Linden Lab will be adding voice capabilities to the Second Life Grid.

The voice capabilities will enable Second Life Residents to speak to each other if they wish, in addition to the current Instant Messaging and chat functions. Linden Lab anticipates that voice will be particularly valuable to Resident groups such as educators, non-profits and businesses, who might use Second Life as a collaborative tool for learning and training.

Linden Lab is the leading company in its field to offer integrated communication capabilities with 3D "proximity-based" voice communication. It uses spatial awareness, taking distance and direction into account, for a more realistic "in-world" voice experience. When speaking, Residents' avatars will become animated according to the intensity of speech volume.

A private beta program on a test-grid for 1,000 users will be launched next week, before a Grid-wide beta trial, which will give current Second Life Residents the opportunity to explore the benefits of voice-enabled communication. A formal launch is scheduled for Q2, 2007.

http://www.technologynewsdaily.com/node/6178