What are the hardware and connectivity requirements?
Hardware Requirements:
- Intel 945 integrated graphics or better
- 1GB RAM, 1.5 Ghz CPU
- broadband network connection (regular cable/DSL is fine)
- USB headset recommended
Software Requirements:
- Microsoft Windows 7/Vista/XP
- Internet Explorer 6/7/8 or Firefox 3/3.5 or Google Chrome
Do I require special hardware for 3D audio?
No. Your existing speakers and microphone should work fine. However, you will get a better experience if you use a USB headset (these can be purchased for less than $50 at many large electronics stores).
How do I uninstall the software?
From the 'Add or Remove Programs' control panel applet.
Where do I get instructions for how to interact in web.alive?
You can press F1 in the environment to get help.
How do I pick my avatar in web.alive?
You can press F2 in the environment to bring up the avatar personalization dialog.
How do I get my picture on my badge?
Launch the avatar personalization dialog by pressing F2 and then go to the profile tab.
On this tab you can select any picture you have on your PC to be your badge picture.
I'm having trouble with my audio (echo, can't hear or can't speak, voice sounds broken up or robotic, no sound at all, etc)
Press F1 for help with troubleshooting audio issues. In general, audio problems come from one of three sources:
(1) not enough bandwidth for audio -- try to close other applications which might be using the network or moving
to a more reliable wireless connection (2) poor quality microphone -- we highly recommend a
USB headset, but if that isn't a possibility try moving the microphone (and its cord) away from sources of
electronic noise (3) background noise -- music and other background noise prevents echo cancelation from functioning
well and may also saturate the microphone, try to find a quiet place.
How do I report bugs?
You can report bugs through the web.alive reporting tool in the start menu under web.alive. Or you can fill in the bug reporting form here.
How do I get support?
If you are an end user, the forums are an excellent place to start. If you are a web.alive customer you can
email us via support@avayalive.com.
When is support for browser / os / platform x coming?
We love Macs, Linux, and Safari but we have to deliver to the browsers and OSs that have the most users first
in order to be successful. A future release will include broader OS and browser support.
How come I can't make an avatar that looks like x?
We recognize that the avatar personalization is limited. We plan to enhance it over time and are
interested in feedback as to what kinds of avatars or avatar design flexibility is most important to our users.
Feel free to comment in the forums.
What is the basic business model (what do I pay for and what do I get)?
web.alive is offered as a hosted service that delivers a next generation communication solution integrated with
the web. web.alive provides all of the infrastructure to deliver the service to your users, all you need to do is
embed a few lines of html code in your web page. You typically pay a monthly fee for the service.
For larger/custom/security sensitive web.alive applications there are other options including software licenses.
The products page provides more details.
How do I integrate web.alive into my website?
You simply add a few lines of html to the web page where you want to embed the web.alive client, similar to
embedding a youtube video. Our software handles ensuring the user gets the right plug-in, connects to the
right server, etc. Additional integration is possible via calls in and out of web.alive via a simple Javascript
API. The Publish tab on the web.alive administration page gives you the html you need to embed.
How can actions in the environment cause updates on the web page?
Depending on how the environment is configured, an avatar logging in, walking into a room, or pressing a
button can cause a javascript method to get called on your page which can then do anything you can normally
do from javascript. This may include displaying a new page, updating content on the current page, sending
a message to the server, etc.
How can user actions on the web page affect what is happening in the environment?
A javascript method is provided to allow the web page to send events into the environment. These events
can then be used to update content in the environment, cause something to move, doors to open or close, etc.
What file formats (e.g. documents, video etc...) are supported in the environment?
web.alive supports .ppt, .pptx, and .pdf documents; .jpeg, .gif, and .png images; and .bnk videos -- Free
tools are available to convert from almost any existing file format into these formats
(try www.youconvertit.com for example).
To convert almost any video into bink you can use the RAD video tools
http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm).
Are the environments within web.alive customizable?
Yes. web.alive offers a service to create a customized environment to meet your exact needs including branding, look and
feel, integration, etc. Also, the community tab on this site provides information about creating your own environments.
What type of 3D objects (file formats) am I able to import into the web.alive environment?
The underlying technology for web.alive is the unreal engine. This engine can support importing any mesh you can get
into 3DSMax or Maya. Tools are also available for importing Google Sketchup images. For more information please
see the content developers guide available on the community tab.
Can I have the user interact with 3D objects in some way?
Yes. You can allow users to manipulate 3D objects in many different ways. web.alive will be happy to assist in
achieving the results you are looking for.
Can I set my permissions so that at some times I able to use web.alive with both registered users and a
nonymous users?
Yes. In fact we even restrict areas or controls in an environment to users with particular credentials.
I want to learn more about how I can utilize web.alive for my business, who do I talk to?
You can send an email to sales@avayalive.com
I want to do a story on web.alive, who can I interview?
Contact our media relations team (media@avayalive.com).