“Imagine a business Web site where you can see what visitors are looking at and go and talk to them. Imagine a classroom with educational content like a real 3D exploding volcano and students physically located all over the world. Imagine a family or staff spread around the globe meeting up in a virtual space and being able to see each other and share photos, video and documents. The scenarios are endless with virtual worlds and until now, have been little more than pipe dreams to the average Web user,” says Vincent Teubler, co-founder of Gogofrog.

Teubler was an early convert to virtual worlds and envisaged the power of worlds beyond the traditional realms of fantasy game play. These worlds traditionally require users to download software and usually participate in a single often poorly regulated world. Whilst businesses, educators and users of social networks saw the potential, Teubler believes the need to download software, poor security and costs associated with participating and developing content or real estate have all contributed to severely limiting the broader use of virtual worlds.

“Due to their complexity virtual worlds have faced a mountain of problems in reaching beyond game players and the odd company with deep pockets,” Teubler says. “As a browser-based platform, Gogofrog users and visitors to the various worlds need only have access to the Internet to fully participate. Since its Beta launch, Gogofrog users have built simple 3D spaces to meet with friends, students and customers. They’ve set about decorating their spaces with photos, simple objects and their writings and have variously created places to meet, educate and do business in.”

Among other enhancements, the commercial launch of Gogofrog includes greater communications tools.

“Anonymous text chat lends itself to fantasy game play but not much else. Our users demanded real-world communication, so we enabled avatar-to-avatar controlled webcam communication. It doesn’t get any better than that. You can request and start a webcam chat with anyone in your virtual Web space — friend, family, colleague or visitor,” Teubler says.

Gogofrog also features a variety of user-defined security measures. The capacity to communicate via webcam is a big security bonus not found in other virtual worlds, as an avatar’s profile can easily be matched against them with a simple webcam chat. Gogofrog further allows users to set who they will allow in their world. With the click of a button, users can set it so only people they know — friends, family, students or staff — can enter their world, or they can set it so only those who know a password can enter. Teubler says the latter was especially important to educators who wanted to ensure their students would have a completely safe virtual experience.

Gogofrog also found participation is crucial to users, so the commercial site enables users to participate in the world’s economy.

“Many worlds already have buoyant economies as a result of allowing users to participate,” Teubler says. “Users need to be able to personalize and brand their worlds and potentially sell items to the broader Gogofrog user and visitor community. Gogofrog allows users to sell their images, scenes, avatars, avatar clothing and accessories and 3D furniture and objects. Everyone can make real money through their contributions.”

With user feedback continuing to be incorporated into Gogofrog’s software development roadmap, Teubler believes his prediction of virtual worlds becoming a highly sophisticated, commercial and entertaining part of social networks and the mainstream Internet is fast becoming a “virtual” reality. For more information about Gogofrog, visit www.gogofrog.com.

Contacts
Vincent Teubler Co-Founder Gogofrog
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.gogofrog.com
+61411265715

Monica Dodi
CEO Gogofrog
LA, California, USA

The company has signed their first four clients and is currently building 2 branded virtual worlds in the US and Asia. The company today announced the Worlds and Games Partner Program and the company invites vendors and service providers who want to collaborate on future projects to contact them.

The company’s founding partners, Mark Friedler and Karim Sanjabi, are game industry experts with deep relationships in all aspects of the games and advertising industries. Mark Friedler was founder of technology and advertising firms VCast and Gigex. His most recent firm, GameDaily, was acquired by Time Warner’s AOL in 2006. Karim Sanjabi founded an early internet design company before starting leading digital marketing company, Freestyle Interactive. Karim led work for clients including Microsoft, Nike, Electronic Arts and Showtime Networks. Freestyle was acquired in 2003 by UK Aegis Group PLC.

“If you dig in and look at audience grown and attention in the intersection of gaming, virtual worlds and social media, it’s very exciting, and a very under-served area. We bring our experience to the table to craft unique marketing programs across all these innovative and emerging platforms,” said Karim Sanjabi.

“We have hands on experience on building and monetizing top entertainment experiences,” said Mark Friedler. “Our clients come to us to quickly execute their goals in online entertainment media and we help them build experiences more quickly and efficiently than most can do solely with their internal groups.”

Worlds and Games LLC professional services team, product developers and media experts can quickly translate a brand’s vision and strategies into execution. For more information please contact info@worldsandgames.com.

for Worlds and Games LLC
Karen Blondell, 310-325-6405
kblondell@sbcglobal.net

The “KPMG World Jobs Fair,” taking place online from 9 a.m. GMT, Wednesday, September 24, to 9 a.m. GMT, Friday, September 26, aims to provide qualified, interested candidates with information on hundreds of job opportunities, particularly in tax, advisory and specialized audit services, with KPMG member firms worldwide. More than 10,000 interested applicants have already registered for the online event through KPMG’s global website at http://www.kpmg.com.

During the event, KPMG’s first external virtual job fair, participants will have the opportunity to chat with KPMG recruiters and network with KPMG professionals, particularly in high growth markets where KPMG expects to substantially expand its operations over the next several years.

“As an increasing number of companies conduct business internationally, there are growing opportunities for professionals in many KPMG member firms – especially in emerging markets such as Brazil, Russia, India, and China,” said Timothy P. Flynn, KPMG chairman. “We’re also focused on adding thousands of jobs to support KPMG member firms’ continued growth in developed markets such as United States and Europe, including drawing specialists from around the world experienced in IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) as the world moves to that global accounting standard.”

“The KPMG World Jobs Fair reflects a remarkable transformation in how KPMG member firms are attracting talent in a global economy – and a transformation in the way that professionals are seeking employment,” said Flynn. “This event allows interested job candidates to easily explore opportunities and a potential career with KPMG, and it gives us an opportunity to tap into a global workforce. We expect it will attract thousands of qualified professionals and recent graduates worldwide.”

The World Jobs Fair follows the success of a similar internal online event that 12 KPMG member firms held in May for employees and partners interested in exploring international rotation opportunities. The internal event attracted nearly 5,000 KPMG employees and partners, representing 104 countries, with the highest percentage of participants from the U.K., followed by the U.S., Germany, and China. The largest groups of participants by level were associates and senior associates, at 42 percent and 34 percent, respectively.

45 Member Firms

The global, virtual event this month will include an exhibition hall that features booths covering 45 participating KPMG member firms. Job seekers will be able to learn more about available opportunities in specific countries, and information on KPMG’s culture, values, corporate citizenship goals, training and development and work/life programs.

Participants will also have the opportunity to watch live webcasts, chat with KPMG audit, tax and advisory professionals about a career with KPMG and apply for positions directly from the event.

“Clients are global and they need professionals with global audit, tax and advisory skills,” said Flynn. “Taking advantage of global opportunities through an event like the KPMG World Jobs Fair helps people expand their skills and cultural perspective. At the same time, it gives KPMG a chance to help our member firms better serve their clients. It’s what helps make KPMG an employer of choice.”

In addition to KPMG member firms in Brazil, Russia, India and China, other KPMG member firms participating in the KPMG World Jobs Fair include Albania, Australia, Bahrain, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, U.K., U.S., United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

Menlo Park, Calif.-based software maker Unisfair is providing the technology KPMG is using to power its virtual career fair event.

About KPMG International

KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing audit, tax and advisory services. We operate in 145 countries and have 123,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

Contact: Dan Ginsburg / Laura Sheridan Powers
KPMG LLP
(201) 307-8270 / (212) 872-7665

The precise computerized images use physics to demonstrate the assembly process, down to details such as which screw or bolt to attach first. The information in Heath will be used at Boeing sites across the country.

The defense contractor showed off the center’s capability to government and business leaders Wednesday, beginning with a virtual ribbon-cutting, virtual fly-in from above the site and virtual walk-through of the facility, with precise re-creations of every detail in the building.

The $1.2 million center will bring 30 to 60 new jobs to the Heath facility within 12 to 18 months. It will speed up design and production, and cut costs and training time.

“Implementing virtual manufacturing seems to be, on the surface, an overwhelming task, but we’ve taken the first baby steps,” said Mike Emmelhainz, director for the Guidance Repair Center. “We’re actually going to see a product we’ll start building the first quarter of next year.

“It is a special day for us here at the Boeing site in Heath, Ohio. The capability is going to pay dividends well into the future.”

The detailed three-dimensional modeling of products at the Heath facility will be shared with Boeing’s design centers in other parts of the country.

“It’s really about being able to enhance communications and the flow of seamless communications across the country and around the globe,” said Nan Bouchard, Boeing’s C3 Network vice president.

Rick Platt, executive director of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority, manager of COATC, said he hopes the virtual manufacturing center becomes a mecca for the Boeing supplier network. Boeing does more than $6 billion of business in Ohio and surrounding states through almost 2,000 suppliers.

Platt seemed to express the view of many before the unveiling of the new facility.

“I’m so excited to see how this thing works,” Platt said. “We won’t understand it, but we’ll see how it works.”

The three-dimensional capability also can place the products onto the manufacturing floor, recreating actual work stations and positioning of workers to build the product.

“We can play out what-if scenarios in the 3-D environment,” said Mike Murasky, operations manager at the Heath facility. “We can see ergonomics and how employees can do the building.”

Those on hand for the opening included State Rep. Jay Hottinger, R-Newark, County Commissioners Tim Bubb and Mark Van Buren, Heath city officials, the mayors of Newark and Heath, company leaders, and 90-year-old Wally Horton, the base’s former technical director who helped found and later save the former Newark Air Force Base.

“Until you see it, you can’t appreciate the power of 3-D, and visualize things that don’t exist,” Bubb said. “It’s kind of a whole new world. These investments will pay dividends for a generation.”

The long-term effects of such a facility could be dramatic, Heath Mayor Richard Waugh said.

“The state Department of Development is looking to cluster industries and we have some other similar industries,” Waugh said. “Success breeds success and by having successful, innovative companies, that’s where everybody will want to be. It helps attract more of the same.”

The three-dimensional technology has been used by companies such as Honda and Toyota to cut costs and speed up production.

“We’ve got a lot of opportunities out there,” Emmelhainz said. “This is really the tip of the iceberg. We’ve just scratched the surface. We’re learning every day.”

Originally published on www.newarkadvocate.com, find their article HERE.

Kent Mallett can be reached at (740) 328-8545 or kmallett@newarkadvocate.com.

Jacksonville, Fla. (PRWEB) — The Association of Virtual Worlds proudly announces the launch of its on-line virtual headquarters, opening to public beta August 20 in celebration of the first annual Virtual Worlds Day.zd the future of online global work, play and life.”

“As an association dedicated to the advancement of virtual worlds and web3D it only makes sense for the Association’s headquarters to be entirely virtual,” says David Elchoness, Executive Director. ” The best part about the Association’s environment is that it’s highly accessible even to those who are unfamiliar with virtual worlds and web3D. As virtual worlds and web3D move further into the mainstream, we will have this virtual headquarters to introduce newcomers to the technology and to all of the other fantastic virtual worlds and web3D products out there.”

The first glimpse of the virtual headquarters shows a campus, with a flag-lined path. Inside, there is a main hub and welcome area anchored by a massive globe sculpture. There are wings for office and conference center; and both an auditorium and a media center. Under construction is a virtual world and games pavilion; a career and recruitment pavilion; and one of the most comprehensive research and information centers. There are informal networking areas with sofas, chairs and coffee tables, and a bar with tables and chairs and ‘virtual’ refreshments for personal avatars.

Using highly accessible web3D technology, the AVW now has a 3D place of its own for members to use, no special download or plug-in required.

In just six months the AVW attracted over 2,400 members, established a publishing division, launched its virtual headquarters using cutting edge, and highly accessible web3D technology, was first to create Virtual Worlds Day (August 20), the Virtual Person of the Year Award, a powerful network of Global Ambassadors and attracted some of the industry’s most respected and influential leaders to its Advisory Board.

Contact Information
Edita Kaye
Association of Virtual Worlds LLC
954-734-5000

“It is the natural progression for this vibrant organization that is a magnet for the best and the brightest in the virtual worlds and web 3D industry,” says Founder, Edita Kaye.

David Elchoness, Executive Director, explains the enormous value of a virtual conference. “We have put together this list of the benefits of our approach, but of all the things we do, we are the most proud of breaking the classic conference time barrier, of being able to save our members and exhibitors those two precious commodities–money and time–while helping to save the planet.”

10 Benefits of AVW’s CoNeE:

1. Open 24/7 around the clock and around the world–forget 9 to 5
2. Multilingual meetings with international industry representatives
3. Global attendance, sponsors, speakers, networking
4. Unlimited passes for clients, prospects, staff teams
5. Unrestricted networking opportunities
6. Dedicated showcase and product demonstrations gallery
7. All attendees, speakers, media, enter through exhibit halls
8. Offers significant savings by eliminating all travel and travel-related expenses
9. Rested and energized avatars, rather than stressed and exhausted delegates
10. “Green” conference–reduce the carbon footprint–and do something good for the world

In just six months the AVW attracted over 2,370 members, established a publishing division, launched the closed beta for its virtual headquarters using cutting edge, and highly accessible, web3D technology,was first to create Virtual Worlds Day (August 20), the Virtual Person of the Year Award, a powerful network of Global Ambassadors and attracted some of the industry’s most respected and influential leaders to its Advisory Board.

To learn about sponsorship and marketing opportunities at CoNeE, or to learn more about the Association of Virtual Worlds please visit www.AssociationofVirtualWorlds.com

About Virtual Worlds Management
Virtual Worlds Expo is owned and operated by Virtual Worlds Management, the leading virtual worlds trade media company and a division of Show Initiative, LLC. Virtual Worlds Management provides comprehensive media and events including Virtual Worlds Expo (September 3-4, 2008 in Los Angeles), Virtual Worlds London (October 20-21, 2008) and Virtual Worlds Conference (spring, 2009 in New York). The company also publishes the Virtual Worlds Weekly email newsletter and the daily VirtualWorldsNews.com blog. More information about Virtual Worlds Management can be found at http://www.VirtualWorldsManagement.com.

Virtual Worlds London – www.VirtualWorldsLondon.com – taking place 20-21 October 2008, is the premier event for European companies seeking to harness virtual world technologies for enterprise or consumer business opportunities. Lively by Google lets people create persistent virtual spaces on the web where they can express themselves and communicate with friends in a highly customized way.

“We are pleased to welcome one of the brightest minds in virtual worlds today,” said Christopher Sherman, Executive Director of Virtual Worlds London. “With the launch of Google’s Lively Niniane has brought one of the Internet giants into the burgeoning new industry virtual worlds industry. We are excited to hear Niniane’s vision for how virtual worlds and 3D Internet will continue to shape the Internet experience for millions of users worldwide.”

Niniane is a Google Engineering Manager and leads the Lively engineering team. Lively began as a ‘20% project’ for Niniane. Google allows its employees to spend up to 20% of their work time on their own projects. Prior to getting Lively chartered, Niniane led the Gmail ads team, and was one of the original engineers on Google Desktop. Before joining Google in 2003, Niniane worked at Microsoft Games on Flight Simulator, developing a system for rendering clouds which appeared in SIGGRAPH, GDC, and other publications. Niniane holds a B.S. in computer science from Caltech, having graduated at age 18, and a M.S. in computer science from the University of Washington.

Venture capital and media firms invested USD 345 million in virtual worlds-related companies in the first 6 months of 2008, according to Virtual Worlds Management’s research. USD 161 million dollars was invested during the second quarter alone.

Registration Information

Online registration at www.VirtualWorldsLondon.com is open. Attendees can save £400 by taking advantage of the early-bird registration – only £595 – until 19 September 2008. After that time online registration is £795. Onsite registration is £995.

About Virtual Worlds Management

Virtual Worlds London is owned and operated by Virtual Worlds Management, the leading virtual worlds trade media company, providing comprehensive media and events. Media resources include the Virtual Worlds Weekly email newsletter and the VirtualWorldsNews.com blog. More information about Virtual Worlds Management can be found at http://www.VirtualWorldsManagement.com.

In vTSTC, students are able to see the pathway light takes through an SLR camera.
“The 3D environment, which makes the virtual world so real you can almost reach out and touch it, offers students the opportunity to participate in an online learning community, and fully immerses the learner in a stimulating online experience,” said Chris Gibson, Associate Vice President of Educational Technology. Students earning the Digital Media certificate will have the opportunity to further their education by earning an associate degree in Digital Media in spring 2009.

“To our knowledge, we are the first institution of higher education to develop a complete online certificate or degree in the virtual world,” added Gibson. “We, at TSTC believe once students are exposed to this form of highly interactive education, they will drive this evolution of online education.”

The Digital Media certificate will include courses in computer applications, professional development, basic graphic design, digital imaging, digital publishing, computer illustration, fundamentals of photography and design communication. Class size is limited and registration is available until August 22. Visit v.tstc.edu for more information or contact Donnie Armstrong at donnie.armstrong@tstc.edu (325.235.7414 or IM to Mater Gamba).

About TSTC
The Texas State Technical College System (www.tstc.edu) consists of four technical colleges under the leadership of Chancellor Bill Segura, Ph.D.: TSTC Harlingen, TSTC Marshall, TSTC Waco, and TSTC West Texas, which has campuses in Abilene, Breckenridge, Brownwood, and Sweetwater. TSTC colleges are among the top colleges in the nation to confer associate degrees in precision production, and associate degrees in all disciplines for Hispanic graduates. TSTC can also boast the number one Texas college in associate degrees conferred in engineering-related technologies/technicians and computer and information sciences & Support services (Community College Week, 2007). More than 13,000 students attend TSTC each year in credit programs alone, and that number grows to more than 30,000 when short-term continuing education and corporate training programs are included through TSTC Corporate College.

Jacksonville, FL — The Association of Virtual Worlds announces a closed beta for its virtual headquarters, a 3D environment on the web where members can interact and engage socially and for business, as if in person regardless of their physical location.

“The Association of Virtual Worlds’ virtual headquarters will further the Association’s mission by delivering to the AVW’s membership a highly accessible and usable virtual environment on the web for interaction and member engagement. This is just another example of virtual worlds and web3D as an important medium for on-line communication. The AVW will lead the way by being the first virtual worlds and web3D industry organization with its own virtual headquarters, where members can meet and learn from each other without travel or delay.” says Dave Elchoness, Executive Director.

(Dave Elchoness gives a tour of his new virtual headquarters)

“Just a few short months ago, I had this dream — to create an Association of Virtual Worlds with its own virtual headquarters,” says Edita Kaye, Founder. “The Association is a vibrant and growing group. Now the headquarters is here, and will serve not only its membership, but also showcase this emerging industry to an increasingly interested public.”

Today’s closed beta launch marks the first stage of the Association’s existence in 3D on-line. When completed the Association of Virtual Worlds’ virtual headquarters, will include conference, seminar, and meeting rooms, a state-of-the-art research and resource center, a career center, virtual worlds pavilion, cafés, virtual bars, and networking facilities. It will be open 24-7 — and best of all it will be accessible globally — without the added burden of travel cost and ecological damage to the environment.

The Association of Virtual Words is a global industry association for the rapidly growing virtual worlds industry. It serves as a resource for those wishing to experiment and explore virtual worlds for work or play. The Association’s mission is to educate, network, recruit, and further the membership’s collective goals.