A Lively World For Google

Today we have the announcement that Google is launching a virtual world ‘Lively’. The new initiative will pose as Google’s answer to Second Life, where users can indulge in an alter ego life through a user-created avatar.

Google thinks Lively will encourage even more people to dive into alternate realities because it isn't tethered to one website like Second Life, and it doesn't cost anything to use. After installing a small packet of software, a user can enter Lively from other websites, like social networking sites and blogs.

So what are the implications for the future? Well one could argue that, as Google’s main mission is to provide information to web users, we may all, one day, access our information in virtual environments. Will we see the virtual Wikipedia Grand Library where we access user generated information (in a beautifully constructed virtual building) with our avatars and discuss our findings in the Wikipedia Café situated next door? Rather than inputting text into a search engine will we put our questions to a virtual character at the Google Information Centre?

How about the marketing sphere? While wandering around the virtual world could we see animated billboards contain adverts meant directly for you, based on information stored on your avatar?

P.R. businesses may see a shift in how campaigns are delivered. We all know the problems one can have with conference calling, we may one day see journalist interviews take place in a virtual meeting room with avatars representing each party. Product launches taking place in a virtual town hall where all can come and be privy to new information.

Already social networking and blogging are at the forefront of how people receive their daily information, putting a face and a 3d, interactive, world to that is surely just around the corner. Alternate realities? I think Google are being modest, this may soon be reality for us all