An end to real life?

Reading CNN.com today I saw this article about the rising popularity of virtual reality. While I am all about taking advantage of technologies in order to make life easier and more productive, part of me wonders whether it's actually beneficial to be spending more time online rather than in real life. Small ways we do this are texting versus calling, or sending emails to a person in our same office environment. Do we get the same emotional and personal impact out of these interactions as we do out of a hug or a conversation?

Thoughts on virtual reality?