Google Lively Challenges Second Life

Google Announced a new 3D chat room service. I have written before on the creation of the secret Google 3d Virtual World. It was once known as Google My World but has now been relaunched as Lively.

The “Lively” service is free to use and a definate threat to Second Life. Not so much in itself but in what it may become. Lively requires a packet of software.

Lively Integrates with Facebook and Myspace

Applications are already being developed for use on Facebook and Myspace. We are all expecting an integration of “Lively” and Google “Earth” with Google “Maps”. Wouldn’t that be something? Tie in web based colloboration and document processing applications and you have a revolutionary concept. For now there are no plans for advertising in Lively. As in Second Life Google’s Lively will allow avatars to change their appearance and visually convey emotions. Users can create different regions and decorate rooms which can play streaming music and video.

Google Lively Customizations include:

1. Avatar animations

2. Avatar Clothes

3. Avatar appearance

4. Colors

5. Furniture

6. Rooms and Places

Google tested Lively for several months with Arizona State University students. You can download Lively for yourself. Check out this short YouTube Video on Lively:

Google Lively is currently only available only for Windows requiring Windows Vista/XP with Internet Explorer or Firefox and draws definate comparisons to the other Top 10 Online Virtual 3D Worlds.

There are quite a few Popular Lively Rooms already created some with very unique designs.