In August Linden Lab announced their intentions to build SLim. Though specifics are still unclear, it is likely to be a ‘light client’ - filtering the social functions such as instant messaging from the full experience of Linden Labs main virtual world Second Life. This to create a more smooth, more accessible social platform, and [...]
Posted on: September 3, 2008 | 2 Comments »
One of my key interests in virtual reality, or virtual environments is the way it is able communicate an experience, linear immersive experiences (otherwise known as stories) in particular. We use stories for more than entertainment, stories hold tremendous value for social progress and preservation of culture (history), the industry (advertising), creativity and inspiration (fiction), [...]
Posted on: August 24, 2008 | No Comments »
It’s no wonder Linden Labs recently choose to hire former AOL Frank Ambrose to oversee work on scalability problems with Second Life, they had a vision. The above video shows a promotion for Q-Link, an America Online (AOL) enterprise. Social networks, ‘twitter’ (message boards), sharing and virtual worlds, its all there. Who said things have [...]
Posted on: August 12, 2008 | No Comments »
On the 25th of July Virtual Reality specialist Dr. Randy Pausch passed away. The remarkable story of his life ended with knowing he was about to die while in otherwise ‘perfect’ health. With his”Last Lecture” tour, Dr. Pausch inspired me and millions of others in ways of experience design, and a number of valuable lessons [...]
Posted on: July 26, 2008 | No Comments »
MTV and virtual worlds have a ‘thing going on’. Ever since 2006 their name frequently pops up in the media in connection to persistent online worlds. In 2006, the infamous ‘Laguna Beach‘ world was launched as a virtual world based on the Laguna Beach MTV series. But the MTV involvement with virtual environments just [...]
Posted on: July 25, 2008 | No Comments »
Following Google’s’ Lively, it is now the Electric Sheep Company’s (ESC) turn to reveal their browser-based virtual world: WebFlock. WebFlock is completely Flash Based unlike Lively, and their business model is very different as well.
“WebFlock is an application for private-labeled Web-based virtual experiences. It provides a visually immersive environment for social interaction, media consumption [...]
Posted on: July 18, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Good times for the research agencies. As more and more depends on predicting the outcomes of hypes and trends in the ever increasing phase of internet developments, companies become more and more insecure whether their investments are well spend. R&D departments need a more convincing pitch as they are competing amongst each other, - should [...]
Posted on: June 23, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Isn’t it ironic the industry which consistently struggles to monetize its digital content is the business with the highest potential to do so. Everyone producing content is starting to make money from it it seems, with the exception of the music industry who clamps desperately its retail model. They watch their income only drop on [...]
Posted on: June 19, 2008 | 2 Comments »
