If You Can’t D-I-Y, You’re S-O-L

The number of resources available today is simply unbelievable.  A constantly-shifting and evolving technological landscape has produced an environment that is tailor-made for any ambitious entrepreneur.  Tasks that once required the assistance of several individuals and cost hundreds of dollars, are now performed individually, and in most cases, free of charge.

We stand at the forefront of a D-I-Y (Do-It-Yourself) revolution.  We are seeing how innovative web services and powerful computing software are providing us with opportunities once thought impossible.  Music, entertainment, publishing — all turned upside down due to this shift.  This post isn’t really about how traditional media is dead, it’s more about you, and what you should be doing because of it.

I have talked about the jack of all trades vs. specialist debate before, and this may overlap with that discussion a bit.  I’m a firm believer in the benefits of wearing multiple hats and constantly looking to augment and add to one’s skill set.

No group of individuals have picked up on this behavior more so than the “Millennials” (a.k.a. Generation Y, or as I like to call them, “first-gen techsoomers“).  It is because of them that we now see:

• You don’t need to hire a record label
• You don’t need to hire a publishing company
• You don’t need to hire a PR firm
• You don’t need to hire an advertising agency

And why is this?  Because we have officially entered the D-I-Y era.  And what can we take away from this?…

If you can’t Do It Yourself, you’re Shit Out of Luck

Google’s Three Options — Build, Acquire, or Steal

Google is the undisputed king of the internet.  The word “Google” has now become synonymous with constant innovation and brilliant expansion.  Once a young upstart, the company has quickly evolved into a publicly traded powerhouse in less than a decade.  Google and their business mindset represent one that is truly ahead of its time.

Their “envelope-pushing” mentality has given the company some distinct advantages that most simply do not have.  They lie on top of the technology world, standing tall as the true thought leader in the industry.  Their employees are among the most selective and most prominent group of hires in today’s workforce while their company culture allows for an incredible amount of innovation.   Along with their numerous core competencies, I’ve noticed how Google tends to exhibit three particular strategic options: build, acquire, or steal.

In this post, I will discuss how Google has executed on these three different fronts, and what other companies can learn from their actions.

Option #1 — Build
Most recent examples: Google Chrome OS and Google Wave

Google is no stranger to the building process.  Google Chrome OS — a lightweight operating system, and Google Wave — a game-changing communications platform are ambitious feats to say the least.  Despite any concrete release dates, both are projected to disrupt the industry in big ways.

It’s impressive to consider such undertakings when you stop to realize that an operating system and communication platform, for example, are well beyond Google’s core online identity.  Google shows how existing businesses can deliver unique solutions to opportunities they may encounter as a business, even if those solutions may be outside the company’s “wheelhouse”.  Google reveals the importance of building on top existing businesses; and how doing so may result in attaining goals otherwise unattainable.

Option #2 — Acquire
Most recent example: Google Voice [acquired from] > GrandCentral

In addition to building unique products, Google is notorious for acquiring promising, young companies.  This tactic has proved successful in the past, becoming an extremely powerful and effective way for Google to increase their product base.  Most recently, Google’s acquisition of GrandCentral in 2006 will finally take shape as Google Voice (currently in beta).  With this $50mm acquisition, Google now looks to revolutionize phone management.

Acquiring companies is nothing new.  It is a proven strategy implemented by companies looking to make power moves.  Often times this presents a faster (and hopefully more cost-efficient) alternative from the ground-up building process mentioned above.  It’s also an amazing way to interact with a foreign company’s collaborative process and intellectual property.  Google has demonstrated that, at the correct price and time, acquisitions can propel one’s business to new heights.

Option #3 — Steal
Most recent example: Google Reader [features "stolen" from] > FriendFeed

Stealing is the final option I will discuss in this post.  Despite the negative connotation associated with this type of activity, stealing is nothing new, especially in the tech world.  Many businesses steal and Google is no exception.  Most recently, we have seen Google take more than a few cues from life-streaming service, FriendFeed.  Coincidentally, FriendFeed boasts a founding team comprised of ex-Googlers, which had many people asking the question: “Why doesn’t Google buy FriendFeed?”

Obviously Google saw an opportunity to enhance a product by incorporating some key features found in another web service.  Apparently these upgrades weren’t protected or unique enough to stop Google from implementing them on their own.  Whether you feel FriendFeed was ripped off or that Google acted intelligently, one thing is true: Google Reader has become better due to Google’s decision.  And that’s what ultimately matters — delivering the best to your customers.

But Google is a complete anomaly…

We are all aware of the fact that companies like Google don’t come around all the time.  Despite this truth, we can still learn a lot from such an innovative firm.  Google’s strategic actions and progressive thinking creates a nice blueprint for entrepreneurs and startup companies to follow.

Here are some lessons that every business can take away from the actions illustrated above:

• remain aware of your competition at all times
• prepare to take action against competition whenever necessary
• never become complacent, instead, look to constantly reinvent yourself
• act like a startup
• invest in startups
• push the envelope beyond traditonal wisdom
• don’t just solve problems, create solutions

Twitter’s Trending Topics Promotes Group Think

Twitter’s ability to aggregate and trend conversation is one of its core competencies.  In fact, I would go as far as to say that right now, Twitter’s Trending Topics (TTT) is its most powerful feature.  Where else can you see what millions of people are talking about at a particular point in time?

Despite the powerful mechanism, TTT has become a feature of diminishing value.  Why?  It’s simple:

Twitter’s Trending Topics Promotes Group Think.

Every single Twitter user sees the same exact TTT when they log into their account.  This makes it all too easy chime in to the ongoing debate.  Is this a bad thing?  Not necessarily — but it sure doesn’t help bring fresh, informative content to the forefront.

Additionally, there appears to be an inverse relationship between the number of Twitter users and the overall value of posts.  In other words, as the number of Twitter users rises, the odds of reading a worthwhile tweet diminishes.  This is one negative outcome to the “network effect” that Twitter has yet to address.

Do You Care About TTT?

This screenshot (pictured to the right) shows an example of TTT taken Sunday 7/19/09 22:00 EST.  Sixty percent (6/10) of the topics are related to various TV programs being shown during that time.  Granted, it’s a Sunday night and news stories are not exactly top priority, but still, it would be nice to see some more diversity.

What I Would Like To See:

• group topics
• “location-aware” topics
• more filtering mechanisms
• more diversity

A Startup’s Most Valuable Asset: The Team

Startup ventures are exciting, dynamic, and risky.  They require a balance between luck, skill, and timing.  Of all the essential elements regarding startup businesses, there is one particular element that remains paramount: the team members.

For many “financially-deficient” (aka bootstrapped) startups, choosing the correct team members/founders may be the most important decision the young company faces.  Despite this truth, it is all too common for startups to constuct their team with insufficient or unsuitable candidates.  This type of behavior is not just harmful, it’s potentially deadly for a young upstart business.

I see many startups invest most of their focus on things like: marketing strategies, business name / logo, and market position — before ever really considering the composition of their startup members.  The fundamental problem with this is simple: idea and strategies mean nothing with the wrong people in the driver seat.  It is critical to place the correct individuals in the correct positions in order to achieve maximum efficiency.  This becomes difficult as a startup begins developing ideas and executing particular strategies.

Here are a few aspects to consider when constructing your startup’s fouding team.

Is your friend the “right” choice? Friends are the easiest and most convenient individuals to bring aboard your startup venture.  Friendly conversation does not necessarily translate into smart business tactics, however.  Your friend may be a great person to bounce ideas off of, but not the right business partner.  Take advantage of your friend status and mentally project them into a startup role.  From all that you know about that person, think about a few scenarios:

• how well do they handle stressful situations?
• do they possess perseverance or do they stop at the first sign of hardship?
• are they trustworthy?
• how well do they communicate?
• how do they handle uncertainty or chaotic situations?
• what is their level of dedication or passion towards projects?

No money, no problem.  Lack of cash is often considered a major startup obstacle.  And while this may be true in most circumstances, it does provide an indirect benefit in the case of bringing aboard team members.  Startups with little to no working capital are fueled by one thing: passion.  Bringing aboard individuals with no promise of monetary compensation ensures that they are in it for all the right reasons.  You can worry about salary and payroll after you ship your first unit.

Previous entrepreneurs welcome.  There are certain intangibles one learns from operating inside the trenches of a startup company that cannot be learned anywhere else.  This is why you should always look to bring aboard previous entrepreneurs given the chance.  The company benefits greatly from the individuals’ prior startup experience and you gain a trusted business partner who understands the difficulty associated with launching a business venture.

The most important point to remember is this: your startup’s most valuable asset is its team members…so choose your partners wisely!  Remember that at the end of the day, you and your team are the ones putting the ideas and strategies in place.  It’s not enough to have an idea, you need the physical manpower to execute them effectively.  A founding team needs to have the right balance of intelligence, innovation, and drive.  In order to achieve the correct balance, your team members must share a common passion while working towards shared goals.

I saw a great affirmation of this belief when I came across a particular venture capital firm’s website, and noticed their portfolio companies.  True Ventures, an early stage tech venture firm, showcases their portfolio companies in a refreshing way.  If you notice, all of their investments are accompanied with a picture of the founding team.  Although it is just a picture, it establishes the old investment addage of: “We invest in individuals, not companies.”  This is something that we as entrepreneurs hear, but sometimes overlook.

Introducing Newspaper 2.0…

Advancing technology has its next target: the newspaper.

It’s no secret that the death of the newspaper is imminent.  We have seen how LCD and touchpad screens have replaced paper and ink.  Printing, distribution, and material costs have virtually been eliminated by the recent technological advances.  It’s just a matter of time before we shut down the presses for good.  But the question remains: “What’s next?”

The following devices may be positioned to replace the traditional newspaper in the very near future.  The days of buying printed news is over, here’s a look at the future…

Company: Amazon
Product: Kindle
Classification: eReader

The Kindle has established itself as the first viable eReader on the market.  With internet connectivity, the Kindle may be the perfect form factor for streaming news feeds as well as pre-loaded eBooks.  An interesting “easy on the eyes” screen allows Kindle owners to read content without eye strain; sometimes a result of reading content on traditional LCD computer screens.  Summary: Amazon has gotten a HUGE head start on the competition.  The price point is still pretty high ($299) but will continue to drop with outside competition, advancing technology, and overall market adoption.

Company: Plastic Logic
Product: [unnamed]
Classification: eReader

Plastic Logic has an eReader in the works that appears to be even more portable than the Kindle.  Plastic Logic’s core competency is its use of plastic technology as opposed to traditional silicon, allowing its device to actual bend and flex.  Very few details have been released about Plastic Logic’s eReader, but it has made a significant splash with industry-insiders.

Company: TechCrunch/CrunchPad
Product: CrunchPad
Classification: Internet Tablet

TechCrunch, the tech blog beast, has announced the creation of their “dead simple and dirt cheap touch screen web tablet to surf the web,” otherwise known as the CrunchPad.  Think iPhone meets netbook.  What’s appealing about this device is that it focuses on one thing, and one thing only: the browser.  Web videos play without problem, no conversion to any proprietary format takes place, and everything remains familiar to the user.  Unlike the Kindle for example, publishers will not have to tailor their content or worry about display constraints since the device reads as is a browser.  The one cause for concern about the device in regards to its “newspaper-replacing ability” lies in its LCD screen.  For people looking to read papes and pages of news on their commute to work, LCD may be too much of a “headache.”  Summary: This device looks cool and very practical.  Although not available to the public yet, the CrunchPad team wants to make the device available at a pricetag of $200-300.  No announcement on the expected release date, but something worth keeping an eye on.

Classification: Netbooks

Netbooks are all the rage these days.  Light, portable, cost/battery-efficient laptops designed to get you online as fast and easily as possible.  There’s no doubt that netbooks are only going to rise in popularity, especially as we continue to hear announcements from the likes of Google, making the netbook experience even more accessible.  Summary: While netbooks are extremely practical devices, the major obstacle in its replacement of the newspaper remains the issue with the LCD screen.  I’m still not convinced that a significant amount of news consumption on-the-go is practical on a backlit screen.

Classification: Smartphones

Perhaps the biggest technological breakthough in the past few years has been tied to mobile devices, aka smartphones.  The ability to carry a computer in your pocket has opened up a previously untapped platform.  Phones have gone way beyond calling/texting mechanisms and have stepped firmly into the connected web arena.  Do smartphones have the capability in replacing newspapers?  Catching up on some tweets are great on a phone, but beyond 140-character messages, are they a viable candidate for true news consumption?

Overall consensus

All the devices listed above share two essential “newspaper-killing” commonalities: internet connectivity and portability.  Where the devices differ lies in their screen type and size.

It’s quite obvious that consumers have many options when retrieving their news.  We are at a point where a 140-character tweet may be all we need to read to adequately learn about a particular topic.  Quite simply, news has become dynamic in nature, evolving from the static pages of a newspaper.

Out With the Old, In With the New: Get Ready for the New Business Era

Along with the rest of the world, the current economic downturn has gripped my full attention.  Despite many grim outlooks and predictions, I remain completely optimistic.  In many ways, I view the severe dip as the beginning of a completely new era.  Quite frankly, I find comfort in this notion…and so should you!

It is all too easy to get caught up in the familiar negative tones uttered by the masses.  We all know the type.  They instinctively regurgitate that all too common “recession speech” muttered by most of the TV news anchors.  Whether it be the astronomical rise in the unemployment rate, the ridiculous bailout figures, or even those human-Dow Jones ticker-types, who insist on griping over their recent losses in the market.

“Woe is Me” (in other words, “I’m Lame and My Thoughts Are Stale”)

As tempting as it is to add fuel to the “pessimism fire”, I advise you to resist at all costs.  My most common “extinguishing” technique comes from referencing the unmistakable Warren Buffett.  In an interview with CNBC, Mr. Buffett is asked about our current President and our economic future.  His response:

He is the right President. And incidentally, this is the right country. I mean, we’ve got the right President; we’ve got the right country. We’re gummed up at the moment, but this is the place to be. And this is the right time.
I wish I was 21 now instead of 78. The best days of America really do lie ahead. And President Obama is very, very smart. He’s got, I think, exactly the right goals. He’s articulate and he will be the right person to be the commander in chief in this economic crisis.
-Warren Buffett

Mr. Buffett’s words serve as an inspirational rallying cry…especially to those in the younger generation.  Obviously, the “Buffett Effect” is very powerful, and I would not expect anything but optimism from the brilliant billionaire.  But no matter if his speech is 100% genuine or slightly influenced by external factors (which I don’t believe is the case), it really doesn’t matter.  There is one, and only one way to look at our future…wide open.

The Four Stage Business Cycle

The traditional business cycle has always been explained in four self explanatory stages:

1. Infancy/Startup  << Guess what lies ahead
   
2. Growth
3. Maturity
4. Decline < Guess where we are

(Rinse and repeat)

If we were to pinpoint our current economy within this cycle…it’s no surprise where we would stand.  Repeating the cycle means that we are gearing up for a massive period of restructuring from the ground level.  As I alluded to in the beginning of the post, I believe this period of restructuring will undoubtedly usher in a new economic era.  An era led in large part by the younger generation (Gen Y).  Just as the industrial revolution bred tremendous innovation with interchangeable parts, automation, and manufacturing, we finally have the opportunity to incorporate our most recent revolution – the digital revolution — into our core business blueprint.

Take a quick glimpse at the current business landscape.  Many businesses established prior to the 90’s are simply at a technological disadvantage when compared to businesses created after this time period.  Obviously, this decade marks the commercialization of the internet, and what most would consider the beginning of the digital revolution.

And we are seeing the effects of being behind the times in nearly every economic sector.  Take the automobile and newspaper businesses, for example.  Both industries established in a time period well before the current digital revolution.  And just recently, we have all played witness to their massive blunders and inability to effectively utilize technological advances as well as embrace shifting consumer perspectives.

This Isn’t Your Father’s Business

Michael Malone, author of The Future Arrived Yesterday: The Rise of the Protean Corporation and What It Means for You, explains how the traditional business landscape has and will continue to change.  He stresses the fact that companies must become extremely fast moving, shape-shifting entities that  must embrace innovation and change.  He also explores the notion of “intrapreneurs,” that is, entrepreneurs who operate inside of a company’s infrastructure, and their positive impact on corporate innovation.  This is a philosophy made popular by many high-tech companies like Google.

Businesses are a living, breathing organism.  It’s time we started treating them as such.  So what other types of things can you expect?  Well, don’t be surprised to find a completely new business arena:

• where the phrase “too big to fail” no longer applies
• where businesses embrace transparency
• that is flatter, interconnected, and instantly globalized
• where smaller teams = greater agility = greater innovation
• where competition is as fierce as ever
• in which customers, clients, and users have a much louder voice
• where consistent reinvention is a must

So Who Will Lead This Charge?

The answer is very simple: it’s the entrepreneurs, it’s the startup junkies, it’s the innovators, it’s the non-conformists, it’s the contrarians…it’s YOU, the TECHSOOMERS.

Do yourself a favor and view the recession as one giant opportunity.  Instead of getting discouraged by the naysayers, thank them for creating one less competitor.  When things are good, it’s easy to stay optimistic.  It’s when the times are tough, capital is scarce, and the future uncertain when it becomes easy to give up.  Subsequently, it’s also in these particular times when you stand the best chance to shape the future.

Out with the old, in the with the new.

What Are The Keys to Online Content Marketing?

I was fortunate enough to come across Tippingpoint Labs.  The guys at Tippingpoint illustrate how to effectively use proven strategies, dependable technologies, and scientific approaches to online content marketing.  Very simply, they illustrate the tools that companies and individuals must execute in order to attain desired results.

Please do yourself a favor and check out their blog and video sections.  Below you will find three quick videos that, despite being common sense, are often overlooked.

Follow Andrew Davis on Twitter (@TPLDrew)

Viral or Commercial? — How Consumers are Captivated

Do me a favor and think about your favorite products and/or services and ask yourself this simple question:

• How did you hear about them?

Does the answer to this question remain consistent or inconsistent throughout the years?  Do you find your preference for a particular product or service to be a reflection upon your upbringing? (i.e. our family has always bought Brand Y, so I continue to buy Brand Y)  Perhaps your friends’ habits play a major role in your consumer activity?  Or maybe you discover products and services through a wide variety of channels and outlets.  Obviously, there are a ton of ways to captivate consumers’ attention. What I’m wondering is:  Which is the most effective?

I raise this question in direct response to Microsoft, and their attempt to revive their search brand with Bing.com.  The fact that Microsoft is going head on against Google is eye-opening enough, but what really stood out for me was their marketing budget.  It is estimated that Microsoft will spend a whopping $80MM to $100MM in marketing efforts alone!  Believe it or not, this figure does not include the hundreds of millions they will likely spend in partnership deals with HP and Dell in making Bing.com their products’ default search portal.

Here’s an example of where some of that money did go [video below]:

Since Google is the unquestionable titan in this particular domain, I immediately thought back to my first encounter with the search giant about 10 years ago.  I was in the seventh or eighth grade when I noticed that my friend was using something besides Yahoo! or Altavista or Excite.  It was this insanely simplistic homepage with just a few words and lot of white space.  I was immediately intrigued and have used Google exclusively from that point forward.

The point is, there was no advertising campaign or multi-million dollar budget involved in grabbing my attention.  My conversion was a direct result of something 100% word of mouth.  Similarly, online services like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube were introduced to me through similar viral efforts.

This brings me to the heart of the matter:  What efforts are most effective in captivating consumers?  Is it viral or is it commercial?

We’ve all witnessed how reaching an audience has become easier and more affordable through the constant advancements in technology.  Blogs, microblogs, and social networks are just some examples of the many consumer-driven publishing platforms that are revolutionizing the process of creating and distributing content to the masses.  We are experiencing the beginning of a much flatter and more democratic media surge, where an individual has the ability to reach an audience just as easily as Company X.  But just as the landscape is changing for the content providers, consumers have developed a new way of being captivated.

As a consumer, how do you prefer to learn about a brand, product, or service?  Does the answer depend upon the particular market segment?  (online vs. physical / free vs. paid / product vs. service )  Do you use different techniques for different scenarios?

Tell me what you think.

Don’t Sue Me, Bro

I was a little bit surprised to find a letter from the USTA (United States Tennis Association) and their legal department in my inbox just a few days ago. Below is a small portion of the document:

in view of the importance of this matter, the USTA respectfully requests that you: (i) immediately cease and desist from any and all use of the trademarks as described herein; (ii) terminate the use of US Open or any variation thereof in connection with any domain name; (iii) immediately remove any references to the US Open from the above-referenced Twitter account; and (iii) provide me with prompt written confirmation of your intention to comply.

-USTA Legal Department in reference to my Twitter account

How did this happen?

A few months prior to receiving the aforementioned letter, I approached the USTA, requesting to be a part of their upcoming US Open tournament in September. Expressing my passion not only for the game of tennis but for the annual event in Flushing, NY, I explained how I could add value to their ’social web’ presence. I simply wanted to be a part of the event, explained that I was not looking for monetary compensation, just the opportunity to be a part of my favorite annual Grand Slam tournament.

I had noticed that the official US Open website was lacking a certain social element. I felt there was an opportunity to integrate their coverage with live updates, real-time match commentary, and streaming photo galleries from a fan’s perspective. Being proactive in my pursuit, I created a super-simple Twitter page (@usopentennis, no longer active) using some official US Open logos as well as a few originals. I contacted the USTA’s “Advanced Media” department detailing my intentions and provided them with a link to the newly created account as a frame of reference. After this point, the Twitter page wasn’t touched again, as I was eagerly awaiting a response from the USTA.

Months past by with no reply. I did notice however, that the page was gaining a fairly solid following (atleast for a page with literally 1 update and one that clearly wasn’t yet ‘active’). This behavior continued to where it was not uncommon to gain over 100 followers per month. It was at the time when the follower-count reached around 700 that I was hit with the lawsuit asking me to terminate my Twitter account for, as they put it:

“the unlicensed use of its intellectual property for your social media outlet.”

I was left feeling with a mixed set of emotions.

Why I WASN’T Upset

• The USTA’s charges against me were 100% valid.
• Although not referenced in their official web site, the US Open did already have a Twitter account.

Why I WAS Upset

• The charges were 100% valid, however, I clearly was not trying to deceive anyone. I was in full contact with the organization and disclosed my intentions very clearly and openly.
• I only heard back from them when my Twitter page had surpassed theirs in followers. [see below]
  
  

  Screens taken as of 6/1/09

• Months after my suggestion to overhaul their social efforts, the USTA launched something similar to what I had recommended. The “US Open Series” website now featured a link to their Twitter account, as well as streaming Flickr fan image galleries.

The Overall Takeaway

Companies dream of having customers that evangelize their products and/or services. It’s these individuals that champion the company at the grass roots level, where it counts the most. Business author, Guy Kawasaki, explains the “Art of Evangelism” in this blog post.

That’s why it was a bit of a mystery to me why the USTA did not acknowledge the opportunity to expand their brand…FOR FREE! On multiple occasions, I reached out to the USTA in an effort to deliver the best solution for them, but they resisted at all costs.

Unfortunately for the USTA, they won’t just lose over 800 Twitter followers, they will be losing an evangelist’s voice. I’m certain that I could have been a tremendous extension for the US Open, helping them reach the biggest possible audience.

Just remember, when somene is clearly an evangelist for your company, it is in your best interest to simply enable them. Give these “mega-supporters” the tools that they need to accomplish the all-important act of spreading the word. You will find a lot of things to be true, none of which as important as the following: your fans are your company’s most valuable asset.

The Game is Changing in ‘Waves’

The web world has always been quick to call something a “game changer” or a “killer app” at a moment’s notice.  These sorts of declarations come largely from the early adopter crowd; a group of individuals who play a critical role in the advancement of technology.  Often times, making these sorts of statements are either: 1) unwarranted, 2) unjustified, or simply 3) premature.

But yesterday, when Google demoed their Wave product at the IO conference in San Francisco [video below], everybody watching knew that today was not like any other day.  It was very clear that the game had just changed, and drastically at that.  Google’s Wave was a project started over two years ago attempting to “re-invent” e-mail as we knew it.  In doing so, the Australian-based team at Google uncovered an amazing communication and collaboration platform.

[too long? ... read this great Google Wave breakdown courtesy of Mashable]

The service boasts the most interactive and real-time communication experience we have ever seen.  Remember thinking that it couldn’t get any more real-time than Twitter?  Or maybe even FriendFeed?  Wave literally blows these communication outlets out of the water (no pun intended) in terms of its connectivity and real-timeyness with it’s character-by-character chat-style communication flow.  No longer do you have to wait for an individual to post the reply, comment, or update; because if you are both on the “wave” at the same time, you are watching each other type, character by character, virtually lag-free!  Overload?  Maybe.  Game-changing?  Absolutely.

In addition to Wave’s powerful social implications lies Wave’s incredible enterprise capabilities.  Wave revamps online collaboration, now making wikis feel archaeic in nature.  The business implications on such a platform are immediately apparent.

How did Google do it?

• First, the team looked at the most dominant form of communication on the internet today: e-mail.
• Then the team asked, “What if email were invented today instead of 40 years ago?”
• Then they set out to essentially “re-invent” email using all of today’s communication tools the web has to offer
• As a result, the team created the most complete communication platform in history.

Just how pervasive will Google Wave become?

Is there a chance Google Wave won’t take off?  Yeah, I guess there’s a chance…but a very slight one.  Google’s focus on open source architecture and developer interaction leads me to believe that we are in for one long ride, on one very big wave.