Description:
The advance of “digital natives” into virtual worlds has been unstoppable over the last 5 years.  One company that saw this coming a full decade before the rush was Circle 1 Network.   Their motto of “Play Smart, Stay Safe, Have Fun!” has enabled online worlds for kids and parents with users from more than 200 countries to engage via unique online communities.  Users have fun while they learn, and they learn while they play. These users also generate a lot of content, actually becoming part of the site.  With a diverse partner and sponsorship base ranging from the government and higher education to corporate and non-profits such as the USDA, Michigan State University, the SunPower Foundation and The Tech Museum, Circle 1 Network connects communication messages from these partners to kids and families using experience garnered over many years.

On August 23 CEO Jorian (Jori) Clarke will take us on a tour of the unique virtual world of Kidscom.com which engages users with a timely message of sustainability and a struggle against negavive influences inside the “Idea Seeker Universe”.

Along the way find out how partners are using this inviting and safe environment to connect with the first generation to grow up as members of virtual worlds – today’s kids – who in turn are motivating and engaging the adults in the real world with these messages. Jori will also be demoing a brand new augmented reality game and a QR Code cell phone interactivity.

Jorian Clarke, Founder & CEO, Circle 1 Network bio:
Jori and her company launched the first Web site for kids in 1995 and worked with the FTC in 1996 to formulate the first Internet safety law – The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Jori has spoken by invitation to the FTC on two occasions and also to the Department of Commerce regarding the development of laws for responsible marketing practices to children.  Her work has evolved from Web sites and cyberzine communities to virtual worlds, cell phone applications using QR codes and real world/digital world integrations.

Jori has been featured on numerous media, including ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Fox News Channel, CNN, Canada’s Prime Network, National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered” and “Horizons,” Advertising Age, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes.com, Chicago Tribune, Investors Business Daily and Web Week. She is also a frequent conference speaker, including AdTech, EngageExpo!, Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Women in Technology International (WITI), Stanford’s Media X Workshop, eMetrics Summit, Internet World, KidScreen Summit, KidPower, Family Online Safety Institute, Toy Fair, Advertising Research Foundation, IIR and DCI events.

Jori has been published in several books, including The International Journal of Marketing & Advertising to Children; Web Usability: A User-Centered Design Approach and Usability; Systems, Social and Internationalization Design Aspects of Human-Computer Interaction; and, Internationalization of Information Technology.  She also was the first female recipient of the Wisconsin SBA’s Small Businessperson of the Year Award.

Location:
Pillsbury Winthrop Office Silicon Valley
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1114

Agenda:
6:30 PM Registration and Networking
7:00 PM -8:40 PM Presentations

Price:
$15 at the door for non-SDForum members
No charge for SDForum members
No registration required

News broke today that Philip Rosedale will be returning to the role of (interim) CEO of Linden Lab.
The announcement follows Wednesday’s last minute cancellation of a scheduled speech  by Mark Kingdon at the Second Life Birthday celebration (http://sl7b.wordpress.com).
Audio of Philip’s speeches from 06/21 and 06/23  can be found at http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/SL7B/Philip-speech

Coverage:

SecondLife blog:
http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2010/06/24/returning-to-the-lab

TechCrunch:
http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/24/amidst-turmoil-linden-labs-ceo-steps-down

New World Notes:
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2010/06/more-linden-lab-changes-coming.html

Linden Lab:
http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2010/06/09/a-restructuring-for-linden-lab

TechCrunch
http://techcrunch.com/2010/06/09/linden-labs-lays-off-30-percent-of-staff/

PR Newswire
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/linden-lab-restructures-to-generate-efficiencies-and-support-investment-in-new-platforms-95982564.html

Virtual Worlds News:

http://www.virtualworldsnews.com/2010/06/linden-lab-lays-off-30-perfect-of-staff.htm

Mitch Wagner:
http://blogs.computerworld.com/16303/second_life_layoffs

Wall Street Journal:
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/06/10/second-life-creator-linden-lab-downsizes-morphs/

Live stream below
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This Virtual World SIG meeting will offer insight into new directions virtual worlds are taking in 2010.

The past six months have seen a high degree of churn in the virtual world space, with some projects shutting down,  some projects changing focus, and still others continuing to break new ground. Presentations will focus on emerging opportunities in light of these recent changes.

Join us for a  look at some brand new projects in fast-paced 10 minute segments and explore crucial and current questions in virtual worlds.  This will be an open forum format. To suggest additional  segments, please send an outline and  your contact information to virtualworldsig@hotmail.com and bring any slides you’d like to share in .PDF format on a flash drive.

Confirmed participants with new projects include:
Greg Nuyens CEO, Teleplace, Inc
Maribeth Back,  Senior Research Scientist, FX Palo Alto Laboratory, Inc. (FXPAL)
Eilif Tronsden, Research and Program Director of the Virtual Worlds @ Work  (VWW) consortium at
Strategic Business Insights
Bob Ketner, Manager, The Tech Virtual
Damon Hernandez,  Mixed Reality guy,  IDEA Builder

We will likely have space for 3-4 additional segments, so send your suggestions and questions.
Looking forward to seeing you there.

Agenda:
6:30 PM Registration and Networking
7:00 PM -8:40 PM Presentations and Discussion

Location:
Pillsbury Winthrop Office Silicon Valley
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1114

Map : http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2475+Hanover+Street+Palo+Alto,+CA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=38.092988,88.681641&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2475+Hanover+St,+Palo+Alto,+Santa+Clara,+California+94304&t=h&z=16

Price:
$15 at the door for non-SDForum members
No charge for SDForum members
No registration required

The past six months have seen a high degree of churn in the virtual world space, with some projects shutting down,  some projects changing focus, and still others continuing to break new ground.

Join us for this exploration of current questions in virtual worlds, and a look at some current projects in fast-paced 10 minute segments.

Confirmed segments will be listed when available.