InterSection Unlimited news

InterSection Unlimited has recently released a version of their Second Life to Real Life Gateway product called ChatBridge, that can now connect with public IM clients. Check out this entry from Hunter Glass' Second Life Business Magazine, where you can see how a ChatBridge customer used their cellphone to talk to a client in Second Life.

Way to go, Chase, for your part in creating the scripts that make Parsec a reality in Second Life. Thanks also goes to Dizzy Banjo for coming up with the concept and the score and also to Eshi Otawara for creating its dreamlike environment. PARSEC is an interactive instrument that allows you to control music and objects using your voice in Second Life. As described by Hamlet Au in New World Notes, "Parsec-- both an open source project and a kind of immersive musical instrument-- may change Second Life forever. Then again, it's also something that might change several things in the world outside." Parsec is being discussed on a myriad of different blogs out there, but you can go here to stay abreast of all Parsec happenings.

Congratulations to Pup Witherspoon, who was awarded the title of Miss SL Costa Rica. The article in the SL newspaper is an interview of Pup, and it reveals what an amazing person she is. We will be wishing her the best as she goes on to compete for Miss SL Universe. I should mention that Pup performed our build of InterSection Island.

As described in the Virtual Worlds News, China has big plans for virtual worlds in mid-2008. The China Recreation District (CRD) is a partnership between private industry and the Chinese government that "by the end of 2010 plans to bring 150 million middle-class Chinese people and companies into their virtual world platform." Given how currently Second Life rarely exceeds 50,000 concurrent users, I find these numbers for CRD incredible. Of course you might say, well that is the end of 2010, but no matter what, virtual worlds will be changing the way we think, work, play and purchase products. And it isn't going to take 10 years to see this, maybe not even two or three.

This Facebook/Second Life metaXLR8 blog entry brings up some very interesting concepts. The Second Life link Facebook application that creates a link between Second Life and Facebook contact networks is very cool. Of course at this point it isn't possible to do too much on the Second Life side, but the future looks hopeful with OpenSim, Croquet and all other applicable virtual worlds gaining in popularity. Ning is also mentioned, and given their involvement with OpenSocial, I'd be very interested to see a link between Second Life and OpenSocial.

The Tech Virtual Museum (http://thetechvirtual.org/) invites scientists, artists, SL and RL inventors to create exhibits for The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA. The virtual museum in Second Life is definitely worth checking out. I had a great time trying out the drum sequencer, which is a fun memory game. Take a look at the web site as well, because you can create your own project or get involved in some of the interesting and existing projects. These best virtual exhibit concepts are eligible for cash prizes and will be codeveloped as real exhibits for the physical museum. This is an excellent example of blending real life and Second Life in a useful and intriguing way.