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Coldwell Banker takes selling homes to Second Life

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second_lifescreensnapz002.jpgColdwell Banker Real Estate LLC has taken the process of looking for a new home to an entirely new level by enabling buyers to tour an exact replica of a home for sale online. Coldwell Banker has created a 3-D reproduction precisely matching the specifications of a newly constructed $3.1 million Mercer Island, Wash., home, currently listed for sale by Coldwell Banker Bain on coldwellbanker.com (MLS# 27053398). This home is available for showing to prospective buyers within the virtual community of Second Life.

The experience allows Second Life avatars to “virtually” walk through each room of the house as if they were in the actual home. A variety of different touch points in the home allows interested visitors to instantly click through where they can ask for information about the home or even set up an appointment with Coldwell Banker Bain sales associate Suzanne Lane.

This marks the first time that any national real estate brand has used the virtual community to market an actual home for sale. Users can visit www.coldwellbankervirtualhome.com for immediate access to the “real world” home and to Second Life.

“Societies like Second Life are allowing industries to completely revolutionize how they interact with their consumers,” said Charlie Young, senior vice president, marketing, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “What makes this so unique is that prospective buyers can literally ‘tour’ this home from the comforts of their home and computer. Prospective buyers can get the most comprehensive view of the home possible short of actually visiting it.

Originally posted on August 3, 2007 @ 10:36 am

Razoo launches a different kind of social network

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razoo.jpgRazoo today announced that it launched the beta version of its website, Razoo.com, a social networking site that encourages user-generated content around shared passions and issues. Razoo community members can connect with like-minded people via causes, groups, personal profiles and actions, all with the intent to make positive change in our world.

“Razoo.com aims to be the premier social network for connecting passionate young people with each other, with causes and with groups who can inspire and amplify their efforts,” J. Sebastian Traeger, Razoo’s CEO, said.

Razoo is a start-up founded in October 2006. with the mission to promote social good, and to inspire others to get involved by making giving and serving fun, easy, and meaningful.

Originally posted on August 2, 2007 @ 12:49 pm

Bratz launches we-based community

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bratz.jpgBe-Bratz.com, a dynamic new Bratz fashion doll line and web-based community developed by MGA Entertainment, debuts in beta format. Be-Bratz.com combines creativity, communication, music, great games and hip fashion into one stylish online world where girls ages 6 and up can safely explore and interact either by themselves or with other Be-Bratz.com users.

“Be-Bratz.comâ„¢ is an immersive virtual world that extends the immensely popular Bratz brand into the online space through stimulating activities, a highly personalized ‘MyPage,’ a customizable 3-D room, and fun, safe communication tools. The online experience is ubiquitous in play patterns of today’s young girls, so this connection between doll and web is a natural for MGA, especially given the success of our past toy/web initiatives,” said Isaac Larian, CEO of MGA Entertainment.

Be-Bratz.com is accessible only with a special glam necklace that comes packaged with one of three new Bratz fashion dolls. The necklace doubles as a USB key that unlocks the virtually stunning Be-Bratz.com world. Once there, you’ll create your very own Bratz character and customize your ‘MyPage’ to fit your own personal style. Then, pick a dazzlin’ background, choose your favorite music, and take the quiz to reveal your Bratz personality… now you’re ready to hit the salon, design the hottest fashions, earn points in the Game Zone, and so much more! The Be-Bratz.com virtual world is always expanding and will be adding new and exciting features every month. Outfitted with the necessary components for parents to feel secure knowing that Be-Bratz.com is being monitored for safety, users can text message each other on the site, with live chat coming later this year.

Originally posted on August 2, 2007 @ 11:20 am

Hotels.com adds online mapping features

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hotels.jpgHotels.com announced that it has added new, interactive mapping capabilities to help customers select the right hotel for every trip.

Using the new mapping features, travelers can display landmarks and points of interest surrounding their potential hotel choice on an
interactive map. They also can drag the map in any direction, view the distance between two selected points, and the estimated driving and walking times between those points. The mapping features enable travelers to choose a hotel that is convenient to the local sites they want to visit (such as beaches, museums, parks, shopping areas and theaters) as well as transportation (such as airports and train stations).

Hotels.com partnered with deCarta, provider of geospatial platform software and related services to implement the new mapping functionality, along with NAVTEQ for the detailed map database.

Originally posted on August 1, 2007 @ 3:21 pm

Filed Under: Web

The Walt Disney Company acquires Club Penguin

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clubpenguin.jpgThe Walt Disney Company announced that it has acquired Club Penguin, one of the fastest-growing online virtual worlds for kids. The addition of Club Penguin to Disney’s existing online assets will further strengthen the company’s objective of establishing clear leadership in online virtual worlds for kids and families.

Club Penguin, which will be called Disney’s Club Penguin, will retain its URL (www.clubpenguin.com) and will remain based in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. The company’s three founders, Lane Merrifield, Dave Krysko and Lance Priebe, will join Disney and remain the senior management team of the unit. Merrifield, Club Penguin’s chief executive officer, will become an executive vice president of The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG), reporting to WDIG President Steve Wadsworth. Disney plans no immediate changes to the operation or business model of Club Penguin.

Since its launch in October 2005, award-winning Club Penguin has grown to more than 700,000 current paid subscribers, and has achieved this remarkable subscriber and user growth with very limited marketing efforts, relying mostly on strong product and word of mouth awareness among kids. The site has more than 12 million activated users, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, and is one of the fastest growing online destinations for kids ages 6-14. The site features animated penguin avatars that inhabit a snow-covered virtual world, converse with other users, participate in group activities and create and furnish a virtual home with currency earned inside the game.

Financial details were not disclosed though Wall Street Journal is reporting $350 million in cash.

Originally posted on August 1, 2007 @ 4:20 pm