Googles 'Lively' place to chat... and break dance!

Update: Just when we started trialling it, Google pulled the plug, so Google Lively is gone :( sad to say but the good news is New Lively is here to stay thanks to a community of believers.

Googles newest and (i think) coolest application is the self contained avatar world of 'Lively'. At first view I thought this would be another endless jump into the abyss of Avatar black holes like 'second life', but i think the advantages of 'Lively', are actually in it's limitations, not in it's applications.

• It is a simple introduction to Avatarian culture for beginners

• Lively keeps your community in closer proximity through meeting 'rooms' rather than whole 'worlds'. Rooms can be linked through hyper linked objects ( I have a magic potplant portal in my first room!)

• I'ts not overwhelming: the user options are kept to basic communication methods of gestures, text chat, and a little bit of fun thrown in for good measure.
  

It also embeds in CMS nicely such as 'moodle', as a better 'chat' option, you can actually see who is in the chat room for one, but also the extra novelty of making my avatar break dance in front of others takes the cake.

I would like to see the following applications added to 'Lively' for enhanced E-learning.

1. A 'real' WhiteBoard, to leave messages on
2. Video or audio message app, where users can post a short message
3. Quiz, Word Puzzle and Scrabble games
4. A timetable app, with upcoming events
5. Integrated account to CMS so users don't need to 'sign in' twice
   
6. How about a sit down Space Invaders game too :)

To visit my first student room click below, but keep in mind you will need to download the Lively app first, then also have a Google/G-mail account to enter.