Shout out to Hamlet’s Patreon for consistently recapping exciting Second Life news before everyone else. I suppose that is what being an insider is all about. I recall that years ago, Second Life was already running inside a browser through third-party services, so I have wondered why it took Linden Lab so long to offer this feature. Clearly, I am not a fan of the current mobile app. It is far too small anyway, even if it becomes functional someday. For users with high-end computers, running Second Life in a browser may not be as exciting; however, for those with low-end computers, it will be a game changer. Finally being able to run Second Life and see it as it is meant to be viewed, likely using cloud hardware, I assume? I’m not particularly technical, but many services now exist that allow users to access a higher-end computer remotely to play games or use 3D software.
Why is playing Second Life in your browser better than the mobile app? For one, whoever Second Life is trying to attract would likely prefer to experience the world on a much larger screen. During the brief few minutes that I tried SL in my browser, I found that it rendered everything quite well. Having access to the full Second Life viewer UI is essential. I can change my clothes, edit items, and perform any actions I normally would in the SL viewer.
I already see Second Life on ultra settings, so I wonder if someone who typically runs on low or mid settings will notice an improvement when viewing Second Life in high to ultra settings. If you are one of those users, please log in and let me know if you observe any enhancements.
As we begin a new year, I predict that this feature will eventually be mostly free for Premium Plus Second Life accounts, with limited usage for others. Perhaps they will even offer different plans for usage similar to streaming services. I hope that Premium Plus users receive it for free, as they should replace Speedlight access with this feature.
Will this attract new or returning users? Yes, people prefer ease of access. The mobile app is not user-friendly. This is straightforward. Will this benefit current residents? Yes, it is ideal for a quick login session to accomplish whatever tasks you need without the hassle of installing a viewer. You could likely use it on your $200 Chromebook if that is all you have.
Will this work on your mobile devices? No, it might function on an iPad, but when I logged into SL on my phone, I could not view the entire screen or access any navigation tools or my on-screen keyboard.
Read more about Second Life in a browser and give it a try!
