What is Lively by Google?

Lively is the newest social networking website beta-released by Google. Online friends, in the “person” of their animated avatars, meet in 3D chatrooms. Here is the video Google made to introduce Lively:

Lively went live for user testing just two months ago (I learned about it in from this blog post). It is still in its beta phase, so expect some difficulties from delayed responses to the worst - system hangup. The problems, may have been caused at my end. I was experiencing slow internet performance with other sites too. [Update 9/27: 3D-chatted with ex-officemates who are now in Colorado USA and Vancouver CA. Both experienced freezing moments specially during their first attempt. One of them was popping in and out of the chat because instead of waiting it out, he was clicking X (close window) whenever he can't type a text or can't move his avatar. My tip: be patient, it's still in beta.]

Despite the “bummers”, I was able to create my own 3D Coffee Lounge and to check out some newbie-friendly chatrooms. Here’s a screenshot of my visit to a 3D chatroom that looks like it's winter all over.

The call-outs or speech bubbles are text chats that disappear when new texts are typed. (Not to worry, because you can always look at the chat history.)

This virtual room was created by the real person behind the female avatar on the right. I, rather, the avatar-me in the middle, made friends with her and the male avatar when avatar-me first met them in a nice rooftop-like lounge chatroom. In Lively, making friends means adding their avatar names in my list of contacts. They were nice to avatar-me so I looked for them the next time I logged-in. I knew where to find them because my contact list displays which room my Lively friends are. Then I sort of followed them in the winter wonderland room. My tip – don’t accept friend requests from some avatars you don’t want following you.

Here’s an updated Google Lively FAQ listing tips and tricks for newbies.

Overall, notwithstanding technical glitches, the Lively experience is a fun way to show your (imagined) creativity, hangout with online friends, meet new ones, get-together with colleagues and classmates.