Category: Virtual Reality
The Ten Tech Trends that will define 2007
By definition, technology is always evolving faster than any expert can keep up with it, no matter how much of a boffin they are. But right now, in 2007, the pace of change feels more rapid than ever.
Around us, consumer technology products are evolving, converging and spawning new gadgets like mad. Simply keeping up with the main developments is an exhausting (not to mention expensive) process. Still, that doesn’t stop us trying. In recent weeks, I’ve been analysing the ten consumer technology trends that I think are going to be most interesting in the second half of 2007.
Are brands getting bored of Second Life?
Every big brand wants to be a part of Second Life. Fashion firms, technology companies and media organisations are rushing to set up shop in Linden Labs’ virtual world faster than you can say ‘make me an avatar, no, not with a furry green todger’. Right?
AjaxLife: Get to Second Life via your web browser
The big problem with Second Life, for me, is that I’ll have to upgrade my computer if I really want to spend time there. The processor demands of the Second Life application have reduced my (admittedly underpowered) desktop to a whirring shambles.
IWOOT opens up in Second Life
Gadget retailer iwantoneofthose.com has opened up shop today in Second Life.
The store is housed on the IWOOT island and the firm say it’s the first within the virtual world that lets you buy over the counter with Second Life’s currency Linden Dollars rather than be pushed to an outside website to make the purchase.
As well as buying real products to be posted to customers at home, the shop will also sell virtual versions of popular IWOOT gizmos to be used in the online community. It was launched in 2003 by Linden Lab and has more than seven million registered users living an alternative existence there each day…
MySpace loses ground in Britain
IT'S no surprise but MySpace is starting to feel the heat from Bebo and Facebook in the UK. New figures on social networking in Britain show the Rupert Murdoch-owned site under pressure to attract new audiences and to hold onto…
Get set for Europe's first Virtual Worlds conference
Hang on a minute, if you’re holding a conference to talk about virtual worlds, shouldn’t it be held in Second Life or World of Warcraft? I daresay there’ll be some whizzy virtuality happening around the European Virtual Worlds Forum in October, but it’s a real-world event too, taking place in London.
Scientists invent immersive 3D video system
Or, to give it its full name, the Telexistence Wide-angle Immersive STEReoscope.
Fortunately, it has a shorter nickname – TWISTER.
2007 Tech Trends No. 4: Virtual Reality
Fourth in a series of posts highlighting Tech Digest’s pick of big technology trends for the second half of 2007…
Sadly, old-skool virtual reality isn’t going to make a comeback anytime soon, despite the joys of heading down the arcade to put on a big visor and flail about while a sniggering crowd looks on.
Pet Shop Boys Go Fest – in Second Life
The world’s finest pop/dance/social commentators are performing a concert in Second Life at the end of the month, according to accidental internet revelations.
50 Cent sets up shop in virtual world Zwinktopia
Second Life isn’t the only virtual world in town, y’know. The success of Linden Labs’ world (well, the media hype surrounding it) has spawned a series of rivals all hoping to cash in on virtuality. One is Zwinktopia, which has just signed a deal for rapper 50 Cent to open his own boutique there.
