Will Google Wave Replace Twitter?

Before I weigh in on the answer to the question “Will Google Wave replace Twitter,” I want to explain to you the best I can what the heck Google Wave is. Imagine a revolutionary website that combines chat, email, file sharing and blogging into a single window.

A Google Wave uses the metaphor of a “conversation” that can be kept private between it’s participants or made public for all to see. The two brothers who wrote Google Maps are about to change they way we use the internet again with their latest creation – Google Wave.

I think my favorite aspect of waves is that they are live. They unfold in real time as they develop. Imagine ten people updating a wave at once. All contributors additions to the wave stream into it simultaneously – yes, that means if you misspell something everyone logged on to the wave can see it as it is happening. Even cooler, at any point you can publish a wave as a blog with a single click of a publish to the web button.

The real power of the Wave will be most noticeable to mobile users. Having easy access to an interactive email on the go will be extremely powerful. I think the elegance of the Wave may cause people to abandon regular email in droves.

Do you know anyone who uses an antique typewriter to compose documents today? Of course not, it is ancient inflexible technology. Soon we may be saying, “Can you believe she still uses Exchange for email?”

Ok, will Google Wave replace Twitter? I say no, for one very good reason – Gadgets. Gadgets like iPhone apps will allow us to run our favorite programs inside our waves. Because gadgets are open source we will see tons of plug in programs that work with Google Wave. I plan to be running my Twitter gadget inside my google wave window (have your cake and eat it to).

So, I think Twitter will be around a while longer, but old fashioned email may be gone before you know it. Don’t be left out. Google Wave Public Beta launches on September 30, 2009. Only 100,000 accounts will be issued, so make a point to get one – wave.google.com.