Case Study: Intel's Embedded Conference in Second Life

IBM has been the only company to post a case study on meeting savings on  in Second Life.  This case study shows shifting a real life conference to a virtual world conference saved Intel 265,000 of their 300,000 budget (savings from air travel is not included in this amount).  

By using a little creativity and forward thinking companies do not have slash existing face to face conferences in these economic hard times.  Using Second Life vs. an internal program, non employees are able to attend.  Companies can meet their customers face to face or avatar to avatar.

Case Study

Announcing Helix Innovation Hive Event

You are invite you to learn about the NEW Helix Innovation Hive, an initiative that will help change the way you and your organization grow – not just survive – in the current economic environment, and beyond.

On June 25, from 7:30am to 10:00am, we are launching the Helix Innovation Hive and unveiling our first report, Virtual Worlds: A Universe of Opportunity.  It will be held at the Toronto Cricket Club, with a complimentary continental breakfast:

1. Introduction: Helix Innovation Hive
In these disruptive times, we live in a world of great change and uncertainty. There are two major themes of particular concern today:

                                                     a. Relentless Change in Unforgiving Times

                                                     Many organizations are striving to reinvent themselves in our volatile economic climate. How                                                            does your organization stay relevant to customers, while protecting its competitive edge, and                                                              spending more efficiently on innovation?

b. Uncertain Career Assurance and Growth
Have you had to rethink your professional growth trajectory in light of the economic downturn?  Helix’s Innovation Hive can help you develop and sustain your personal innovation leadership, while strengthening your network of professional contacts.

Helix continually has these conversations with our clients, partners and colleagues. We are responding to these challenges by starting a NEW social networking and research community to support innovation and networking at a grass roots level, with both face-to-face experiences and online communities.

2. Launch: Report on Virtual Worlds
Helix is launching its NEW report on Virtual Worlds, titled ‘Virtual Worlds – A Universe of Opportunity’ at the event. The report, based on a two-year comprehensive research program, is designed to offer insights into the universe of Virtual Worlds. The complete 152-page report is priced at $2,999. You will hear from the authors of this report and also see a demonstration of Helix’s new Virtual World Conference Center. The Conference Center was officially launched in Ottawa with the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) on May 19 at the CATA Innovation Gala.

Reserve today to hold your seat at this exclusive event. We have limited seating for 48 people. The deadline for reservations is June 10.

To RSVP
Contact Alex Watson at:
Phone: 647-477-6254
Email: alex@helixcommerce.com

Event Details
Date: June 25, 2009
Time: 7:30am to 10:00am
Location: Founders Room, Toronto Cricket Club
Address: 141 Wilson Ave., Toronto, Ontario;
Cost: None, complimentary continental breakfast will be served

The Helix team is looking forward to seeing you at our inaugural launch event of our NEW Helix Innovation Center and Virtual World offerings.

The Weather Island

Its taken me a long time to get around to checking out the skiing on the Weather channel.  What a scream.  I am however a much better skier in RL than I am in SL.  This is going to take a lot of practice.   I think maybe I should stick to the ski lodge.

RMB City in Second Life

     I spent time today on the RMB City Island in Second Life.  Grand opening was on January 10th 2009.   

RMB City is Second Life art community. This project is an experiment exploring the creative relationship between real and virtual space, and is a reflection of China's urban and cultural explosion. Grand Opening was January 10, 2009.

RMB City is developed by Cao Fei (SL: China Tracy) & Vitamin Creative Space. Facilitator: Uli Sigg (SL: UliSigg Cisse). Presenter: Serpentine Gallery.

After living in both China and Indonesia, I love seeing the ox pulling the broken truck cab.

Only in Second Life can you run a marathon in high heels.  

Education in Second Life

I have toured around to many universities in Second Life, the list is long.  Business, engineering, library, science, IT,  legal, and distance learning departments are just a few who are taking advantage of the Second Life platform.  The islands are being used for recruiting, training, teaching, lecturing, testing, and I have even talked in on meetings between professor and student in a virtual office of a professor, complete with credentials and family photos framed on the office wall.  One school of business even offers retail space for students to create an SL business using information they have learned in their courses.

Loyalist College in Ontario Canada is reporting that their testing scores have increased by 28% because of training and testing they are doing in SL for a border crossing patrol program they have.

Today an article was posted on the SL Blog by George Linden about yet another University entering Second Life.  The National Autonomous University of Mexico is the largest university in Latin America, with the Engineering School alone having 11 K students.  UNAM is currently building their campus in SL for Engineering School Distance Education Programs and also connecting with companies in the Real World to help take engineering design and training to the next level.

The island opens May 1st  SLURL (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Ingenieria%20UNAM/212/128/23) 

Upcoming Changes for Adult Content in Second Life

Second Life has always been an open environment where residents can explore and participate in a wide variety of activities.  This has created a rather large amount of content inworld that makes Second Life an amazing creative virtual world.  Along with this creativity has come a vast amount of "adult" and "fetish" content and activities.

Over the next few months, Linden Labs will be implementing some changes around Adult content to give all residents more control of how they manage their content.  They plan to create an environment where everyone can have control over their own personal preferences.

Their goal is to improve Second Life for everyone.

During the next few weeks Linden Labs will be seeing input from many segments of the SL community.  It will be interesting to see what is defined as "Adult".  It will also be interesting to see how they will verify age, will it only be according to credit card verification?  Many children have access to their parents card numbers.

The Helix Island and several other private islands are listed as PG sims.

Dr. Cindy Gordon - CIO Peer Forum

April 24th, Dr Cindy Gordon aka Sydni Lane in Second Life, will be speaking at the CIO Peer Forum in Toronto.  Her speech will be broadcast live in Second Life at the Helix Virtual Worlds Innovation Center http://slurl.com/secondlife/Bountiful/204/114/26

Nokia Island

I spent time today with Digistar Brouwer, manager of the Nokia Island.  Nokia has created some fun aps for inworld cell phones.  For several months I have been using a Nokia N95 phone that has a poofer that sends out blah blah blah, busy, and BRB.  It's a fun way to let other avatars in Second Life know that your avatar is busy.  The latest Nokia phone has a Twitter ap,  you can now send out your tweets while you are in Second Life.  

For some time now companies like Vodafone and Nokia have been using SL to have their communities send SMS messages to Real Live celll phones from SL.  I am anxiously awaiting the next virtual cell phone application that Nokia creates.

The N96 smart phone supports Second Life along with smart phones from Sony, Samsung, Ericcsson, Motorola and LG.  Second Life can now be run on more than 70 3G enabled handsets.

Science and Innovation in Virtual Worlds

One of my favorite islands in Second Life is the Tech Museum of Innovation, based in San Jose, CA.  After visiting the island several times in SL, I decided to use it as an example of innovation in my many virtual world presentations.  While teaching a workshop at KM World in San Jose last September, I was able to visit the Tech Museum in Real Life.  I was there a couple of days before the Leonardo exhibit was to open.  I was very impressed with the Second Life (Virtual Worlds) display that they have created.  I love the movement activity where you can stand, make motions and watch your avatar make the same motions.  The Millennials are the first generation to grow in virtual worlds, this exhibit is a great hands on environment for children of all ages to learn.

Helix Virtual Worlds Canadian Second Life Developer

Helix Virtual Worlds is a division of Helix Commerce.  We specialize in developing and building island experiences in Second Life, we are a full service consultancy with several web 2.0 experts on board.  We have a full team of designers and developers in Second Life to build, script and create your virtual world experience.

We have just finished our innovation center for hosting conference and will be opening it soon to the public.  You can search in Second Life under Helix or Innovation.

Helix is located in Toronto, Ontario Canada

Kaline Hax - Second Life Avatar

Kathryn Gibson

647 477 6254

April Fools Announcement - Second Life Behind Company Firewalls in Alpha Testing

April 1, 2009 Linden Labs announced  that their stand-alone version of Second Life solutions is available in alpha phase.  IBM, Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), New Media Consortium (NMC), Intel, and Northrop Gramman are all currently using this install.

This is a server solution that is completely independent of the main Second Life environment.

It's now in alpha phase with plans for a limited closed beta phase in the summer and general availability later this year. 

This is good news for those companies who like the 3D advantages of a virtual world experience but have concerns about the content that abides on Second Life.  Training sessions, client interactions, knowledge transfer and conferences can all be conducted behind a company firewall.

Looking forward to seeing more as the in the box, corporate solution for behind company firewalls becomes available. 

Hopefully this isn't a bad April fools joke.   

Parliament Building

Several months ago we created the parliament building.  Today we placed the building on the lower part of the Helix Commerce Island.  The parliament building will be an Ottawa landmark for our Innovation as a Nation Island.  Our building can be seen on Bountiful, Helix's Innovation Island.

CN Tower in Second Life

We have created the CN tower in Second Life.  This is the first Canadian landmark that we are building.  The Real Life Canadian Icon is located on Front Street in Toronto, Ontario and had maintained the title as the tallest free standing structure for 31 years.  The tower is still the largest building in the Americas.

You can visit the CN tower on the Helix Commerce Island named Bountiful.

Make me Look Beautiful Like my Avatar

Over the past year my avatar creating skills have increased greatly.  I have nipped and tucked; edited and purchased; and tossed my head about watching my new flexi hair flow.  ETD and Hairspray island have been a great resource for my many hair styles.  I recently heard a lot of laughter when I took a picture of my avatar Kaline Hax to my hair dresser and said, "can you make me look like her?"  I am now sporting the same hair cut as my avatar.  Now all I need is to edit 20 lbs from my middle and we would be twins, Kate and Duplikate.

It's Been a Whole Year of Second Life

It has been just over a year since the creation of my first avatar, ToriKate Beck. She was invited from Orientation Island to a meeting on Dr. Dobbs Island. ToriKate arrived at the meeting with her default Linden helmet hair, a tacky purple sweater and jeans. The other two attendees were gorgeous with their perfect long flowing hair, tailored fine clothing and freckled skin. I was invited to sit down and was given instructions to right click and select “sit” from my options available. I followed these directions but my avatar’s response was to plop herself down on the ground several feet away from her chair. It was after several more failed attempts and a case of the giggles before I was told to right click "on the chair" and select sit. I was totally exhausted before I planted ToriKate in her chair. Now on with this meeting.