, I don’t have one because I don’t have a specific need for one. The same is true for the iPad. Yes I can see why so many people like it, again I don’t have one because I have no need for one.
When Wave came out I applied for an account and got one fairly soon after Google expanded the number of people using it. The trouble was I didn’t use it for much as I didn't have a use for it.
As my colleague Brian said, 'it just gave those who used it another way to talk to the same people they were already communicating with via email, IM, Twitter and so on.'
But then recently I've been using it on a personal project and have found it really useful when two, three or four people want to discuss something and following an email chain is confusing.
If anything Wave was too ahead of its time and perhaps had too many features that confused users. A shame nonetheless.
