"Reach out," the old jingled implored. "Reach out and touch someone." That was the 1980s, and the metaphor of physical touch helped humanize the still-nascent technology of long-distance phone calls.

Absence may make the heart grow fonder, but it also sure leaves your arms a lot emptier. No matter how many phone calls you share or e-mails you send, it never quite measures up to the feeling of ...