google-waveInvites to try Google Wave, the revolutionary real-time communication and collaboration tool, started going out around ten hours ago. If you haven’t got one yet, be patient – you might still be lucky.

Around the time Google flicked the switch on the invites, one of the team behind the launch tweeted “Wave invites starting … will take many many many many hours to get them all out! We are so very grateful for all the interest!!”

How many is “many many many many”? Who knows, but it does indicate that all the 100,000 Wave invites may not yet have been delivered. A Twitter search for “got my Google Wave invite” shows that people are still receiving them now. So – be patient!

Just to be clear – if you receive an invite from a friend you will not get invites too. Only people who get their invite from Google get to share the Wavey goodness.

If you’re in Sydney, Australia, you have another way to get hold of an invite – dressing up. Google’s ‘mascot’ for Wave is Doctor Wave. He will be appearing in the city’s Pyrmont Bay Park at 1pm tomorrow. In a tweet earlier today Doctor Wave said “Best “wave” outfits get Google Wave invitations! Be creative!”.

So, if you can’t get an invite and can’t get to Sydney dressed up as a Wave you’ll have to sit tight. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! In the meantime, here’s Doctor Wave himself in action. We’re told the video works a lot better if you watch it within Wave!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiGdUmvPRy8[/youtube]