A system and method for data manipulation based on real world object manipulation is described. A device captures an image of a physical object. The image is communicated via a network to a remote server. The remote server includes virtual object data associated with the image and a communication notification for a user of the computing device. The device receives the virtual object data and displays the virtual image in a virtual landscape using the virtual object data. In response to relative movement between the computing device and the physical object caused by the user, the virtual image is modified.