Google’s Lively.com is to Second Life, as Orkut is to MySpace

Tuesday, July 8th, 2008 by Andy Beal

Google’s Lively.com is to Second Life, as Orkut is to MySpace

A little under two years ago, I sat down with Google’s Niniane Wang and had a very interesting "off the record" conversation. Despite the secrecy, she wouldn’t tell me much about the secret social media project she was working on. Fast forward to today, and she’s announcing Google’s new Lively.com.

A while ago, I looked around the social web and wished that it could be less static. Sure, you can leave a comment on a blog or write a text blurb on your social networking profile. But what if you want to express yourself in a more fun way, with 3D graphics and real-time avatar interactions? I started asking this question as a 20% project, and I’m excited to announce today’s release of Lively by Google – a 3D virtual experience that is the newest addition to Google Labs.

Lively is still very much a "beta"–actually a Google Labs project–so you shouldn’t expect much from it. What you will find is a chat room with some cute 3D graphics that feels a lot like what you’d expect if Second Life and Zwinky had a child.

If it weren’t for the genius of Niniane, I’d place Lively in the same consignment bin as Orkut. Instead, you can tell me if you think Lively rocks or sucks. This video might help:

P.S. Remember that double-secret Arizona State University social networking project, we reported on last year? Yeah, Google was behind it, and Lively is the result.

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22 comments on “Google’s Lively.com is to Second Life, as Orkut is to MySpace”

Chris Bartow Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 6:48 pm

I wanted to try it but I get “Server login error.”
PS3 Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 7:01 pm

I’m not sure why I am embarrassed to say it but the video looks cool. Any inside info on a public release date?
Andy Beal Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 7:37 pm

@PS3 – I believe it’s live.
Beginner Yoga Exercises Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 7:53 pm

It doesn’t look too bad, I’m not sure if it will compare well to second life.
Utah SEO Pro Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 8:40 pm

Looks sweet. I wonder if Second Life users will convert? Likely not, might take awhile to get it mainstream.

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Erik Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 8:51 pm

Doubtful if it’s going to take over secondlife, but I always like to see a company in my portfolio trying to expand their reach into profitable realms.

Oh and it’s live, you can sign up by following the link. Wonder if they’ll integrate my avatar with all other google products and let me merge it into my Mii?

Erik’s last blog post..Please Bear With the Dust
MB Web Design Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 9:32 pm

Cue the non-technorati making some throwaway reference to people needing a life let alone a second one…

Despite being a technophile I can’t really see this being a profitable venture or a viable competitor to second life, it seems like a fun side project for Google but nothing more. I suppose they have the disposable income to throw at frivolities like this…
exis Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 9:56 pm

the cuteness really lured me in..but as i found out this is more a revamped habbo rather than second life. chat, animations, make a room, invite your friends to do the same. that’s about the extent it. i’m pretty baffled as to why it is constantly being referred to a threat to sl – this is not user created content.

p.s. chris: add @gmail.com to your login name. i spent a good ten minutes waiting for the nonexistent “server error” to be repaired
Lively.com? What the F**k Is Google Thinking? » David Risley Says:

July 8th, 2008 at 10:04 pm

[...] we have Lively, a new virtual reality site which, as Andy Beal puts it, will be the the Orkut to Second [...]
Top Rated Digital Says:

July 9th, 2008 at 12:46 am

Google goes Gamer? Is there anything these guys won’t try?

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Cars blog Says:

July 9th, 2008 at 2:25 am

wow cool
Now they are going to dominate in this field too.
Monopoly everywhere

Cars blog’s last blog post..Sony MEXR1 Car DVD Player Review
Nick Stamoulis Says:

July 9th, 2008 at 6:11 am

This is going to be huge for people that have time! )
Nicole Price Says:

July 9th, 2008 at 6:54 am

Nick – exactly. Not for me, no thanks. I think that they are already too late.

Nicole Price’s last blog post..Top Selling Albums of All Time
Ashley Says:

July 9th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

the disclamer of “Server login error” appears any time I am trying it
Torrence Says:

July 9th, 2008 at 2:54 pm

I signed up and I thought it was cutre but obiously still in early beta. I did not really like the overly cartoonish graphics and they have a very long way to go to make it a true social site and not just another cute gadget.

I always kinda chuckle when people say that those in SecondLife or in my case Moove.com need to get a real life or have too much time on their hands (in my case it is true – lol). The Internet is changing and Web 3D will eventually replace the 2D we have now as well as the text only feature on Cell Phones. Many companies use these 3D chat or Virtual World programs to effectively use viral branding and marketing at a fraction of the cost of traditional Internet advertising. Google will need to really look at what already works and what does not in the growing 3D Chat Arena.
Peace and Love
Tory
Tiffany Says:

July 10th, 2008 at 6:48 am

Yes I agree that it looks good. See how G making money through games world.
Goran Web Design Says:

July 10th, 2008 at 5:24 pm

Anything to do with the web and there Google is. Everything they touch does well. Video does look good, might try it out.
Alex Isaacs Says:

July 11th, 2008 at 10:16 am

Yeah, maybe I can do something different like “not eating,” so I can join the fun.
Forumistan Says:

July 11th, 2008 at 11:47 am

Inspired by The Second Life…
Travel Point Says:

July 17th, 2008 at 4:33 am

Growth at second life is going slow. Will it have affect on this ?

Travel Point’s last blog post..The Samba of Brazil
Lively Fan Site Says:

July 21st, 2008 at 3:54 am

Lively doesn’t feel to me like they really copied Second Life. There are many other 3D chats that are more similar to Lively (There, IMVU, etc.). But one thing I find Google did that makes it stand out from the rest is the ability to embed your chat room in your own website. But I’m sure it won’t be long until many other 3D chats give you this option. Lively also is lacking any type of “world,” right now it’s just a bunch of chat rooms with no connection except you can find them listed on lively.com
YouGov Says:

November 15th, 2008 at 8:11 am

Doesn’t look like it copied second life to me.

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