When in Zwinktopia, do as the Zwinkies do

IAC, the company that operates RealEstate.com, LendingTree and a host of other online properties, has launched an Internet-based virtual world called Zwinktopia. The world is based on Zwinky, an online tool to create avatars, which are customized personas that can be used to represent users on the Internet. There are 4.7 million active Zwinky users, IAC reported. There are 29 unique locations within the Zwinky world.

"Users can shop for the latest fashions, chat with friends, play games, participate in events, and hang out in their dorm," IAC announced. The world has its own currency, Zbucks, and participants can shop for clothes, furniture and other items.

Another virtual world, called Second Life, also has its own currency and allows users to buy and sell real estate. Coldwell Banker is selling virtual real estate within Second Life. Several other real-world companies have a presence in Second Life, too, though marketing real-world brands and products in a virtual world can be a challenge.

Rumors have swirled for awhile about whether Google will buy an established virtual world or launch its own breed of social virtual world -- the company already has a foot in this door with its Google Earth application, a 3-D virtual representation of the planet. Google also owns SketchUp, a tool that can be used to build virtual 3-D objects for use in Google Earth or other applications.

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