Your Second Life is Ready

There's a very interesting new story over at Popular Science which talks about how more and more real life companies are looking at, and coming in to virtual worlds as a place to do business.

I predict that in the next 5 years, there will be an enormous blur between what we might call the "real" world and virtual worlds. Current technology is able to place your 3-D avatar in a virtual world, and let you interact with other people using not only sight, but with the help of a mic and speakers you can TALK to and HEAR the other people also. But wait! There's already more! Engineers at the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan are building an odour recorder capable of recording and playing back smell. When these devices are hooked up to your virtual world environment, that will bring a WHOLE new level of interaction!

So, here in Second Life, we already see big institutions like Wells Fargo Bank, Walmart, American Express, Intel, and others either already getting actively involved in Second Life, starting to provide corporate training through the virtual world, or testing out ways to "set up shop".

Why NOT run a bank outlet in a virtual world? People could log in from anywhere, "teleport" to the place of business, speak with (and hear) a real person (bank teller) who might actually be employed from anywhere on the planet, and maybe even in their pajamas!

Bands are already starting to sell their music through virtual jukeboxes in-world, people are selling virtual hair, clothes, houses, cars for the enjoyment of other avatars, people are meeting and socializing in virtual space before meeting in person.... "this is what MySpace WANTS to be". There are even companies like Electric Sheep who are in the business of setting up other companies with what they need to get going in these virtual worlds.

With the move toward more outsourcing, and third world countries getting online, you should expect to see more and more of them "going to work" by hopping online and teleporting to their jobs. Perhaps with in the year, it may be you!

For the full story in Popular Science, click here.

If you want to check out SecondLife, use this link.

If you sign up, and give the name Ashling Babka (that's me) as your "reference", then I will be notified when you log in, and can help you get started with your Second Life. :)