SECOND LIFE, ANYONE?

12 January 2007

IBM presents its latest consumer initiative

Computer giant IBM is attracting visitors to its exhibit at the International Consumer Electronics Show with a bold consumer initiative entitled "Second Life" - a subscription-based, 3-D fantasy world devoted to capitalism, described as a 21st century version of Monopoly that generates real money for successful players. More than 2.4 million people worldwide have Second Life avatars.

IBM announced plans this week to build virtual stores for Sears Holdings Corp. and Circuit City Stores Inc. in the popular online world. The partnerships could help IBM expand its consulting services to corporate clients interested in the growing number of people who belong to immersive online environments, also called the "3-D Internet," reports Associated Press.

At one point Monday afternoon, 22 000 avatars were logged onto Second Life, socialising by instant messages or engaging in virtual pastimes such as flying, dancing, gambling or watching adult videos, the news agency claims.

At the "Sears Virtual Home," avatars of IBM architects greeted guests with glasses of merlot and invitations to sit in recliners and watch flat-screen televisions in a fantasy home theater.

The idea is to help consumers see how Sears' refrigerators, televisions, counter tops, garage doors, storage cabinets and other products look in a 3-D environment. Visitors can swap cabinets with counter tops to determine which combination they like most, and they may follow links to purchase items from the Sears' main Web site.

Eventually, avatars will be able to type in precise room dimensions and come up with design ideas and even blueprints for kitchens, garages or home theaters.

In the Circuit City headquarters on Second Life, avatars could get information on products sold in real stores and configure couches and flat-screen televisions to see what might look best in their real-world living room. A "digital adviser" gave tips about moving the couch back or forward depending on the size of the monitor.

But it was not all plain sailing for IBM's initiative - on Monday, hundreds of avatars were naked and hairless following a software glitch resulting from the overload of so many users trying to participate at once. In September, the San Francisco-based company that runs Second Life, Linden Lab, warned that a security breach may have exposed subscribers' data, including credit card numbers and passwords.

IBM's chief technologist, Irving Wladawsky-Berger, acknowledged that virtual-world business is in the experimental stage.

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