HP aims to hook users on virtual fishtank

Hewlett-Packard has designed a virtual fish "pet" that can be fed and looked after, and which develops attitude problems if it is neglected.

The MOPy fish - named after HP's multiple original printing technology - is available for download from http://www.hp.com/go/fish. It can kiss you, do tricks and develop its own environment.

But users have to keep visiting the site to collect food and other accoutrements, including plants, rocks, air bubbles and a thermometer. If you don't feed the fish, it eventually goes belly up. Virtual pet-keepers who go back repeatedly to the site are fed with information about HP's MOP technology - and encouraged to transfer their allegiances from photocopiers to Laserjet printers.