Wired magazine has examined two recently released chat services that incorporate 3D features -- the three dimensional chat room environment of IMVU and AOL Instant Messenger's 3D SuperBuddy icons.
IMVU, started by Will Harvey, lets users adopt avatars in three dimensional chat rooms so users have "the sense that [they] are in the presence of the person [they] are chatting with," the article quotes Harvey as saying. Harvey says the service is compatible with the leading chatroom apps, and claims 1,000 new users are signing up for the service every day. He says the fact that the avatars can be customized, and potentially adapted to gaming uses, makes them more than pure communication tools -- they better allow users to socialize online.
AOL's SuperBuddy icons are incorporated into the existing AIM product. The 3D images can display "emotional cues" in response to what users type to their friends or colleagues.
Both IMVU and AIM have charges related to their 3D services. The article says AOL treats SuperBuddies like ringtones, and charge $2 to use one. IMVU is free, but will have charges for user-created avatar clothing and other extras.
The article cites some interesting stats about IM usage (250 million people use IM, and 7 billion messages are sent daily) but notes that some experts are skeptical of 3D functionality in IM products. Jeff Hester of instant-messaging watchdog site BigBlueBall.com is quoted as saying that 3D is not a must-have feature for instant messaging, and "feels a little like a solution in search of a problem." Another expert calls the 3D IM services a fad.
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