This means that the time you spend alone with your grandchild is savored by the child, and can nourish them for a considerable period. Of course technology can't hug a sick child or help out a harried parent, but it CAN be a boon to foster ongoing communication - the most indispensable factor in keeping grandparent and grandchild as close as possible. Young children grow and change so quickly, so the key to keeping an attachment going over distance is to be creative in becoming a part of your grandchild's everyday life as possible. This will reduce the gaps in time where neither of you knew what the other was doing. You can use E-Mail to keep abreast of what's going on in each other's daily lives.
Faxes can be helpful as well.
The Handbook of Grandparenthood talked about one grandmother who gave all of her grandchildren fax machines so they could keep in touch on a regular basis. The children can fax drawings, report cards, jokes, etc., to their grandparents. Grandparents can fax little affectionate notes or items of interest to their grandchildren several times a week. The telephone is a live voice, so it's important. But make sure that you place some calls just to them and hang up when your conversation is ended.