Virtually Pathetic

Written by Eric Olsen
Published August 26, 2004

Hmm, it seems to me that the people who would be interested in something like this:

    She needs to be coddled with sweet talk and pampered with gifts, but you'll never see her in the flesh. A Hong Kong company has developed a "virtual girlfriend" for new cell phones with video capability.

    Artificial Life Inc.'s electronic love interest — sort of a Tamagotchi for adults — will appear as an animated figure on a telephone screen and respond by voice to text messages you send.

    But she'll require a lot of attention, involving virtual flowers and diamonds, company spokeswoman Ada Fong said. Though gifts are nothing but data, suitors will have to pay cold, hard cash.

    ....If she's neglected, "she'll be unhappy and she won't talk to you," Fong added [AP]

are vastly more pathetic than the people who go for something like this, which at least involves actual flesh and relatively little abuse.

People are really going to spend real, actual money to pamper some dots on their telephone? There are actual women who will accept presents from you and GIVE YOU things in return - is Fong aware of this? I mean, what the fruit?

More on the Pseudo Slut here.

Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and publisher of Blogcritics.org, which, quite frankly, rules - as do his wife and four children.
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Virtually Pathetic
Published: August 26, 2004
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Section: Sci/Tech
Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Software
Writer: Eric Olsen
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Comments

#1 — August 26, 2004 @ 19:42PM — Temple Stark [URL]

A nice update on the planned Playboy "virtual" pictorial would be in order.

Takes silicone to a whole new (microsize) level.

#2 — August 26, 2004 @ 19:53PM — NC

There are actual women who will accept presents from you and GIVE YOU things in return


Yeah, like headaches, heartache, venereal diseases, etc. When you get tired of the virtual girlfriend, you can always put the phone away.

#3 — August 27, 2004 @ 01:32AM — RJ [URL]

NC:

LOL!

That's true. But you get no nookie! ;)

#4 — August 27, 2004 @ 03:02AM — NC

That's true. But you get no nookie! ;)


A small price to pay, my friend, when we have easy access to so much cheap, quality porn.

The biggest advantage Virtual Girlfriend should have over her non-virtual competition is the fact that she costs nothing to maintain. I say "should" because, per Eric's post, you actually have to pay money to keep her happy. Very true-to-life, but the whole appeal of VG is that she's not true-to-life. I wonder, do you also have to hang out with her annoying virtual friends? Sounds like a gyp.

It also doesn't help that she looks like a prepubescent Japanese boy, but so it goes.

#5 — August 27, 2004 @ 08:30AM — Eric Olsen

If you follow the Pseudo Slut link above they show several more "designs" to choose from, but they all have the same basic features. I guess I fail to comprehend what is to be gained on any level from maintaining a relationship with some pixels on your cell phone.

Are real women all that threatening?

#6 — August 27, 2004 @ 10:53AM — NC

Are real women all that threatening?


Not threatening at all. Like many luxury items, they're simply not worth their exorbitant cost.

#7 — August 27, 2004 @ 11:27AM — Eric Olsen

the Gigolo Aid and Comfort League might beg to differ

#8 — August 27, 2004 @ 13:21PM — BRICKLAYER

She's hot. Does anybody know how I can get her number or email address?

#9 — August 27, 2004 @ 13:25PM — Eric Olsen

Bricky, for mere money she can live in your phone

#10 — August 27, 2004 @ 14:53PM — visualsimplicity [URL]

I think Bricklayer just came from the Michael Phelps post.

#11 — August 27, 2004 @ 15:06PM — Eric Olsen

you mean "Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the White Phelps"?

#12 — August 27, 2004 @ 17:46PM — visualsimplicity [URL]

Oh and Bricklayer, I think you mean, OMG, she's so HOTTTTTTTTTTTTTT.

By the way, I heard that her email address is slave4u2k4@AOhelL.com, can anyone confirm this?????

#13 — August 27, 2004 @ 21:36PM — Mac Diva [URL]

At last! A date for [edited].

#14 — August 28, 2004 @ 09:12AM — HW Saxton

RE:Comment#13. What an unwarranted cheap
shot.That's pretty low,even for you MD.


#15 — August 28, 2004 @ 12:27PM — Eric Olsen

I'm not really sure why dates are so important - I prefer figs anyway

#16 — August 29, 2004 @ 23:56PM — RJ [URL]

Now I know why women love Arab men so much: They eat their dates! :-P

#17 — August 30, 2004 @ 09:16AM — Eric Olsen

Vis, I thought that was Prince's email

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