Google Wave is Back, Called Google Drive And Gives Google More Grip
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Google Wave is Back, Called Google Drive And Gives Google More Grip

1st May 2012

Google might be closing down a lot of features, they are far from throwing away all the work they’ve done. With the official launch of Google Drive last week Google revamped one of their old favorites: Google Wave.

In combination with other Google Products like Google Docs and off course Google+ Google now brings us Google Drive. An collaboration tool which has much in it from Google Wave, but is also another way for Google to get more grip on our lives.

Create & Collaborate

The part which is probably is the closest to Google Wave as we knew it is brought by Google as “create & collaborate”. Or at least there is a function in this which comes directly from Google Wave: working together in one document at the same time.

It is a feature which was one of the ‘revolutionary’ features in Google Wave. Working together, seeing each other type and seeing the changes appear on your screen as you are watching.


Doesn’t that remind you of something? Indeed, Google Wave. Remember?

The “Wave revival” can be seen in different elements of Google Drive like the discussion mode, the ability to share and the option to go ‘back in time’ to see old revisions of the document you are working in.

Integrated Products

What Google Drive really is, is integrated products. There is off course the data storage which Google is giving us. Starting of with 5GB. But other Google products are merged into Google Drive as well.

Google Docs / Gmail

Google Docs for example plays a huge part in this ‘new’ Google product. Google wants you to share documents with your friends and colleagues not by sending attachment but sending a link to Google Docs.

Google+

Off course Google+ cannot miss out on being part of this product. Everything you do is ‘instantly’ available in Google+, meaning you can start sharing within seconds.

This off course is not just meant for easy sharing, but also to make Google+ more attractive to Google users. It might give Google+ a boost and with that also the data gathering which Google uses Google+ for.

On top of that, Eric Schmidt didn’t say

“The assumption that everything will move over to using the Plus infrastructure over time.”

for no reason…

Search

Off course search should be in there as part of the product mix. But in this case we are ‘only’ talking about search within your documents and files.

Mobile (Android)

A very important part of Google Drive is for mobile. Google Drive is not something which is ‘just’ for working from behind your computer. It is meant to integrate all devices you use, whether its your pc, your laptop, your tablet or your phone. Its play and go.

The pre-installed Android app only needs to be started and all your data is automatically synced through devices.

There is no escape

With Google Drive Google has made life yet again a bit easier on people using Google Docs. It has however also tightened their grip on people using Google products. There seems to be no escape anymore: if you work with Google you will work all the way with Google.

That will not only mean Google can push their other products even more, it will also get more ‘grip’ on what we do. They now have a grip on our search behavior, our social behavior, our mobile behavior and an even tighter grip on our work life. Google Wave is back, but on steroids.

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Written By
Bas van den Beld is an award winning Digital Marketing consultant, trainer and speaker. He is the founder of State of Digital and helps companies develop solid marketing strategies.
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