During the Mobile World Congress last week NEC were using Second Life to demonstrate their SCI VoIP and multimedia platform, but there didn’t seem to be any indication that a commercial release was planned.  However, cellphone gaming company Vollee have picked up that baton and are set to launch their own Second Life Mobile application that they’ve been developing in partnership with the online world’s creators, Linden Labs.  Relying on a high-speed 3G data connection, the software reformats the 3D world into a small-screen friendly interface, complete with threaded chat, teleporting and animated flying.

Of course the full range of Second Life activities aren’t available yet - stores can seemingly be visited and browsed but not bought from, and the building tools aren’t there - but the functionality people might actually want to use is present and, according to Crave, is all delivered fairly smoothly and consistent with the feel of the original.

Vollee’s Second Life Mobile app is in beta at the moment; register and if your handset is compatible they’ll send a link for you to download the client.  A more general roll-out is expected in the US in May.