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Written by Xavier Mohr
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Saturday, 25 August 2007 |
No matter how futuristic the internet may seem to be, the fundamental truths of human nature will always endure thereBy Marina Hyde
The Guardian 'Life is pain," deadpans the swashbuckling hero of the movie The Princess Bride. "Anyone who says different is selling you something." I'm afraid that this was the quote that drifted across my consciousness on Thursday as the latest news of how the internet has changed everything - again - was unveiled. According to an Ofcom study, we are all spending more time online and on our mobiles than ever, with pensioners spending longer surfing the web than any other age group. And women - they're at it too, more than men in key demographics, with the general consensus seeming to be that this is a marvellous and life-enhancing thing. You know, not just for the people trying to sell them stuff. READ IT ALL AT:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2155944,00.h...
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 25 August 2007 )
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Written by Xavier Mohr
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Friday, 24 August 2007 |
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CHICAGO - One of the predictions in the lead-up to this weekend's Second Life Community Convention here has focused on the potential for lots of talk about organization. There are plenty of critics who claim, however erroneously, that Second Life is a mess both structurally and technologically. And Linden Lab's decentralized and laissez-faire approach to the largely user-created virtual world, it could be argued, has allowed its identity to be shaped by its most prominent and press-worthy residents--who are, on occasion, blowing up buildings, stealing identities, and barraging lectures with oversized flying man-parts. We won't really know until tonight at the earliest (more likely tomorrow) if there is indeed focused discussion about an evolution toward more order for Second Life. But one announcement timed in conjunction with the convention has hinted toward a "yes": the launch of the Virtual World Radio Network, which aims to be a hub for Second Life news and financial information as well as cultural programming. A live stream is available both in-world--the VWRN is giving free virtual radios to interested residents--as well as over the Web. READ IT ALL AT:
http://news.com.com/8301-13577_3-9765...
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Written by Xavier Mohr
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Friday, 24 August 2007 |
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By Ian lamont Of all of the emerging Internet media that are discussed in the tech press, social virtual worlds have made one of the more notable splashes in the past year. Second Life has been alternately celebrated and slammed. There was a big hoo-haa over Sony Home when it was first announced, as well. Second Life and Home aren't the only players in town, however. At the State of Play V conference this month, several other social virtual worlds were on display. They provided an interesting contrast to Second Life, in terms of the interfaces, environments, and growth plans. I am going to describe one of them here: Makena Technologies' There.com. There.com has an interesting history and experienced development team -- these are the same folks who have worked with the U.S. Army on military simulators and Virtual Laguna Beach for MTV. Nevertheless, There.com has had a constant struggle to get more recognition, and has lived in the shadow of Second Life. At State of Play, this was demonstrated during the opening night's entertainment, which featured a documentary ostensibly about virtual worlds, yet was almost entirely about one virtual world -- Second Life. READ IT ALL AT:
http://www.computerworld.com/blog...
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Written by Xavier Mohr
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Thursday, 23 August 2007 |
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When nearly 800 Second Life users hit Chicago this weekend for the third annual Second Life Community Convention, most will acknowledge it hasn't been a smooth ride lately for the virtual world. At last year's SLCC in San Francisco, Second Life was still viewed by mass media as a quirky hub for bizarre subcultures and utopian dreamers. But circumstances have changed. The Second Life that will be the centerpiece of 2007's SLCC, an event almost twice as large as its predecessor in terms of attendance, is facing a different public perception as the most written about and sometimes the most reviled virtual environment (even though it's by no means the most popular). READ IT ALL AT:
http://news.com.com/Second+Life,+after+the+backla...
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Written by Xavier Mohr
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Thursday, 23 August 2007 |
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By Chua Baizhen and Neil Chatterjee SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Once upon a time, people went to libraries to find books instead of surfing the Internet. Computer giant IBM now wants you to walk into three-dimensional Web worlds to browse virtual libraries. IBM sales representatives in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia will from Thursday staff the company's virtual Business Center in Second Life (www.secondlife.com), an online world where millions of participants create alter egos called avatars, buy property and interact with one another. "The real reason why we're doing this is because we do feel the beginning of a major transformation on how people are going to interact on the Web -- going from a flat to an immersive experience," said Maggie Blayney, director of Global Web Strategy & Innovation for ibm.com. READ IT ALL AT:
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/id...
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Written by Xavier Mohr
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Thursday, 23 August 2007 |
Aimee Weber virtual label gives a new look to the Web world’s avatarsBy IAN DAFFERN You are what you wear. Here in the real world, we create versions of our own idealized selves every day through our clothing choices, whether it's just-one-of-the-crowd business casuals or the coded dress of subculture tribes from punk to preppie. Online virtual worlds work on the same principle, except anything goes when it comes to clothing, which can be any imaginable colour, shape or texture. For that matter, so can your body, which can be transformed as you please. How the avatar that represents you and interacts with others onscreen looks is all part of the game in Second Life. Its world, run by San Francisco-based Linden Labs, now boasts over 8 million subscribers (it launched in 2003). It's also big business, as online transactions between users create a real economy, with over $1 million U.S. exchanged every month. As the options for the appearance of your virtual counterpart grow increasingly complex, who you are depends solely only on your programming skills – or your pocketbook. READ IT ALL AT:
http://www.nowtoronto.com/issues/2007-0...
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