Smile by Design

i have been mulling about the question what makes us laugh in design, where we accept obvious failings with a smile and where we just get frustrated.

i've learned quite a lot about our instinct to smile from 2d/character design. full-on posters of grinning disney figures always make us smile back, but how does this instinct work in a functional design context (and by functional i mean, electronically enhanced and interactive)? when have i last smiled back at a piece of grinning technology?

doesn't happen often with (perceived) multi function products. i don't say good morning to my nokia, and i don't accept it's oddities or failures with some form of character recognition and/or sympathy for the poor thing. (ok, if i had an iphone. but no, don't think so either).

could happen rather often with (perceived) single function products. i can imagine an alarm clock that i say good morning to as well as good night, and i would know exactly when to slap it and when to leave it alone in case of a malfunction. (no, i don't have a million tamagotchis at home, and i don't intend to get a tama-farm started soon).

the less perceived functionality, the more room for bonding, dialogue and character design in digital devices?