Twinity Exclusive: THE SPIRIT enters Twinity

Sony Pictures and CineStar have teamed up to bring THE SPIRIT to Twinity, the 3D online world developed and operated by Metaversum. From 2 February, before the official movie release of this comic strip adaptation, Twinity’s community can look forward to a host of themed events, a competition, and the chance to win some exclusive prizes. A particular highlight is a THE SPIRIT mask, which enables its wearer to see virtual Berlin in the look of the movie.

Make sure you sign up for a FREE account in twinity – http://www.twinity.com

Berlin, 29 January 2009 – It’s the turn of a new masked superhero to enter the 3D online world Twinity: THE SPIRIT, the latest movie to be promoted by Sony Pictures and CineStar in Twinity’s virtual CUBIX cinema before the official movie release.

For the very first time, the Twinity 3D community can get into the spirit of the movie outside the cinema as part of the THE SPIRIT promotion. Wearing a THE SPIRIT mask transforms the entire online world into the look of the comic strip adaptation – in black-and-white and brilliant red. Twinity is inviting all its masked members to take part in a screenshot and machinima competition. The most creative photos or movies shot in THE SPIRIT look and submitted to contest@twinity.com by 28 February have the chance to win exciting themed prizes.

Movie Trailer The Spirit : 1 million + views – launching in Twinity, 3D online world Feb 2nd 2009

Citizens of the (virtual) world – itsReal

Barrack Obama in his speech in Germany – Heralded – People of the World, we are all citizens of the world he said.

Connecting to people all over the world is becoming more real everyday and technologies that are spawning within and from virtual worlds make these connections tangible and REAL.

The hype that surrounded Second Life has diminished – hype can last for so long, however because of the hype entrepreneurs the life blood of business innovation, have seized the opportunities that Second Life offered and are now delivering platforms, applications and services that lead to global citizens working intimately together across distances that previously were unimaginable.

Fully animated avatars that have been perceived as impostors, pretenders of who they really are, are being replaced with Fully Animated Avatars of who you really are, if in business then who you are on LinkedIn, if more social, then who you are on Facebook. One such platform is Twinity

It is now time for Business, corporates companies all over the world to realize that Virtual World Technology is Real, Virtual Worlds coupled with Web 2.0 social applications and existing technologies are allowing for connectivity that could mean less travel, less cost, less time away from families, less harm to the environment, even less fatigue.

I recently was told of how IBM’s implementation of virtual worlds within IBM had achieved greater collaboration and I can only conclude that this has lead to alot less expenditure by IBM and decisions made faster, without the need to travel away from love ones.

Victor Keegan of The Guardian wrote an article titled We’ll all be citizens of the virtual world he concluded with….

Virtual worlds are only just beginning. During a period of financial collapse and worries about global warming, they could prove an ideal safe haven.

I suggest to you virtual wolds have begun – time is now for business to embrace and not wait.

You can be a real citizen in a Virtual World.

Lively versus Facebook, says Gartner – Metaverse Tribune

The Metaverse Tribune – Lively versus Facebook, says Gartner

Gartner has released a report on Google’s Lively which argues that Lively is more of a competitor to social networks such as Facebook than to established, large-scale virtual worlds such as Second Life. Steve Prentice, author of the report (whom is also presenting at the Virtual Worlds Forum in October), argues that Lively occupies a ‘middle ground’ between traditional social networking sites and full-blown virtual worlds. He cites Lively’s room metaphor, as opposed to Second Life’s whole world. Further, Lively lacks an economy and only has limited content creation options.

In some ways he is right. Lively is perhaps best described at present as visual chat, and certainly doesn’t match up to the vast functionality offered by rivals such as Second Life and Twinity. In that sense it does have more in common with social networking websites than it does with other virtual worlds: it is perhaps easier to see a user going into a Lively room to chat to their friends instead of using Facebook than it is to see a user enjoying Second Life as a substitute for Facebook.

However, I would argue that all virtual worlds are competitive with all social networking sites. The 2D web and the 3D metaverse are just different ways of doing the same thing: communicating over the internet. Beyond even that, though, it seems to me that the two will merge. We are already seeing this with Facebook. Applications such as Vivaty sit on top of the social graph which Facebook provides. The virtual world and the social networking site will become two different interfaces to the same use case. And that’s also what Prentice is arguing: ‘We believe this could mark the start of a transition to a new kind of three-dimensional social Web.’

The Watch – TOP 10 virtual worlds in the news – Courtesy MVJ – itsReal

About MVJ…

The Metaverse Journal is a site devoted to bringing an Australian perspective to virtual worlds. Launched in November 2006, we believe that virtual worlds at the very least may bring a new approach to internet-based interaction, and we want to cover their evolution. Virtual worlds may provide some of society’s biggest opportunities and greatest challenges in coming years – it’s an area worth keeping informed about.

Lowell Cremorne – Editor in Chief

February, 2008

1. The Washington Post – Spies’ Battleground Turns Virtual. “U.S. intelligence officials are cautioning that popular Internet services that enable computer users to adopt cartoon-like personas in three-dimensional online spaces also are creating security vulnerabilities by opening novel ways for terrorists and criminals to move money, organize and conduct corporate espionage Ex-Spies-Corporate-Work Jan-08 ”.

2. CNN Money – Pointing The Way To New Web Worlds. “You can sling from one Web to another in business these days. The so-called Web 2.0 technologies that gave birth to consumer blogs, social networks and other ways to offer product advice are weaving their way into the corporate world”.

3. CNET – Teen virtual world goes Hollywood. “Habbo, a virtual world for teens, signed a deal with the William Morris Agency, one of Hollywood’s oldest and largest talent agencies. As part of the deal, WMA will promote its celebrity sports and entertainment clients within the digital world and help Habbo forge new promotional partnerships in Hollywood”.

4. ClickZ – MinyanLand Virtual World Aims to Teach Kids Finance. “Teaching kids financial responsibility can be fun and advertisers should come along for the ride, say the creators of MinyanLand, a virtual world for kids. Launched January 30, MinyanLand is the result of the National Council on Economic Education, financial infotainment company Minyanville and family site network Kaboose, coming together to try and educate children in grades three to six about the importance of financial responsibility and thrifty spending. Unlike several other virtual worlds targeting the kids market, including Disney’s Club Penguin, Minyanland does not require a subscription fee to participate, according to Kevin Wassong, president of Minyanville”.

5. ABC Science (Australia) – Bionic lens spies virtual world. “Engineers say they have combined a flexible contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights for the first time. The ‘bionic’ lens could give wearers a new look at the world by superimposing computerised images onto their natural view. Such virtual displays could be useful to drivers and pilots, who could have route, weather or vehicle status information overlaid onto their vision. Video game players could immerse themselves in a virtual world without restricting their range of motion”.

6. CNN – For online addicts, relationships float between real, virtual worlds. “Think of online video game addiction and what probably comes to mind is a socially awkward adolescent. But teens are not the only ones who get addicted. Consider Zach Elliott, who lives in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, is in his mid-40s, and plays Final Fantasy XI, an online role-playing game. About three years ago, he says, “there were people in my real life that sort of vanished into this game, and I followed them into it””.

7. FOX Business – Multiverse Unveils Virtual Times Square. “The Multiverse Network, Inc., the company building the leading network of 3D virtual worlds, today unveiled Virtual Times Square, a true-to-life digital recreation of one of the world’s most famous metropolitan environments”.

8. CIO.com – Companies Explore Virtual Worlds As Collaboration Tools. “For emergency responders working along Interstate 95, accidents aren’t a game; they’re a way of life (and death). So it seemed odd to a group of firefighters, cops and medics when researchers from the University of Maryland suggested it use a virtual world to collaborate on training for rollovers, multicar pileups and life-threatening injuries”.

9. TrainingZone.co.uk – View to a Kill: Training in Virtual Worlds. “Learning and training are likely to be the ‘killer application’ for computer-generated 3D worlds such as Second Life, delegates heard at the Learning Technologies event in London last week. Capgemini consultant Marco Tippmer made the claim during a session on the hype and realities of the latest training technology. We have been here before, he admitted, during the ‘virtual reality 1.0′ bust in the early 1990s, when lack of sufficient computing power undermined expectations surrounding touch-sensitive gloves and immersive 3D headsets”.

10. ZDNet UK – Nortel: Virtual worlds may replace the office. “Nortel Networks is looking to the next generation of employees to shape the workplace of tomorrow, and high on its agenda is exploring the role of Web 2.0 technologies and virtual worlds such as Linden Lab’s Second Life”.

What is Second Life – Philip Rosedale & Cory Onedrejka – itsReal

I came across this video (runs smoothly on my new MacBook) which runs for One Hour so sit back and relax and See what Second Life is all about !

Since its recording, Second Life now runs on 4400 + servers (250,000 sq kilometers) and the economy generates about USD 40 Million + per month.

TIPS on Creating a business in Second Life are a plenty.

I think Cory only wears Stripped Shirts…

The Video contains alot of GEEK talk, sorry but the audience is responsible for the Questions. Search in SL has always been a problem, even today at the latest Nexus 2007 Event (which was awesum) Cory is still looking for a talented search expert, applications are still open for a SEARCH guru, contact Cory direct.

You can be Killed in Second Life…Only virtually…and unlike the Real world you don’t loose everything, now that sounds Awesum. Second Life has stringent Parental Controls, so breath EASY parents. Also try to stay away from the CORNFIELD, it’s SL’s penal colony where u get sent if you misbehave in SL.

For budding singers, Live Music is available in SL every night…via shoutcast technology, singers collect tips and sell CD’s…a homeless person (with friends that have broadband) raised money to get a new apartment…

Final Comment: After viewing the video, any doubts you have about whether SL is here to stay will be completely erased…Second Life is an emerging new WORLD which is setting the landscape for unimaginable opportunities and freedom – itsReal

Video Source: Google Video

EVENT Second Life: Silicon Island ITE2007 – April 20 – 22 – itsReal

Silicon Island announces International Technology Expo 2007

 

“Honoring Excellence in SL Technology”

The International Technology Expo (ITE) on Silicon Island is dedicated to showcasing over 40 of the finest business related SL products that either improve RL business operations, or improve a RL company’s access to a target market in SL. Products include Telecommunications, Construction Tools, Web-Based Interactive Linking Systems, Content Management Tools, Marketing & Advertising Systems, and 3rd Party Innovations.

“ITE’07 is dedicated to showcasing the most innovative in technology products and services created by its residents for your business and personal needs.”

As well as extensive exhibition halls, to satisfy your Tshirt-grabbing needs, you can expect a full programme of lectures, product launches, demos and discussions. But if you find that thought too earnest and worthy, you might be more interested in the concerts and parties. The programme is not yet finalised but is set to include:

• Friday April 20 noon to 6:00 pm SLT 7:00 PM EXPO CONCERT – John Legend
• Saturday April 21 noon to 6:00 pm SLT 7:00 PM EXPO CONCERT – Black Eyed Peas

Full Agenda Click HERE

Exhibitor List Click HERE

Press Release: ITE 2007

Virtual Worlds – A Positive MTV & Pepsi Report from CNET News

MTV goes ‘4D’ with virtual-worlds push

At N.Y. marketing conference, the cable network touted its game plan for melding content from MTV shows with fully 3D virtual worlds.

By Daniel Terdiman
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Published: March 29, 2007, 4:00 AM PDT

NEW YORK–It already has one of the most valuable brand names in television. Now MTV is hoping it can repeat that success as a marketing leader in virtual worlds.

That was the cable giant’s message during a three-part keynote address Wednesday morning at the Virtual Worlds 2007 conference here.

The company is calling its new cross-platform strategy “4D.” Essentially, the approach will attempt to combine content from MTV Networks’ television shows with fully 3D virtual worlds and then put it all through a feedback loop in which people can interact with TV personalities and create content that becomes part of the shared experience.

“We really believe that this is going to profoundly change the ways that brands like MTV interact with their audience,” said Matt Bostwick, senior vice president for franchise development at MTV Networks’ Music Group. “There’s no tight storyline you’re following. It’s an open experience.”

Virtual Worlds – A Positive Report from the Chicago Tribune

Cutting edge tech makes the virtual world your oyster
by Stevenson Swanson
Chicago Tribune (MCT)
31 March 2007

From being a flat presence on a computer screen, the Web is rapidly morphing into a three-dimensional virtual world.

Powered by such popular social-networking sites as Second Life and There.com, where users represent themselves with animated figures called avatars, virtual technology is finding a host of new applications that are likely to prove as revolutionary as the rapid rise of the Internet a decade ago.

From holding virtual training meetings with employees to visiting your doctor for a 3-D check-up or spending time in a virtual Elizabethan world to learn about Shakespeare’s plays, the possibilities for virtual technology are unpredictable but almost limitless, according to business executives, tech-savvy designers, and marketing consultants.

“This is going to be one freaky-deaky 21st century,” said Jerry Paffendorf, the “resident futurist” at the Electric Sheep Co., which designs virtual world projects for businesses. “The amount of technological change in the next 10 years is going to equal the entire last century. We’re not going to use that technology to send e-mail faster. We’re going to use it to build virtual worlds.”

As one measure of the recent explosive growth of these online worlds, Second Life has grown to more than 5 million registered users, up from 1.4 million in November. In that virtual adult playground, avatars chat, attend concerts, buy virtual cars and clothes with virtual money called Linden dollars, and even have simulated sex.

But such activities barely scratch the surface of the three-dimensional Web, according to speakers and some of the 600 attendees at the first-of-its-kind Virtual Worlds Conference, held last week at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan.

Robert Gehorsam, president of Forterra Systems Inc., said that with improvements in technology, virtual worlds could be used to train new employees and allow them to practice job skills. Nurses need several hundred hours of on-the-job training after they graduate from nursing school, but working such trainees into the hectic operations of a hospital can be difficult, he said.

“If you can train nurses on shift-change communication, or the right drug, you’re going to reduce the number of preventable deaths,” said Gehorsam, whose company adapts commercial game technology for the government and medical and corporate clients.

One nonprofit group that has started to tap the potential of virtual worlds is the American Cancer Society, which has held two “Relay for Life” fundraising events “in world,” as denizens of the 3-D Web refer to events in the virtual world. Second Life users made pledges for their avatars, who took part in the runs. At a cost of only $1,200 to rent space on the site, the cancer society raised more than $46,000. It hopes to realize $75,000 at this year’s relay.