Couple-surfing to enhance cyber-love [Reuters]

A man and a woman sit side-by-side in a New York cafe, drinking beer, sharing food, and not saying a word. Instead of chatting, they are typing on a laptop about the tunes played through a shared iPod.

“Realizing that communicating via typing was far more comfortable … we conducted … our date without speaking. We traded headphones back and forth and typed and ordered beer and wine and more food … The waitress thought we were crazy,” wrote singer Amanda Palmer in her “Dresden Dolls Diary“.

As the Internet evolves — with its webcams, iPods, Instant Messaging, broadband, wi-fi and weblogs — its image as a relationship-wrecker is changing.

Now a sociable habit is emerging among the Netorati: couple-surfing.

Coined by bloggers responding to a Wired column, couple-surfing describes “netaholics” or “infomaniacs” who surf alongside each other — doing together what used to be seen as a solitary activity.

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