Are you into MSN Messenger? If the answer is yes, you need to stop msn-ing about with virtual icons and get yourself an i-Buddy. This smart little USB-friendly character looks just like the pixellated figure that pops up on screen every time a contact logs on. The difference is, i-Buddy is the real deal. Well as real as a translucent 3" figurine with a big glowing head and wings can be.

Sit i-Buddy on your monitor or desk and it will respond to incoming MSN messages in its own charming way. You can even program it to react to one specific account - ideal for that special someone. But here's the clever part: as well as alerting you to your contacts' status, i-Buddy detects emotions (via emoticons) within messages and reacts accordingly.


For instance if someone puts a heart emoticon in their message, i-Buddy's head glows and it twists and flaps its wings. And if the blushing emoticon is detected, i-Buddy will glow red. Even cuter, a gleaming red heart in i-Buddy's chest illuminates whenever a contact is online. Awww!

With i-Buddy mounted on your monitor you can stroll over to the water cooler without having to worry about missing a message from a special friend. Simply keep an eye on this angelic-looking thingamajig's status and race back when it starts getting in a flap.

Ideal for MSN fans of all ages, i-Buddy brings the familiar yet mysterious Messenger figure to life like never before. We always thought it looked like a dumpy chess pawn with arms, but now we've seen it in the flesh (well, the plastic) it's taken on a whole new persona. In fact, if you're a fan of instant messaging, i-Buddy is a must-have accessory. So stop msn-ing about and get ordering!