hermes audio distribution
DESCRIPTION
New in our range of services; our distribution service for audio content using our in-house developed audio publishing and distribution system.TRANSCRIPT
hermes audio distribution
snowcrash|digitalreal solutions for virtual worlds
snowcrashdigital.com
herm
es 1492, the sequelIt’s been a while since Columbus made his famous discovery - but over the past few years mankind has slowly discovered another new world - virtual reality. Virtual reality had its great breakthrough and was immediately hyped a few years ago. Back then, many thought it would silently fade out - but the years have definitely proven different.
Today virtual reality environments, like Second Life®, have more members than at any time before and the in-world economies of these virtual worlds are continually growing - they even reached an all time height during the global recession in 2009. Second Life® alone counts 20 million user accounts, and in 2009 accounted for almost 26% of all consumer purchases in virtual reality in the US.
While this amazing growth continues, more and more universities are discovering virtual reality as a medium for online education, and companies use it to deliver training, run meetings and create prototypes - even the US army is active in virtual worlds. This all happens alongside the millions of people who enjoy simply spending their spare time exploring these virtual worlds.
Snowcrash Digital has been active since the early days of virtual worlds as an application and services developer. One of our core products is the Hermes Audio Technology - an innovative way to publish and distribute audio content not only to virtual worlds, but to the real world at the same time. It al-lows people to sample, purchase and playback audio content in a virtual world. Consumers are able to
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introduction
buy in-world, then download the content securely to their real world audio playing devices. It has been the leading audio solution for virtual worlds since 2007 - and still is the only system of its kind.
Recently we also started our own distribution service for audio production companies. So, ask yourself…. how would you feel about being the lead player in a 1492 sequel? Read on and discover how, for a minimal risk, you can now access a new market in a whole new world!
herm
es Let’s take a closer look at this new world; virtual reality is a 3 dimensional world, accessed by users using their computers. The software and accounts for these virtual worlds are free, and each user creates a 3 dimensional representation of themselves, called an “avatar”. By using their mouse and keyboards, users can navigate their avatars through these virtual worlds, communicate and interact with each other and the environment.
The characteristic that makes these virtual reality environments different from all previous is that fact that worlds like Second Life® are completely created by its own users. All content in these worlds has been user created. Another important point of difference is the in-world economy - people trade in real money for in-world currency; but the revolutionary thing is that people selling their in-world creations can also trade in the in-world currency for real money again; when you pay with the in-world currency, you’re actually spending real money.
Snowcrash Digital is a content creator for Second Life®. Professional content creation for Second Life® is what our company does, and recently it has been awarded the Gold Certified Solution Provider status by the company behind this virtual world, Linden Labs - recognizing the quality of the projects done, and the knowledge and experience on board in our company. Our flagship product is the Hermes Audio Technology - the only system of its kind in Second Life, allowing sales and distribution of audio content through virtual reality, with the content being delivered both to the customer’s avatar and real life self.
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the new world
herm
es When we developed our audio publishing and distribution technology, Snowcrash Digital focused on ease of use, stability and scalability. To make our systems easy to understand we decided to create a system that’s based on the same devices one would expect in the “real world”. Publishers use a device we named the “Hermes Audio Workbench” to create their CDs. The CDs are the actual data carriers, just like in the real world. People can come to one of our audio shops, and buy their desired CDs, which they then can play with their Hermes Audio Players.
What they actually buy when purchasing a CD is an object that looks like a real CD, but actually maintains a little piece of code – depending on which option they choose when interacting with the CD, the CD will tell the player to play certain songs which are stored on our secure file server, or the CD will ask our web server to prepare a temporary secure session, and bring the user to the web interface where this person can download the audio to their real world devices.
Because our system is based around the MP3 file format, users can immediately play their purchased and downloaded content in the audio playback device of their choice.
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our serviceHermes Audio Technology differs from other technology available in Second Life for audio distribution because it enables the end user to both play the audio content in Second Life and download it to their real life devices simultaneously.
Other systems only offer a real world download – which often results in purchasers uploading the music to the internet again in order to be able to play it in Second Life. That exposes the content to being generally downloaded by anyone who can find the web address of the audio track. Thanks to the fact that this is not needed using Hermes Audio Technology, the author’s content is much more protected.
Our newly started distribution services now make it possible for publishers to distribute their content through Second Life without ac-tually needing to be in Second Life.
The Snowcrash Digital team, featuring professional coders, marketers and graphical designers can take care of every aspect from product creation to sales reports once every month.
herm
es Interested in joining us on the new market? Curious to find out how it works out for your product? On this page we’ll give you a quick overview of how we do it.
After we received a signed distribution agreement for your products, Snowcrash Digital will need a copy of your audio files, and if desired, a copy of graphics you want us to use when creating your product in Second Life. Snowcrash Digital will then create your range of products in Second Life, and invite you to review the virtual version of your products created by us. Once agreed upon, the products go on the market, and are sold in the virtual world of Second Life and related ecommerce sites. Potential customers will be able to find your products on several places on the Second Life grid, and Second Life ecommerce websites.
Snowcrash Digital promotes, sells and offers product support for the products within Second Life. Snowcrash Digital produces a sales summary once every month. In the second week of month two, you will receive an overview of sales in month one. Customers within Second Life can play the purchased content within Second Life, and download it to their real life devices to use it as their “real life self”.
People purchasing your audio content receive a CD with the audio content in MP3-format, which is playable in Second Life, and which contains a download key for them to download the purchased content securely through our server. As standard we also hand out a media player to each purchaser of audio content, and we can bundle all kinds of information in both text or graphic form. If you require it, we can include a booklet in Second Life with your CD, including a downloadable PDF; this service we provide at no extra cost. Other optional customised marketing goodies can be arranged, created and developed upon request.
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how we do it
herm
es How much will we sell?The amount of sales made is very hard to estimate; some of our publishers sell several CDs each week, others only make a few sales per quarter. However being present in Second Life adds to your marketing; it shows your company/organization is modern and you gain a lot of extra exposure by being in Second Life.
What does it cost to engage in this project?Snowcrash Digital offers the distribution service as a commission based service at 15%. There are no hidden costs for our standard package - creation of your products within Second Life is all done by Snowcrash Digital. You only pay a commission on sales - It’s a win-win situation for publishers.
What comes in the standard package?Our standard distribution package consists of your CDs created in Second Life, packed up together with a media player and distributed through Second Life and Second Life related ecommerce sites.
Our brand and house style are very important for us; can we translate this into Second Life?Yes; Snowcrash Digital can create CDs that look exactly like your CDs in the “real world”.
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faqDo I need to sign up for Second Life to use this service?No, you don’t. We specially developed this service for organizations interested in dis-tributing their content in Second Life without the need to sign up for Second Life. Although we’re happy to help you through the early days if you decide to take the plunge.
How can I review the products created by you for us?You can either sign up for Second Life and come inspect the product in-world, or Snowcrash Digital provides you with media material in which you can see the virtual version of your product for the proofing.
Is our content protected?Snowcrash Digital does everything possible to protect and secure your content using state of the art technology - however nothing is 100% secure. The simple truth is that if someone really wants to steal the content, they probably will find a way to do so - just like someone can record a song from the radio instead of buying the single. However; the casual thief has almost no chance, and the effort involved in stealing content published through our system means it’s not really worth the time to try.
herm
es
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snowcrash digital
Snowcrash Digital is active in emerging internet technologies, offering a wide range of consultancy and development services for virtual reality environments like Second Life and other online social media.
As well as our consultancy and development services for Second Life, Snowcrash Digital also develops a range of out-of-the-box ready-to-go applications. Our main focus here is on creating enabling tools, ranging from education and presentation devices through special effects to publishing devices.
Several of our products in this range are a cross-over between the “real world” and the “virtual world”, allowing people to publish to both instances at the same time.
Proudly boasting a global portfolio of satisfied customers based in the US, Australia and Europe ranging from small companies to NGOs, universities and multi-national operating companies, Snowcrash Digital has a high level of expertise in design, marketing & communication and technology & application development.
About usJim Evans - Technical directorSecond Life: HippyJim StarbrookE-mail: [email protected]: hippyjim.starbrook
Philippe Pascal - Marketing directorSecond Life: ppmediadev BlinkerE-mail: [email protected]: ppmediadev
In-world support team- Giancarlo Barski- Amythyst Beaumont
OnlineGeneral info: www.snowcrashdigital.comCompany news: blog.snowcrashdigital.comProduct support: support.snowcrashdigital.com
UK - registered office50 Doric Ave, Bredbury, Stockport, SK6 2DQ, EnglandNL - branch office Slotlaan 243, 3701GG Zeist, The Netherlands
SnowcrashDigital.com & Hermes are trading names of TechyTurtle.com Ltd. TechyTurtle.com Ltd. is a registered company in England And Wales. Registered Company number 07325246.
Our team