News today from Second Life (the virtual world) creator Linden Lab and IBM - for the first time they 'teleported' a group of avatars from Second Life into another virtual world.
Why does this matter? It opens up a glimpse of the 3D Internet that's so often talked about.
Just as you can currently surf between different websites with your browser, IBM and Linden Lab's research means you'll one day be able to create a single virtual identity represented through one avatar and jump between virtual worlds at will.
The potential for brands is enormous. Rather than buy products from a '2D' website, you will be able to walk down the aisles of a virtual store.
Something that's possible now, but not without downloading software and creating a different avatar every time. In future, your virtual you will be able to do all your online shopping for you.
And while a lot of brand efforts in Second Life last year got the cold shoulder for being perceived to be too intrusive, this set-up offers a much greater chance of success. Just as you might be on Facebook in the morning and amazon in the afternoon, your avatar could be in world A to hang out and then go to world B to shop.
It's also thought provoking when it comes to the whole issue of submerging your identity into an avatar and emigrating into the digital space. Don't like Second Life? Never mind, you can take that virtual persona you are increasingly identifying with and go and 'live' somewhere else.
Photo - Rosefirerising
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