WRT: Writer Response Theory

Me & mY Sis.

In this photo, two cellphone screens contain two halves of a single word / phrase (”I LO / VE U”) - a digital friendship charm between sisters.

This didn’t require special software, and the phones aren’t linked as in a multi-monitor desktop - each phone is simply using a related graphic as its wallpaper. However, as we see in the real and imagined screen interfaces of the future, harmonized or sympathetic devices are becoming a big deal - small devices, loosely joined. In addition to various forms of smart mobs, loosely linked digital accessories are entering the arts in examples as disparate as pervasive gaming and proximity response fashion accessories. SMS, Bluetooth, and RFID tags are the common channels of communication for devices that don’t just shake hands, or pretend to speak, but enter into actual dialog.

This dialog might occur coorperatively, like TileToy, or synergistically, like Furbies… or even antagonistically, like Needies. The interactions of most digital toys seem to be modeled on either pet play dates or else Balanese cock fights, however. Even when the topic system is extremely complex, the result resembles chatter more than dialog.

There have been some interesting (and humorous) experiments with connecting two chatbots so that they talk to each other. What would happen if we carried chatbots around inside our digital devices? It might be interesting if our virtual pets gradually evolved towards becaming dramatis personae. Then I could bring my “Grace” cellphone program - and you could bring your “Tripp” action figure…

…and when Trip said “I love you,” Grace might respond “Just saying that doesn’t make everything better.” Tripp says “What have I done now?” and we’re off.