Travel to Galapagos Without Jet Lag

Traveling to Galapagos is on my “someday” wishlist. I’ve heard the wildlife and environment there are spellbinding. The travel, however, is long, expensive, and requires special permits.

Annie Ok offers an alternative, however, through her environmental design where she has created a virtual Galapagos in Second Life. Annie’s creations may not be enough to appease those of us that want to visit Galapagos, but they are quite breathtaking in their own digital right. You can see a full set of images on Flickr or visit Galapagos in Haenim, Second Life. Otherwise, maybe I’ll see you in the real Galapagos someday.

Second Lifer’s Real Life Slips Away

This clever video narrates the story of Molotov Alva who “disappeared from his California home,” and reappeared in Second Life, an online virtual world. Alva describes how he came to existence in Second Life, trying on various clothing styles and even body shapes, before resting on one closely resembling his real life appearance. He has created a garden of photographs from his life before the virtual world to help him remember where he came from.

Whether taken seriously or tongue-in-cheek, this video shows how quickly one is able to shift their existence. Are those that immerse themselves in Second Life, removing themselves from real life? How are their relationships being affected? Since the video is titled “Episode 1,” I eagerly await the subsequent editions. This looks like a story worth watching to see if Alva returns to California.

Hello… My Name Is WWW

Thank goodness Coldwell Banker has decided to sell real estate in virtual world Second Life. I guess I can cancel that benefit concert for avatar homelessness.
Coldwell’s virtual properties will sell for about $20 U.S., but they aren’t looking to make money on it. Like most businesses venturing in to Second Life, they are hoping to get attention online from a new market segment that can be converted to real world customers.

Are we becoming a society that is online first, real world second? Many companies have made big names for themselves through ecommerce (think Amazon, eBay, Expedia), and the past few years have seen a surge in online socialization (think MySpace, Facebook, Second Life).

Most actions that would have previously caused us to interact face-to-face are now being automated online. Highly targeted online advertising is all the rage.
As our real and virtual lives become more intertwined, will we still be active in the real world? Likewise, as electronic advertising takes over, will the real world be less cluttered with “clever” messaging? I, for one, would just like to be human again.

Media Loves Second Life

I admit it. I’m obsessed with Second Life. Not as a participant, mind you. I’ve spent very little time in its virtual world. Rather I am boggled by the concept and its media attention. Here are just a few of the latest headlines:

Second Life's looming tax threat

Does Your Business Need a Second Life?

How I Did It: Philip Rosedale, CEO, Linden Lab

In a virtual world, an actual job may be waiting (see my post entitled Job Seekers Need Not Leave Second Life)

New Portal to Second Life: Your Phone

That’s quite a buzz. The first article, Second Life's looming tax threat, discusses the possibility of government taxing on money earned in Second Life, which has quite a bustling economy. Among the ideas for taxing is leaving Linden dollars untaxed, but taxing the U.S. dollars equivalent when cashed out. I have little doubt that taxation will occur in the future. Income earned on the Internet is still income. Earnings from eBay must be reported to the government; Second Life will follow.

Visitors are doing more than just socializing in Second Life, or at least businesses hope they are. Companies are setting up virtual shops, including Second Life as part of their marketing strategy. An auto company lets avatars test drive cars. Recruiting firms are conducting virtual job interviews. These businesses are hoping to create enough buzz in the virtual world to increase their reach in the real world.

What is it about Second Life that has made it so popular and, for some, lucrative? What is the draw for consumers to spend time in Second Life?

Job Seekers Need Not Leave Second Life

An advertising agency plans to recruit employees through Second Life according to In a Virtual World, an Actual Job May Be Waiting, an article posted by Reuters yesterday. I’ll wait while you re-read that.

Ready to continue? Okay.

For quite a while job seekers have enjoyed the ability to search and apply for jobs via the Internet thanks to sites like Careerbuilder and Monster. TMP Worldwide is going further by planning job fairs in a virtual world called Second Life.

The idea is that the recruiter will use an avatar to interview job candidates through their avatars. (For those unfamiliar with Second Life, an avatar is the virtual character created by a user- kind of like playing dolls, but for grown-ups with computers and evidently too much time on their hands.)

Avatar-to-avatar interviewing spawns a slew of questions: Does standard interview attire still apply? Will there be a specialty Second Life clothing store for navy blue pinstripe suits and pearls?

More importantly, can the recruiter get a good sense of the interviewee’s real life personality and skills through a Second Life avatar? Assuming the interviewee must reveal their true identity as the interview process progresses, how do they separate their real life from their Second Life?

If you partake in a Second Life interview, please let me know how it works. As for me, I’m still here in my chair and there is mounting evidence that I can stay here for a very long time.


Related Links:
In a Virtual World, an Actual Job May Be Waiting
Second Life