Customers don't always make it to book signings. And now authors don't have to, either. Margaret Atwood has invented the Long Pen, a machine which gives you a signed copy of a book even when the author is on the other side of the world. The remote hand moves the pen, mimicking the author's motions, while a video camera mounted on top of the machine allows you to interact with the author. (You can watch the Long Pen do its work here.)I can't help but wonder how long it will be before the announce a service that allows you to stay home, talk to the author over your own computer, and have the signed book shipped to you. It's an agoraphobe's dream.
Question for collectors: Is a LongPen-inscribed book still a signed copy? Discuss.
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