Sunday, September 25, 2005

Digital companion


I read some productivity advice the other day. You can get back about a day a month of your working time by only reading your email twice a day. Twice a day! I live and/or die via email. While i know that many young people see email as an oldies technology, it is how i structure my work, keep my overseas family under control, keep records of important 'conversations', construct carefully thought out responses to nasty communications, and maintain the long-distance relationships with friends and colleagues that have become so important to me in a strange land. While demonstrating how embedded this form of digital communications has become in my life, this also means that the twice-a-day productivity email rule is very difficult to observe.

However, this little rabbit might be the answer. S/he's wifi connected to the internet and does cool stuff like wiggle ears or light up when email arrives. S/he can also update you on the weather or traffic conditions and facilitates sending personal messages (e.g. you can move the ears on your bunny and the ears on your friend's bunny --in the room next door or in another country -- will also move, showing that you're thinking of him/her). Higly functional, directly linked to maintaining personal affinity networks, and importantly, FUN! Also a tricky transfer across on and offline spaces. (I'm not sure how the cute little bunny will help me be more productive, but at least it recognizes the importance of email and online relationships in my life...and it makes me smile).


5 comments:

Mary Plain said...

This is going straight on my wish list of toys.. just need to get wi-fi in the house first!

Victoria Carrington said...

I am desperate to have one!

Hooks straight into all the research about ditigal technologies and the maintenance of affinity groups and intimate relationships.

But, like i care about that....i just want one.

Clare said...

I am getting one too - do they only do bunnies?

Joolz said...

Wonderful. We can all have one. I love the bit about if you wiggle your bunnies ears then your botfiend's ears wiggle too. (See the video on Vic's bunny link)
That will be a first in synchronicity for me I reckon!!

Mary Plain said...

can we think of a research project and get funding so we all get several of them? impact in the classroom in one urban and two contrasting rural environments? (Is it just me or are the word verification codes getting more complicated and harder to type?)