Google Wave: Useful Gadgets and Bots

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Recently, I started using Google Wave more and gained some new and unexpected appreciation for this service.

One of the best starting guides is by Gina Trapani, The Complete Guide to Google Wave. It is freely available at CompleteWaveGuide.com and the electronic version of the book can be purchased for only $6.

How to Install Google Wave Gadgets and Bots

The gadgets are installed by URL from the wave interface (click "Edit") and are available only for that particular wave, i.e. you have to install the gadget URL in each new wave where you want to use it. I suggest you keep a list of the gadget URLs for easy referral.

The bots are installed differently from gadgets. You have to add the bot as an email contact. Then you open a new wave and you add the bot in the same way you would add a person.

Some of the gadgets and bots that I found useful are listed below.

Useful Gadgets for Google Wave

Napkin. The Napkin gadget lets you do some "back of the napkin" brainstorming and drawing. URL:
http://my-wave-gadgets.appspot.com/wave/NapkinGadget.xml

Picasa/Flickr Gadget. Drop the Picasa/Flickr gadget in a wave, then point it toward an album on photo sharing sites Picasa or Flickr for clickable thumbnails that expand to larger views of the images. URL:
http://wave-picasa.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/picasa.xml

Mind Map. Insert the Mind Map gadget to collaboratively mindmap ideas with other participants in a wave. URL:
http://cactus-wave.appspot.com/net.brucecooper.mindmapgadget.MindMapGadget/net.brucecooper.mindmapgadget.client.MindMapGadget.gadget.xml

Useful Bots for Google Wave

Wikify (wikifier@appspot.com). The Wikify bot adds links to and definitions from Wikipedia to your waves for a given topic.

Madoqua (blog-bot@appspot.com). Bloggers and other web publishers who want to try publishing the contents of their waves should try the Madoqua bot.

Inbeddable (inbeddable@appspot.com). To embed an image that's already online, add the Inbeddable bot to your wave, and then type the URL of the image. When you click Done (or press Shift+Enter), Inbeddable converts the image link into the image itself.

RobotIndex (robotindex@appspot.com). The RobotIndex bot adds a search-as-you-type directory of bots and gadgets to your wave.



Google Wave Overview  (7-minute video): Product managers, Stephanie and Greg explain many of the features of Google Wave. Learn more at http://wave.google.com

References:
Wave Gadgets. The Complete Guide to Google Wave.
Wave Bots. The Complete Guide to Google Wave.

Related books: