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The Archives
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03.31.10China Quintuples U.S. Spending in VWsCNN is reporting that, according to research firms, the sales of virtual goods in China topped $5-billion in 2009, more than five times the estimate for the US. One of the main reasons for this surge in sales is that click-through rates for advertising take up a much smaller slice of the revenue pie, according to researchers. Another reason is that China is replete with game designers, and though monetization is a difficult challenge, selling virtual goods has been of the bright spots of the industry. The piece cites the success of Tencent, a company that offers QQ Instant Messanger ...
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02.27.10CNN Spotlights Best Jobs: Second LifeDoubledown Tandino is in the spotlight over on CNN this week with a focus on "Best Jobs" - and I really can't help applauding the coverage, mainly because DD is one of those people who just - well, who just makes you smile. Whether going head-to-head with witty comments in the pre-show at Metanomics, contributing to the back chat, or doing some kind of riffing stand-up madness, DD is one of those people who makes the Grid what it is. Check it out, but also - don't be shy and hire the guy! He's not only an amazing DJ but ...
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05.30.09Second Life Artists Avert the RecessionI missed this when it first came around, but wanted to point to CNN's coverage of Second Life and a well-reported story that focuses on some artists making money and creating art in SL. The article is nice because CNN's access to the artists gives it a slice-of-life quality that plays down the tech angle and focuses on the fact that Second Life is run by people, a key notion that can get lost in technology coverage. The writer visits Cylindrian Rutabaga, a folk singer who goes by the name Grace Buford in her offline life in Atlanta, Georgia, ...
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04.07.09CNN on Second Life Medical TrainingCNN - whose budget for virtual world reporting has, apparently, not yet been cut - recently covered the training initiatives at Imperial College London. Photo: Daneel Ariantho According to the report, third-year medical students are engaged in "game-based" learning using Second Life as the conduit to virtually visit with patients, order X-rays, and access respiratory readings. There is no virtual surgery - at least not yet - as the learning is geared more towards hospital protocol and administrative duties. "This sort of research is vital if we're going to make sure tomorrow's doctors are as well-trained as you and I want them ...
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07.25.08Sharing and Support in Virtual WorldsOne area that is quietly expanding in Second Life, albeit with its share of controversy, is support groups. Anonymity is the primary driver behind the rise in support groups, a few of which are run by organizations like the American Cancer Society but most being peer-run. Invisibility enables users - 'hiding' behind avatars - to pour our their hearts and share their experiences in a way not possible - or maybe just avoided - in real life. Both the SF Gate and CNN published recent reports exploring this trend, and the two articles offer interesting conclusions about both. The writer of the SF ...
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