Free your digital self. -- MONTREAL, March 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- MONTREAL, March 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- With infinite access to information and a continuous connection to our social networks, our smartphones are an extension of ourselves. We love our smartphones and can't function without them, but at what point do we become "trapped" in and dependent on our own handheld devices? Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130308/CG73631 Introducing the first pplconnect *Virtual Smartphone*. This break-through solution provides users with the independence and freedom to access their smartphone from web-enabled devices. This is the evolution of how people will access their digital life. By simply logging in to your pplconnect account, you can now access and use your Virtual Smartphone from your computer, tablet and even another smartphone. The pplconnect Virtual Smartphone alpha will be exclusively unveiled in Austin, Texas at SXSW 2013. Join pplconnect as we embark on a new era of smartphone technology by helping users ~ Free their digital self ~ and revolutionize the mobile industry. Come experience what it means to ~ Free your digital self ~ at SXSW 2013. pplconnect will be exhibiting with Planet Quebec (exhibit hall 3, kiosk 1222, near the Meet-up Pavilion). pplconnect will also have a booth at North of 41 as well as a live street-team empowering users all over Austin to join the movement. As part of the ~ Free your digital self ~ campaign, pplconnect will be literally asking SXSW participants and online supporters to help free Paul, Patrick and Laura, three individuals so in love with their mobile devices they got stuck inside them. This is Patrick. He accidently got stuck inside his laptop. Patrick is an SEO specialist and uses his smartphone to stay connected and work from anywhere at any time. Now he's stuck inside his laptop and needs your help! Learn more about Patrick at: www.facebook.com/freepatrickpplconnect Meet Paul. Paul is a "digital omnivore." He owns every new shiny tech toy on the market. He's also a hardcore gamer. Now he got stuck inside his tablet! He desperately needs your votes to break out. Get the full story on Paul at: www.facebook.com/freepaulpplconnect Introducing Laura. Her friends say she's in love with her phone, they might have a point. She loves receiving new messages, posting on Instagram, playing angry birds...so much, that now she's stuck inside her device! She needs your help to break out of her phone! Watch Laura try to break free at: www.facebook.com/freelaurapplconnect pplconnect will be reaching out to the public to help free themselves as well as Paul, Patrick and Laura by liking their pages on Facebook: pplconnect.mobi/pplconnect. Participants are invited to tweet @ppl_connect Free Patrick, Paul and Laura #mobilefreedom #virtualsmartphone to help them get votes to be set free. As more votes come in, each character will unveil new videos as they get closer to freedom on: pplconnect.mobi. pplconnect has already been recognized as one of Canada's leading innovative new startups, winning the Canada Media Fund, the Spin Master Innovation Fund and the Quebec Finance Minister Grand for Innovation. pplconnect was also selected in the Fasken Martineau Startup Program, TechWomen Canada, to name a few. Join pplconnect at SXSW and ~ Free your digital self ~. Notes to Editor Follow­@ppl_connect­ on Twitter to receive the latest news and updates. Sign-up for our newsletter at http://goo.gl/Jqtq0 Sign-up to be an alpha tester: http://pplconnect.mobi/sxsw To access ­pplconnect* photos, visit our Press page: http://pplconnect.mobi/contact-us Jenviev Azzolin pplconnect, +1 514 267 9481, jenviev@pplconnect.mobi SOURCE pplconnect