Google’s new social networking service, Google Wave, launched last year to a huge fanfare and and equally huge controversy over privacy. Many users complained that anyone befriending you on the service could then see personal contact details of everyone else if your address book.
The service was based around real-time character-by character chat typing, drag-and-drop file sharing and had a lot of potential. Sadly it was limited only to GMail users and didn’t receive such a brilliant reception.
Now Google is pulling the plug before the service even gets out of beta. They’ve said they will keep the service going until the end of 2010 but then it’s all over.
One of the biggest problems with Wave I felt personally was that is was clearly intended as mass-user service but the limitations of the beta, which was invitation only, just never allowed this to happen. The service just looked like a blank page.
Either way it looks as though Google’s attempt to challenge the mightly Facebook has failed, at least for now. We can be certain that Google’s not finished yet, neither is Microsoft which is constantly updating and expanding it’s Live service.
but now we wave a fond goodbye to Google Wave, bon voyage.
Related Articles:
Google Wave Add-On For Firefox100K Google Wave Invites
Google Retires Knol, Wave, Friend Connect, Gears
No Windows Live Wave 4 For XP Says Microsoft
Windows Live Wave 3 Betas Available
Enjoyed the article?: Then sign-up for our free newsletter or RSS feed to kick off your day with the latest technology news and tips, or share the article with your friends and contacts on Facebook, Twitter or Google+ using the icons below.
I would have agreed with you if it was another company that’s attempting to challenge Facebook , but you’re talking about Google here , so prepare yourself for surprises . Believe me , this company doesn’t give up easily . Considering the fact that Facebook has a lot of disadvantages , Google has a very good opportunity to win this “war ” .
Hey Mike , if you wondering about the disadvantages and problems of Facebook that the Google Me is going to solve then have a look at this book authored by one Google’s employees :
http://www.slideshare.net/padday/the-real-life-social-network-v2
Regards
Muhammad Najem
It’s kind of as disappointment they stop even before it’s out of beta. But then I gotta admit nobody really used it as we should, because all friend don’t have it. This shows how important the way you launch such a revolutionary tool is, on whether it makes a chance to become a success or not.
On the official announcement page they say, “Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked”. How did they expect a large user-base for an “invite only” service?