How can the digital “you” sit through your painful web conference calls

Now you can be seen on a Zoom call in your office, even if you’re sipping a margarita in a hammock far, far away. Courtesy of a months-old startup called Pickle, your pitch is simple: submit your five-minute training video to create an image, and 24 hours later, apparently, you’re good to go. Want to drive in a car? It will be your secret. Too lazy to get out of bed? No problem. At the beach club? You’re probably pushing it, or judging by the demo video, it’s not the only kink you have to work out. (The service currently comes in basic, standard, and pro versions, ranging from $300 to $1,150 per year.)

Backed by LA venture capital firm Krew Capital, the technology currently only works with MacOS, Pickle said, but a Windows version is said to be coming next month. As for the conferencing apps customers can choose from, these include Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams, per Pickle. You’ll have to wait to use them, though. According to its website, “due to high demand, clone production is currently delayed.”