A while ago, I looked around the social web and wished that it could be less static. Sure, you can leave a comment on a blog or write a text blurb on your social networking profile. But what if you want to express yourself in a more fun way, with 3D graphics and real-time avatar interactions? I started asking this question as a 20% project, and I’m excited to announce today’s release of Lively by Google - a 3D virtual experience that is the newest addition to Google Labs.

Wow — this is really innovative.

Requires a Windows XP/Vista application.

So far my favorite room is SuperHero HQ.

Not sure what to make of this as a two-d text publisher.

Here’s an idea: integrate with the My Library feature of Google Books to line the room with my favorite books.