A unique virtual world is now available for preview that works right through your browser. EveryScape is a virutal representation of the real world that you can walk through and interact with, and the best part is that you don't even need to download extra software to do it.
Wandering through a virtual representation of the real world may not be anything new, but it's the interaction with the environment that's impressive. You can comment on different places, post reviews, add rankings, or simply leave one or two-word "tags". This makes everything searchable through EveryScape's search engine and makes walking through a virtual world much more efficient.
They go a step further by accepting uploaded pictures from users as well. If you paint your house, you can take a picture and upload it so the world can see the new look. You can even post a "for rent" sign in your window and make it clickable so that people can get more information.
It's all pretty slow and touchy at the moment, as the official launch isn't due to start until September 2007. Still, this is well worth a look as an excellent example of the possibilities the metaverse offers us.