Kaneva: Where Virtual Worlds Meet Social Networking

Kaneva. It's the Latin word for canvas. It's also one of the newest in the flurry of virtual worlds cropping up in cyberspace. This one is a sort of SimCity meets Facebook—a 3D world where you're given your own apartment in the virtual world, a T-shirt, jeans and a few other belongings upon sign up. Once you've established residence, it's all about social networking. You create a personal profile much like you would on MySpace or Facebook and then invite people to hang out with you and find people based on shared interests.

I grabbed a quick sandwich with Christopher Klaus, the site's creator, and asked him why in the world we needed another virtual life when destinations like Second Life are so popular. Klaus explained that Kaneva emphasizes the social entertainment experience. It blends the 2D world of social networking with the new 3D worlds.

Klaus says that unlike Second Life, where the experience depends predominantly on the member developing content, Kaneva will be more about entertainment—everything from decorating your apartment with your own photos, music, or movies, to playing interactive games that are layered in throughout the world. "People like moving their furniture around in cyberspace," he's quick to point out. Klaus also points out that casual gaming is the fastest growing part of the gaming world, and that women are majority stakeholders in these new worlds where games and entertainment don't require a huge time commitment or learning curve.

Kaneva is currently in beta testing just prior to its public launch, but if social networking in 3D is your thing you can get an invite to join the test now. Ultimately the basic membership will be free and you'll be able to buy upgraded "stuff" at the site, including more furniture and bigger apartments as well as movie and game experiences. Kaneva also works with game developers, supplying the tools they need to create 3D environments. Want to see what your place can look like on Kaneva before you go investing? Here's a recent Fox TV clip.