It’s no secret that the iPhone’s touchscreen is hard to use when one is wearing gloves. But what will iPhone owners do when it’s winter? Stop using their iPhones? Preposterous! Just use a sausage as stylus!

Here’s a video of two – two! – sausages working perfectly on the iPhone:

strong>Click to View Embedded Video Clip

According to Korean news site inews24/a> (Google translated), the sausage has proven so effective as a stylus that CJ Corporation, makers of the preferred snack sausage, saw a 39% increase in their December to January sales.

via TUAW/a> and Kottke/a>

See the rest here:
south koreans using sausage as iphone stylus/a>

It took quite a while for the Master of the Mantis-style to realize that even the most powerful strikes won’t work on his seemingly defenseless enemy…

…because his enemy wasn’t real. Whoa. That was Zen-like.

strong>Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Don’t fear for the insect folks, it was released into the wild after the enlightening encounter, hungry but wiser than ever before.

via Neatorama/a>

Read more here:
praying mantis vs. mouse cursor/a>

Chatman is a new sort of toy that plugs into your computer, helping to make your instant messaging more interesting for everyone, especially kids.

Chatman is kind of an emoticon itself, but it’s able to display different faces based on your IM discussions. Basically, the device is able to gauge the mood of the conversation you’re having and will show it.

It’s compatible with most chat clients, from Facebook to Google Talk, and you can also upload custom new emoticons. While it isn’t really a parental control system, it will nag your kids if they are chatting about things that they shouldn’t. It has 3 personality options which include over 500 actions and 25 customizable moods.

My only question: when will it start talking back?

via Pocket Lint/a>

Go here to read the rest:
chatman displays your emoticons and nags your kids/a>

If I didn’t have my glasses on, I’d probably be fooled, but you won’t. This LEGO Big Mac Combo was created by the Japanese LEGO artists Sachiko/a>.

It’s kind of cool to think that LEGO artistry is actually a profession, or maybe more of a hobby. Either way, this LEGO Big Mac Combo isn’t fit for consumption. It’s kind of amazing the amount of details he was able to add to this LEGO sculpture.

The designs for these LEGO builds were made to scale and only standard LEGO bricks were used. There’s the infamous Big Mac, with even some melted cheese and a sesame seed bun.

French fries and pop accompany the Big Mac, as they should.

via DesignBoom/a>

Continued here:
lego big mac combo: and no, you can’t eat it!/a>

A couple of years back, the guys over at Yanko Design/a> surfaced this cool watch concept that featured an unusual way of telling time. I’m happy to tell you that the Ora Unica watch has actually made it to market, and it looks awesome.

Designed by Denis Guidone, and produced by Italy’s NAVA Design/a>, the Ora Unica does away with conventional hands, and replaces them with a big squiggly line. The modern, minimal watch is made from stainless steel, and features a mineral glass crystal and a black leather band.

At first glance, you might be confused as to how to tell time on the Ora Unica, but it’s actually quite simple. Just look at the position of the inner end of the squiggle for the current hour, and the outer end for minutes. Simple, elegant, and truly unique. Bravo, Ora Unico!

Want one of these for your own wrist? Head on over to Speranza Design/a>, where they sell for $135 to $150 (USD), depending on size.

photos via: Funshop Korea/a>

Read the original:
nava ora unica watch replaces hands with squiggles/a>

Science fiction fans know the name Ralph McQuarrie/a>. The illustrator and designer has contributed to the look of some of the most popular films and TV series, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., and the big one: the original Star Wars trilogy. eFX enlisted 3D modeler Jay Kushwara to turn one of McQuarrie’s most favorite concept sketches of Darth Vader’s helmet into a premium collectible. The limited edition helmet – priced at almost $900 (USD) – has already pre-sold out/a>, and I think it’s easy to see why:

This mask erases any ambiguity regarding which side Darth Vader was on. That’s the most menacing frown I have ever seen.

Makes one wonder why this wasn’t the version used in the trilogy. Maybe because Anakin became good in the end? You can read more about the making of the helmet at eFX’ website/a>.

via Wired/a>

More here:
darth vader ralph mcquarrie concept helmet: force scowl/a>

We weren’t so happy with the PIC 1000/a>, Polaroid’s overpriced revision of their classic instant cameras. For those who only really want an instant camera for the white borders on the pictures, here’s a cheap solution – a picture frame that’s nothing but a white border.

You might have to crop and do a little editing on the colors of your pictures to really get that retro look. Urban Outfitters/a> is selling the Snap Shot for $10 (USD) for a set of 5 frames.

via swissmiss/a>

More here:
snap shot: frame it like a polaroid picture/a>

PC gamers! Interested in getting Bioshock 2 but haven’t played Bioshock yet? 2Kgames is offering a free copy of the original Bioshock for if you pre-order the upcoming sequel via online distributors.

You can pre-order the game at Direct2Drive/a> or Steam/a> for $45 (USD). Steam subscribers can also choose to give away their free copy of Bioshock to another Steam subscriber.

This, my friends, is what we call a good deal.

via Digital Battle/a>

Read more:
pre-order bioshock 2, get 2 bioshocked twice/a>

At first glance at this picture, you’d think you were looking at an AK-47 covered in white paint. But on closer examination, you’ll realize it’s actually an intricate papercraft model.

Created by artist Martin Postler and Ian Ferguson of London’s Postlerferguson/a>, these one in the photo above was created for an art exhibition back in 2008. You too can have your own paper arsenal, thanks to Postler’s series of papercraft weapons that are available for purchase.

In addition to the original AK-47 design, there’s a paper M4A8 carbine, an mp5, an Uzi, and a grenade (also known as a “Mills Bomb”). All you need is some glue, scissors, and a lot of patience to build your own life-size weapon models.

Keep in mind these are not easy things to put together, and they require some serious paper cutting and gluing abilities if you want them to look as good as the pictures. Each of the models is available over at gestalten/a> for €19.90 to €19.90 (appx. $20 to $27 USD) each.

Paper bullets not included.

Read the rest here:
martin postler’s papercraft weapons/a>

In yet another LEGO-related post/a>… I found a bunch of different landmarks that were copied using LEGOs. Some of them are merely passable, while others look amazing.

There isn’t much information about who exactly made these LEGO facsimiles, but they look pretty close to the original structures to me.

The ones featured here are the ones I like best. You can check them all out here/a>, though the site takes a while to load – but not nearly as long as it would take you to build your own LEGO landmarks.

via Coudal/a>

Read this article:
famous landmarks turned into lego landmarks/a>