Speaking of mobile virtual worlds, NEC Corporation has announced it intends to connect Second Life to the mobile platform. The company says its SCI Platform is able to open virtual worlds communications to real-world phones by placing an "NEC Communicator" in Second Life.

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, NEC showed off the technoloy, which it says lets users within Second Life use their avatar to make cell phone calls via the NEC Communicator. Beyond voice, Second Lifers will also be able to send text-based communications like SMS, email and IP messaging to real-world devices.

The company says the technology will provide new Web 2.0 revenue streams for its customers through such "virtual to real world" interfaces that enable connected communication, payment and media distribution. It's part of what the company says is an overall vision for media convergence and evolution.

The company will place its NEC Communicator at its "Tokutoku Pocket Island" in Second Life, which it launched alongside its NEC Island in 2007 for its branding and marketing activities.