Local Web celebrity and acclaimed technology pundit Gina Trapani has just self-published the first-to-market comprehensive book on Google Wave. The print edition complements the online PDF and officially went on sale last night but is being announced today at SXSW.
The well respected technology expert, alongside co-author Adam Pash of Lifehacker.com, partnered with San Diego's 3ones and Partnerships with Industry (PWI) to independently publish the new book, entitled The Complete Guide to Google Wave.
The experimental project is a first for both the writers and their alternative publishers. Trapani, who was approached by at least one large publishing house, opted to forgo the traditional route in order to have full control over the content, timeline, and even cover art for the book. What she gains in control she sacrifices in distribution, but Trapani hopes that her name and respect in the industry will help the book standout and appeal to audiences interested in learning more about how to use Google Wave for any number of use cases.
The book is a combination of Trapani and Pash's first-hand experience using Google Wave since July 2009, but the collective feedback of web denizens participating in the book's online wiki also helped to shape the content.
On the nature of Wave itself, Trapani says, "Wave represents an inevitable future in real-time communication on the web. Even if it doesn't stick around as Google Wave, this [real-time collaboration] is the way that web apps and collaboration are headed."
The story behind the book is just as rich as the content. 3ones, which typically builds mobile and web applications, is the publisher of record and is also San Diego-based. They worked with PWI to print the physical copies of the book, with half of the proceeds going to developmentally disabled adults trying to better their lives.
The print edition of The Complete Guide to Google Wave is now available for $25 from CompleteWaveGuide.com.
