Two related projects from Mozilla and Google, each with the similar goal of bringing hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to the Web, appear to be joining forces after a change in Google tactics.

The two projects emerged at nearly the same time in 2009: the O3D browser plug-in from Google and the proposed WebGL standard from Mozilla and the Khronos Group, which standardizes the OpenGL graphics interface on which WebGL is based. O3D is a higher-level technology, whereas WebGL is more concerned with the nuts and bolts of 3D graphics.

In recent months, though, O3D has become dormant. But it's not fading away, exactly: Google is trying to breathe new life into the project by rebuilding it on a WebGL foundation.

More: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-20001810-264.html