Circuit City originally opened in Second Life as a part of the IBM subcontinent. The build there was comparatively modest and not heavily trafficked, but it was successful enough for Circuit City to make a much larger commitment to the virtual world, in the form of four sims, forming an extra-large island, with the help and expertise of IBM.
The island features an orientation area (though a registration portal is still in the works), and some helpful signage. A Circuit City HUD enables you to summon assistance from a staff member, and has a built-in flight assister as a bonus. What might really grab your attention though are prizes!
Circuit City is giving away ten Apple 4GB iPod Nano ARVs (Model No. APL MB245LLA). They retail for about $150US each. Over a period of six weeks, SL versions of these iPods will be concealed around the island. There won't always be one there, but that's a heck of a nice easter-egg hunt. The first iPod is already waiting to be found, and the build is a great one to explore.
Particularly check out the abandoned subway down below (being a nosey newsie, I was not dissuaded by the danger signs or barriers, and clambered down there myself for a look). There's also video to be had in various places, some of it very useful and informative (and long!).
There's so many things that the island is getting right, not the least of which is a giant-sized Digital SLR camera with animated internal workings that you can walk through and learn about its inner workings. This is one of the things that is prohibitively expensive to mock up in the physical world, but works really well in Second Life. It's educational and interesting and very well put together.
The island is staffed from 6AM SLT (US Pacific time) to 3PM SLT by staff with a familiarity with both SL and Circuit City's products. That's a pleasant change from the deserted builds of the lackadaisical corporates of yore. Get on down and check it out. If you're a US resident over the age of 18, maybe you can score yourself one of those iPods!
