[UCI-Calit2] OCTANe at UCI Explores Virtual Worlds

Anna Lynn Spitzer aspitzer at calit2.uci.edu
Mon Mar 31 11:32:38 PDT 2008


OCTANe at UCI presents
Virtual Worlds: Second Life & Beyond

Date: 	Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Time: 	6-8 p.m.
Location: 	Calit2 Building - Room #3008 
Cost: 	General Public - $50
Registration is required: www.regonline.com/VirtualWorldsProgram

Fully immersive 3D virtual worlds such as Second Life, There.com, Gaia Online and HiPiHi are seriously entertaining, and 30-40 million people are currently living, working and playing in them. In an April 2007 report, Gartner projected that 80% percent of active Internet users and Fortune 500 enterprises will be engaged in virtual worlds such as Second Life by the end of 2011. 

Virtual spaces and technologies represent a serious business opportunity. More than 170 major brands in categories from automotive to consumer products, education to tourism are experimenting with the innovation, marketing and business value of virtual worlds. A recent Forrester report predicted that within five years, the 3-D Internet will be as critical a business tool as the Web is today.

What's the opportunity for virtual world innovation and investment? Bring your questions and join our panel of digerati for an exploration of how organizations are using vitality for collaboration, branding, R&D, recruiting and research.

* Experience a 3D virtual social environment;
* Find out about Cisco's vision for virtual worlds' place in emerging
  consumer services;
* Learn how virtual worlds are used for prototyping real-world projects; 
* Discover emerging opportunities in the metaverse.

Panelists
Crista Lopes, associate professor of information & computer sciences, UCI 
Christian Renaud, chief architect, Networked Virtual Environments, Cisco Technology Center
Denis Browne, senior vice president, Business User Imagineering, SAP Labs, LLC
Mary Ellen Gordon, founder & managing director, Market Truths
Linda Zimmer, CEO, MarCom:Interactive (Moderator)

Register at: www.regonline.com/VirtualWorlds

For more information: Tanya Zabalegui, tanyaz at uci.edu 



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