Amsterdam sold for US$50,000
The Amsterdam sims, a popular Second Life destination with canals, houseboats, and a sexually explicit red light district, sold on eBay for US$50,000 on Monday, one of the largest sales of a Second Life business by a private developer.
Hope Capital shares plunge amid Altman sell-off
Shaun Altman, the developer brought in through a merger to revive the World Stock Exchange last month, said on Monday he is stepping down from his day-to-day role and selling nearly one-third of his stake in its parent company.
Danish bank moves to offer trading in Second Life
Denmark’s Saxo Bank plans to offer Second Life residents the ability to manage their real-life financial portfolios from within the virtual world, and may eventually create a market to trade the Linden dollar against real-world currencies.
Linden lab eliminates subsidized “first land”
Linden Lab has ended a subsidized real estate program known as “first land,” which allowed new premium users to buy property for L$1 per meter.
CORRECTED: Top women’s apparel makers should raise prices: study
Well-known Second Life fashion retailers should consider raising their prices because consumers are willing to pay more for popular brands, according to a market research survey of the women’s clothing sector.
Hope Capital launches rival to Metaverse Stock Exchange
Australian entrepreneur Luke Connell — LukeConnell Vandeverre in Second Life — is set to unveil on Friday the World Stock Exchange, an automated trading floor that allows companies to sell shares to the public, taking on the established Metaverse Stock Exchange.
Details emerge on U.S. virtual world tax probe
A government economist has shed additional light on the U.S. congressional investigation into how tax law affects virtual economies.
Dutch bank ABN sets up branch in Second Life
AMSTERDAM, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Dutch bank ABN AMRO NV became the latest enterprise to tap into the growing popularity of Second Life, by opening a branch on Friday inside the Internet-based virtual world.
ABN AMRO, the Netherlands’ biggest bank, said it will create a virtual bank resembling ABN’s real-life outlets, offering financial advice.
ABN said it [...]
Anshe Chung battles ‘PR hype’ with some of her own
MENGJING, Second Life, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Real estate and development magnate Anshe Chung struck back against what she called “PR-vapor-hype” with a public relations barrage of her own on Tuesday, holding a press conference to discuss her recent claim that she has amassed US$1 million worth of assets in Second Life.
Rosedale: No plans to sell Linden Lab
Linden Lab Chief Executive Philip Rosedale said the company is not looking for a public share offering or a buy-out, but he admitted that the rapid growth of Second Life has at times stretched its resources to the breaking point.
Second Life development shops pull in big business
Second Life developers like Rivers Run Red, Electric Sheep Company and Millions of Us are pulling in more than US$10 million in revenues a year by bringing real-life companies into the virtual realm, according to a Linden Lab survey.
Linden bans CopyBot following resident protests
Linden Lab has banned the use of the avatar cloning tool CopyBot amid widespread protests by retailers and other residents who feared that it would allow others to illicitly copy and sell their creations.
Outcry as ‘Copybot’ threatens copyright protection
A software tool called CopyBot that can clone avatars, objects and textures is stoking the ire of Second Life business owners who fear their creations could be illicitly copied and sold.
IBM accelerates push into 3D virtual worlds
IBM is ramping up its push into virtual worlds with an investment of roughly US$10 million over the next year, including an expanded presence within Second Life and the development of its own 3D intranet.
Price hike seen hurting landlords
Linden Lab has raised the price of private island set-up and maintenance fees, putting pressure on real estate profit margins.
Second411 sold to unnamed buyer
Second Life search engine Second411 has been sold to an unnamed buyer by its creator, Hal9K Andalso.
IBM eyes move into Second Life ‘v-business’
Computer services giant IBM has plunged into Second Life, spurred on by “metaverse evangelists” Roo Reynolds and Ian Hughes, and is eyeing revenue opportunities that could have it vying with Second Life design firms to bring real-world businesses into the virtual realm.
Ginko Financial - Pioneer or Pyramid?
If you make a 44 percent annual return in the real world you’re a genius hedge fund manager, or maybe Warren Buffett. In Second Life it means that you’re an account holder at Ginko Financial — unregulated, unaudited, and a magnet for controversy.
