Google Lively…

Google has finally launched its own virtual world “Lively”. With this they have joined the other virtual worlds like “Second Life”. Lively is a plugin which is available only for Windows and is compatible with Firefox and IE. Once installed, the user can enter Lively from any other networking site or blogs. It already works with Facebook and soon will be available for MySpace too.

There are differences between the two. While SL is one big virtual world where you can interact with people almost anywhere in it. It’s not so with Lively. It basically allows you to create an avatars, and also rooms, where you can chat with people. You can play your videos on the virtual screens and post pics too. Also as of now all the content on Lively is Google created. So this seems just as better version of Environment on Yahoo IMs.

The customization is limited as of now. For me, a user of SL, the options are just too less. Also the fact that the view offered is 3rd person cam view. and for movement you have to drag the avatar across the room, put this version far behind the other available in market. I feel the need for more 1st person perspective and the ability to maneuver the avatar like in game by keyboard or joystick.

Well all one can hope is that this being just the first release we can definitely see much more improvements in coming days. Also more user generated content.

Now to the business aspect of the launch. Where does it fit into the Google’s growth path? How do they justify a search engines entry into virtual world space? Google’s management is saying it has no plans to sell ad-space on Lively. So is this one more application like Earth, Picasa, which hardly generates any revenue for Google??

The reason Google wants us to believe is “More time spent online by user, means more the chance of him clicking on the ad links on the search result page.

I dont think so… There has to be something more to it….