LetsBuyIt Blog

I was very happy to read on the BBC website that finally two big players are doing something unique to our awesome avatars: “double” them! IBM and Linden Lab of SecondLife are cooperating to make the avatars universally transferable. Universal Login Programs taken to the next level!

The first step of the project is to create a system where characters can move between universes. Eventually Avatars created in a Virtual Universe, like Second Life, can be used, or doubled, in other virtual worlds by copying parts of the codes. “While the character’s appearance may change depending on where it is taken, its basic characteristics, such as looks and underlying personal data, would be retained,” is stated in the BBC.

Eventually my personal Hasselhoff will roam the entire cyberspace and if things go well, David can go for a pedicure in Barbie World after having gone wild on World of Warcraft. Just what you need!

If those 30 cyberspaces are not enough, you might just want to easily create your own 3D world, with the newly published Metaplace, developed by Raph Koster. Just don’t be surprised if avatars, like the one of Dr. William Bainbridge, Head of Human-Centred Computing at the US National Science Foundation, are trying to engage you in strange conversations because they just want to analyze you: It is too tricky to find real “subjects” as he puts it. From geek to subjects?! Interesting!

We went yesterday to the presentation of Skaaz, a new platform of intelligent avatars! Those avatars - apart from their very funny look and their customization possibilities - are most of all real interactive agents that you can use on different supports: blogs, sites, mySpace or even msn! No need to answer on msn any more, your Skaaz will do it instead!!

Skaaz is unfortunately available only in French right now, but hopefully it will soon learn how to speak english!

Skaaz uses Virtuoz’ technology, a specialist in the creatio of virtual agents for professional. Travel agencies or financial websites already have their own agents to replace helpdesks or acquire new clients!

I am at the moment ‘educating’ LetsBuyIt’ Skaaz; as soon as he is ready, I’ll introduce it to you!

“A virtual representation of a person or a person’s interactions with others in a virtual environment, conveying a sense of someone’s presence (known as telepresence) by providing the location (position and orientation) and identity; examples include the graphical human figure model, the talking head, and the real-time reproduction of a three-dimesional human image”.

Apart from the virtual worlds’ trend such as Second Life I was talking about, Avatars seem to be the other fashion feature of the Internet (which is actually used a lot in virtual worlds).
A lot of websites offer users to create their own avatars from a predefined model: change clothes and small physical specificities like hair or eye color for example. Those avatars can be used in the website where they have been created, in addition with community features and also integrated in a virtual world like Zwinky and its new Zwinktopia:

From Avatars: www.zwinky.com

To Virtual World integration:

A lot of websites offering avatar creation now make this service paying, and people can then use their own customized avatars on their personal websites, on eBay, or on any other support.

What I couldn’t find during my researches was one offering to create an avatar from your own image or picture.. Any idea?

As promised, I continued my trip around Second Life for the past few days. I think I’m really getting addicted now - have bought a few stuffs, talked with people, flew and even lost my hairs!
Meanwhile, I have visited a lof of ‘companies islands’, like Adidas, IBM or Toyota. I’m very impressed by the huge inerest comanies are now having in owning their own islands in SecondLife’s virtual world. Launching of a new product (last Toyota, last Dior jewel collection, etc), creating a corporate island (IBM, Adidas, etc) or even trying to win a presidential election (candidates of lately french presidential election for example), advertising on Second Life seems to be the latest trend!

Dior’s island, Belladone, looks like a jewel iself!

For a small rent to the owners of Second Life, those brands can reach millions of people to make buzz around their products and islands.
Is it really efficient and are prices gonna raise for professional users? Lt’s see in the next few months..

Ok, I may be a little bit late, but I’m finally part of it!
Result: after a 20 minutes first try.. I don’t understand a lot of things! Ok, I had a lot of fun creation my character, but I must confess that once in the middle of nowhere next to a castle with some other people, I had no idea what I could possibly do!!
How do you manage your first steps into this world if you don’t have a few hours to reade the user guide, explanations or other comments??

Come on, I’ll have a new try next week-end!