A system comprising: a messaging device comprising a display, a plurality of sensors, a network interface, and a processor, the processor configured to: control the display to display a virtual message environment (210, 510, 610a, 610b, 710a, 710b) comprising an electronic message represented as a virtual message object (220a, 220b, 220c, 520, 620, 720) and a virtual gateway associated with a recipient; receive sensor signals from the plurality of sensors configured to sense a physical interaction with the messaging device, wherein the physical interaction comprises a first gesture on the surface of the display of the messaging device and a second gesture that moves the messaging device, wherein the first gesture is sensed by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors and the second gesture is sensed by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the first sensor is a touch-sensitive input device comprised by the display and the second sensor is configured to detect movement of the messaging device; determine a virtual force based at least in part on the sensor signals associated with the physical interaction comprising the first gesture and the second gesture, the virtual force having a magnitude and a direction; apply the virtual force to the virtual message object within the virtual message environment, such that the virtual message object moves within the virtual message environment based, at least in part, on the magnitude and direction of the virtual force; determine whether to transmit the virtual message object based at least in part on determining whether the virtual force will carry the virtual message object through the virtual gateway, and if it is determined that the virtual message object should be transmitted, determine a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object based at least in part on the determined virtual force, and control the network interface to transmit data associated with the virtual message object and the transmission characteristic to the recipient. control the display to display a virtual message environment (210, 510, 610a, 610b, 710a, 710b) comprising an electronic message represented as a virtual message object (220a, 220b, 220c, 520, 620, 720) and a virtual gateway associated with a recipient; receive sensor signals from the plurality of sensors configured to sense a physical interaction with the messaging device, wherein the physical interaction comprises a first gesture on the surface of the display of the messaging device and a second gesture that moves the messaging device, wherein the first gesture is sensed by a first sensor of the plurality of sensors and the second gesture is sensed by a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the first sensor is a touch-sensitive input device comprised by the display and the second sensor is configured to detect movement of the messaging device; determine a virtual force based at least in part on the sensor signals associated with the physical interaction comprising the first gesture and the second gesture, the virtual force having a magnitude and a direction; apply the virtual force to the virtual message object within the virtual message environment, such that the virtual message object moves within the virtual message environment based, at least in part, on the magnitude and direction of the virtual force; determine whether to transmit the virtual message object based at least in part on determining whether the virtual force will carry the virtual message object through the virtual gateway, and if it is determined that the virtual message object should be transmitted, determine a transmission characteristic of the virtual message object based at least in part on the determined virtual force, and control the network interface to transmit data associated with the virtual message object and the transmission characteristic to the recipient.