Intel Debuts in HiPiHi Virtual World
—— Intel and HiPiHi collaborate on innovative internet application model
—— Intel invites you to become an island owner in HiPiHi
November 21, 2007
.BEIJING, China – November 21, 2007 – Intel China and HiPiHi, China's pioneer of the 3D virtual world, today announced a landmark agreement to become the IT industry's inaugural corporate "resident" of HiPiHi, hence marking another milestone for the development of China's virtual world industry. This agreement will see both Intel and HiPiHi adopt a collaborative approach towards promoting the development of the 3D internet, driving new models of in-world application development and improving access of more internet users to a new platform that fuses their real and "virtual" lives.
Intel will occupy a 160,000 square -metres "Intel island" in the HiPiHi world, which consists of the "Intel Experience Center", "Intel Activity Zone" and the "Intel Partners Club". These venues will significantly differ from previous virtual world projects in that in-world users (or virtual world residents) will solely carry out their design and construction and hence form public event facilities inside HiPiHi. In order to provide the best guidance for new residents, Intel will also provide aid for an "Orientation Camp" to offer feature familiarization and other training. Focus will also be placed on creating more display spaces in HiPiHi and enhancing the participatory experience for more HiPiHi residents to interact with the latest Intel technologies and products. The "Intel Island" will be launched on November 22nd and be open to all HiPiHi residents. The two parties will later invent in the virtual world the first Intel™ Centrino ™ notebook and "ultra-mobile Internet terminals (MID)" to equipment residents.
While Web 2.0 iconic services such as social networking and video-sharing continue to drive the current stage of the evolution the Internet, 3D virtual worlds portend a new era where the current text-centric model of the internet will be replaced by one of immersive user experiences, which will see the convergence of various web 2.0 services as a unified form rather than the fragmented landscape today. This new era of 3D virtual worlds represents unlimited value and commercial opportunities to consumers, private and public technology companies.
In the HiPiHi virtual world, each resident can customize their own appearance, creating an unique identity called an "avatar", to explore the virtual world, interact with other residents and carry out social or entertainment activities. The difference between the 2-dimensional and 3D web is that the latter provides web users a "complete identity" concept that combines the provision of, a multi-user space for building real-time "presence" and interaction, and digital asset protection. The ability of the 3D web to mimic, and perhaps outdo, real-world spaces and create innovative virtual economic models will be a distinguishing feature of the next generation of the Internet.
With respect to his agreement, Intel's marketing division vice president and Country manager (Greater China), YANG Xu said，" 3-D virtual world is the first step towards achieving a truly interactive internet, I am glad to see that Intel is the first technology enterprise to explore the HiPiHi virtual world platform, I am also very pleased that Intel™ Xeon ™ server platform's innovative solutions will provide powerful technical support for the 3D Internet. Through our presence in the virtual world, Intel can provide users a more interactive experience of the latest technologies and extend innovations from the real world into the virtual world. I believe that this collaboration will drive the evolvement of China's emerging 3D internet, and significantly influence the innovation process of web application development in 3D virtual worlds in China. "
HiPiHi founder and CEO XU Hui, said, "HiPiHi is very honoured to establish this partnership with Intel. As China's first virtual world platform, HiPiHi will surely attract a large number of high-caliber users who are visionaries, creatives and those passionate in technology and contemporary culture. Concurrently, they are also the potential consumers of a global brand like Intel. Intel's strong market leadership and commitment towards innovation will provide HiPiHi an influential vote of confidence and outstanding technology support, hence ensuring our excellent technical performance and guaranteeing our residents a more realistic in-world experience. "
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, has strong competitive advantages in the area of IT and Internet platform development, production and marketing. This cooperation with HiPiHi expresses Intel's confidence and determination in promoting 3D internet and virtual worlds in China.
