Here at Virtual Pets Blog, we think that is a given. Fuel and transportation costs are significantly impacting nonprofits, churches, and organizations. We expect them to lead the pack. Yes, we know many of these organizations already have a presence in Virtual Worlds, but much of the current presence is to recruit “real” members, seek donations, or to raise the awareness of their cause. In the future, we expect them to also be holding their business, leadership, training, and organizational meetings there to save fuel and travel time.

One place this could rapidly come on the scene is organizations with several young families in rural America where distances are large, and the younger generation is comfortable with the virtual platform.

In response to this article, we created a page, “Pets and Other Animals Interacting With Robotic Virtual Pets and Other Robots“, pulling together several sources of information on interactions between real pets, wildlife, birds, and other animals with robotic animals and similar devices. It includes several very interesting videos, scientific research, and anecdotal evidence.

Now Disney wants to pull the plug. Some think to run users over to similar Disney sites requiring users to pay, like Club Penguin and ToonTown.

Users are mixing real and imaginary efforts to attempt to stop the closing of their beloved park.

Later this year, Nexon plans to release “Sugar Rush” in the United States. It uses a similar model (free game and pay for accessories) in which users compete to gobble up virtual coins.

Nexon prepaid cards (for purchasing accessories in their existing games) are currently said to be the second best selling entertainment gift card at U.S. Target stores, behind Apple iTunes cards.

Maple Story, an online role playing game for teenagers, is currently Nexon’s leading entry in the U.S. market.

Min Kim, V.P. of U.S. Marketing for Nexon says, “We sell experiences, not packaged products.”

Nexon’s success with a twist on the old razor model where you give away the razor to get the customer to buy blades from you, now has many other game publishers considering getting a shave.

Another accessory is a handheld game that can be used to gain “points” for use in the online world.

Techno Source calls the interactive technology used in the game components (charms, bracelets, jewelry box) “Clickables”. Disney has nice Tinkerbell sounding names for them: Pixie Dust Jewelry Collection, Tink Friendship eBracelets (includes the Friendship feature), Tink’s eCharm Bracelet,  Fairy eCharms, Tink and Friends Fly with me eLCD game. A nice image of them is available on GadgetsGizmo’s.

As we understand it, communication online will be accomplished by selecting phrases (similar to Barbie Girls) or typed text with a filter. Combined with great graphics, several games, interactive areas, and the Disney brand, this site may pull more young girls online, as well as pull them over from competitive virtual worlds. It looks like a great application and we wish them well.

If this technology (”Clickables”) follows form with other interactive devices, we may soon see “Fairy Hackers” figuring out how to get the bracelets, charms, and jewelry box to do additional tricks? (Hack Furby, Hack Aibo, Hack Tamagotchi, Hack Roomba, etc.).

Will the Dark Side use Pixie Hollow? – it will be interesting to see if auxiliary applications spring up outside the game to use the interactivity (using the verification of the charms, the bracelets, etc) inside the game. For example, the ability to pass previously coded messages (such as “I like your hair” means “put $100 on Seabiscuit in the 6th”) between two authenticated avatars. This communication channel might be utilized by everybody from computer hackers to terrorists. Not exactly Disney’s intentions.  But that is true of most technologies. They can be used for good or for evil. Let’s all promise to use this one for good!

In terms of future applications, Disney has already said they are looking at “Clickables” in Club Penguin. We anticipate other virtual worlds to follow, especially because it is a way to monetize virtual worlds (sell bracelets, charms, collectibles) that have both “real world” and “virtual world” uses. Plus when those objects are worn in public, people ask about them, and even more are led to their online world.

Pleo is a realistic robotic dinosaur that will evolve through life stages and and develop a unique personality based on your interaction with him.

He is modeled after a one week old Camarasaurus sauropod, or long necked dinosaur and incorporates the basic traits of artificial life. He expresses his emotions through his actions and sounds.

Pleo includes two 32 bit microprocessors for central and image processing, four 8 bit subprocessors for motor control, 14 motors, over 100 gears, infrared and camera based vision, two microphones for hearing, eight skin sensors, four feet switches, fourteen force feedback sensors, a tilt sensor and an infrared mouth sensor (for food detection).

He also includes a mini USB port and as SD card slot (for add ons), and an infrared transceiver.

“First Hatch” 30 Day Shipment Notices were sent out to pre-orders on 8 November 2007, so Pleo is expected to be on the street, at least in limited numbers quite soon.

Amazon is taking orders for sale right now for a December 18th release.

It features realistic animal behavior, mood dependent behavior, and responds to stimuli with mood specific animations and sounds.

Technically, the chimp features infrared vision, detects movement, reacts to human interaction, has touch sensors on its chin, head and ears, and can be ran by remote control or on automatic interactivity.

Initially released in 2006, the Alive Chimpanzee is still for sale on Amazon.

Capacitive touch sensor technology combined with a sonic sensor allow his eight motors to operate without use of a remote.

With RoboPanda’s realistic actions, an interactive personality, advanced artificial intelligence and awareness, Wowwee has made a pleasant advancement from some of the more basic virtual pets. RoboPanda also interacts with a small panda that is included in the set.

He can tell you stories, play games and learn tricks. Plus the content is cartridge based (we suspect more content will be available later).

RoboPanda is currently for sale from Amazon.