Caleb Booker

Headlines about virtual worlds just from the past week.

For other weeks, see the archive page.

I got to play with toys this week! Check out eLounge and NewLively if you’d rather not read and just want to explore. Don’t worry, I won’t be offended. It’s all you.

Disclaimer: As with everything on my blog, the opinions expressed here are mine and do not reflect on Clever Zebra, the vBusiness Expo, my friends, my family, my blip channel, any of the other “Jack of All Strange” stuff that I do, etc etc etc… k here we go:

Top Stories

Is Second Life An Acquisition Target? No
In a sense this isn’t even worth reading, as there’s no “news” here. Rumors abound (via Cory’s #5), zero facts. I include it in case you hear that Linden Lab is an acquisition target and you need to remind yourself of the facts. Someone has predicted this every single year since the company was founded.

MindArk creates ‘Entropia Universe’ planet as independent company
Jargon translation: the company producing the technology is creating a second company to handle actually running the world. Great move if you ask me - in this case one weaker brand becomes two strong brands, and market specialization means efficiency.

Multiverse Network Receives $2.4 Million in Commitments from Angel Investors
This is basically “survival money”, received on top of the original seed money, to keep them alive to 2010. That’s how long it may take them to become profitable. You may now remove your seatbelts and walk around the cabin.

iLemon Using Funding to Establish U.S. Presence
The service? “Virtual worlds made easy,” lowering the barrier for companies wanting to establish their own virtual world. GSR Ventures is betting $383 million on that bit of marketing hype, so we’ll see.

IRS Closer to Taxing Virtual Goods Transactions
So if I trade my +8 Vorpal Sword of Rashashah for your +5 Dragon Flame of Hohoho, I owe the government … 20 gold pieces … ? (I kid, I kid!)

Unisfair Sees Growth For Smaller Events and Training
Growth industry worth watching.

Red Hat to host Second Life-like virtual JBoss trade show
This keeps up I’m going to have to create a “Events Industry” heading for the roundup.

J.P. Morgan on Virtual Worlds: “Two Audiences, Two Differing Growth Curves”
Semi-inscrutable may-or-may-not mean something stuff. You know analysts. Check out the PDF, the commentary, and make up your own mind here.

Training and Education

A ‘Second Life’ For Educators
A combination of an overview of the trend and a case study of Barnstable Public School District’s efforts.

Israeli MetaverSense Offering Educational Virtual World Services
About time some 3rd party group aims at this niche other than NMC. It’s a monstrously huge niche after all.

Past4Ward Creating Virtual World Educational Modules
Fun places to take your class!

Government and Military

Obama healthcare team close to the ground….in Second Life!
A video report from Draxtor Despres:

Marketing

Nortel’s 3D Virtual World Technology Powers New Lenovo Shopping Lounge
More platforms should roll out like this. Nortel produced this business-oriented platform (Web.alive) in record time (by leveraging cheap and proven existing technology, the ‘Unreal’ engine), and rolling it out via a practical application instead of a non-functional beta is pretty clever. Check out Levono’s eLounge here (browser-based plugin download required).

Another note about web.alive…
I’m linking a review here as I just don’t have time to write my own at the moment, but let me just say this: wow. This thing is awesome.

Mini-review:
As I was pulling together this week’s roundup I decided to download the browser plugin for the eLounge. Suddenly it just worked - no extended setup, no annoying “that name taken” signup, no tutorial required. It was smooth, I was connected to local voice immediately, and a helpful real-life attendant approached me and offered me help.

As soon as I plugged in my mic I was immediately live; again, no setup. Spacial voice was seamless, navigation was dead simple and intuitive, avatar customization was a snap, and all you had to do to speak to the room was walk over and stand on a hot-spot to be connected to the PA system.

Oh, and there was synchronized streaming video, and you can drag-n-drop PPT and PDF files to a large screen for everyone to see. Max concurrency in a given area: 200 people. All of this seamless and bug-free while in beta. Brilliant.

Special thanks to Chris Hatko for the tour.

A PG-Rated Second Life
Sony’s marketing department is working overtime this week in an effort to save face from last week’s discovery that it’s kinda boring. (See other attempts at re-capturing positive press here, here.)

Toy Car Company Tries Driving Pre-Teen Boys to Virtual World
Just “giving it a shot” from the sounds of things. Part of the trend.

Gaming

EA Builds Minigames For Home
Hopefully improving Home’s reputation.

Loudcrowd In Semi-Public Beta
Conduit Labs managed to hook a bunch of us into writing about them for getting lots of money to create… something. None of us knew what. Now we do. Dance Dance Revolution for your avatars.

Webkinz Jr. Coming This Spring
Despite this being aimed at 3-6 year olds, I know my 8-yr old will be asking for them. We’re drowning in Webkinz around here and she’s always asking for more. She gets together with her friends in real-life and “plays Webkinz”. She’s obsessed. I suppose I shouldn’t complain, at least they’re not $100 Cabbage Patch Kids or something.

Twin Skies Cancels 3D Virtual World Component for 2D Flash
Good move all around. 3D is a crutch for us older, less imaginative folks. Speed of the interface is more important for their target audience.

Nerds Only

Mockingbird Begins Licensing User-Created Games Technology to Virtual Worlds, Mattel to be First
Sounds like a neat widget, hope it sells well. All hail the niche market!

Fans Create NewLively as Blend of Google’s World and Second Life
You just can’t keep a good idea down! Even though Google is suffering from a lack of foresight lately, it looks like some independent folk are resurrecting it under the “NewLively” banner. I was able to test it and it works great. Check me out:

Newbs Only

Virtual Greats Brings Snoop Dogg and Tila Tequila Goods to Super Pets
This has to be one of those things newbs find appealing…

Virtual World Dangers- A Parents Perspective
Oh here we go.

Sociological Oddities

I live out my sexual fantasy as an online escort
The joy of being a prostitute in Second Life.

Gaza Conflict Moves to Virtual World
People like protesting in Second Life. Much less likelihood of being beaten or tazed or teargassed. I think the police prefer it too, as there are fewer public safety concerns. On top of that, people who are idly interested in the issue can far more easily follow up and get the real facts above and beyond the banner slogans. Win - Win - Win.

Posted on January 11th, 2009 under business, conflict, content, hype, news, press, virtual worlds. RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback.