There was also a virtual pet, which can be controlled and played with using Kinect.

BBC: Microsoft unveils Xbox 'Kinect' motion controller

Chiu's virtual pet "IceLashes" lives in a plush six-story home with around 20 rooms.

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Our next stop was the Tamagotchi, that cloying virtual pet from Japan that needed constant love and attention to grow.

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Later, when the Tamagotchi (or any other species of virtual pet) makes a demand, the nanny goes through the routine it has learned.

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In a step beyond the virtual pet Tamagotchi, computer simulations like the PlayStation game Tokimeki Memorial provide the lovelorn with the experience of dating a girl.

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Its new iBitz Powerkey tracker is targeted at children, who are encouraged to exercise in order to care for a virtual pet on an associated smartphone app.

BBC: CES 2013: Health and safety technology booms

In the game, players get to adopt a virtual pet.

CNN: First impressions: Microsoft's Kinect gaming system

Accounts of the deadly attacks last fall in Mumbai, India, the May 2008 earthquake in China and last week's plane crash show what used to be just a virtual gathering place to communicate pet peeves or plans for the weekend has evolved into a go-to spot for eyewitness news -- sometimes even before mainstream media has had time to crack the story.

CNN: Social-networking sites share breaking news

Playfish gave Pet Society players further incentive to buy the flowers by offering them free virtual currency with each purchase.

FORBES: EA's Playfish: Big Real-World Sales In Virtual Goods Game