Vollee to offer Second Life mobile

San Francisco-based company Second Life has opened up its virtual world to the mobile phone, and is looking for interested beta testers to put the application through its paces.

Functions are mapped to the keypad of the phone, and the experience has been reformatted to work on the smaller screen of these devices. Obviously due to the bandwidth requirements, a 3G handset is needed.

During the beta, the application is free, although data charges still apply.

Vollee's application is most based on Java, which means any handset capable of the technology will be able to install the small applet which would control the Second Life experience.

The company said it will release a list of supported devices shortly, and contact those who meet its requirements closer to the launch of the beta in May. The company is pre-registering interested testers so that it can provide enough server capacity.

"This is a true 'before and after moment' in which mobile is living up to its potential in serving as an always on, connected platform," CEO Martin Dunsby said of the offering.

Vollee also plans to provide other MMORPGs in the future, although it is not publicly releasing a list yet.