14 DAY TRIAL // For those who are no longer thrilled by their social online experience, Google has developed something more exotic. Lively is the name of the new project, a 3D animated world for all of us to enjoy. Although the product is not a pioneer of the genre, its strongest point, at the moment, is that it costs no money. Without having to pay a monthly fee, users can design their own rooms and choose avatars to their liking.
Moreover, gadgets like TVs playing YouTube videos are available for all subscribers. Users have not only the possibility of socializing in different environments that allow interaction (for example, the pieces of furniture can be moved around by whoever visits your room), but also of lending a helping hand to the developers, by adding or testing compatible gadgets.
The official Google blog announced the launch of the 3D social network with a heading that could bring some anxiety to those who are convinced that virtual reality is a paradise for the identity hijackers. ''Be who you want on the webpages you visit'' is how Niniane Wang, Engineering Manager at Google, entitles her blogpost, drawing attention to the fact that a more unbound customization of the users' profiles leads to a higher quality interaction.
The animated actions are considered to be the turning point from the 2D to the 3D online experience. ''In our user research, we've been amazed at how much more poignant it is to receive an animated hug than seeing the text [[hug]],'' explains Wang. The research was rather secretive, as a forum of discussions between American students proves it. The only thing suggesting a Google 3D initiative was the fact that one of the questions included in the survey asked if the respondent had a Google email account.