Oshima was sure consumers would take to the sort of U.S.-style mini-labs he'd been gathering information about, where film is developed quickly on-site for a small premium.

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Another firm, Noritsu Koki, supplies half the mini-photo processing labs used in camera shops and kiosks around the world.

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Since launching in 1999, Linden Labs' experiment has grown into a bona fide mini-economy, with 8.3 million users controlling "avatars" that live, socialize and do business within Second Life's virtual environment.

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