BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Google unveiled a free online service called "Lively" that allows people to embody a cartoonish avatar and have text-based conversations with other Internet users in virtual chat rooms.

    The new service, announced in a post on the company's official blog on Tuesday, enables users to create virtual representations of themselves, then decorate their own virtual rooms, invite friends to that room and do things they've always dreamed of. The rooms can be added to any blog or website.

    "Lively" and similar products from other companies have the potential to change the way people interact over the Web. Online chat rooms are two-dimensional -- they include text, and sometimes voice and video. "Lively" tries to make that conversation three-dimensional, more interactive and more fun.

    "We know people already spend a lot of time online socializing, so we just want to try to make it more enjoyable," said Niniane Wang, a Google engineering manager who oversaw "Lively"'s creation over the past year.

    Google has no plans to sell advertising in it, Wang said.

    But the service could still indirectly help the company if it encourages people to remain online longer. Google's management reasons that more frequent Web surfing ultimately will lead to more moneymaking clicks on the ads it shows alongside its search results and millions of other Web sites.

    (Agencies)