Virtual ant farm will preserve your karma

Finally, an ant farm that even PETA wouldn't protest.

No ants were harmed in the making of the Ants Life Studio from Japan's Bandai for a good reason: They're not real. Instead it's a colony of virtual ants that presumably do all of the same slave labor and other functions of their living counterparts, allowing you to satisfy your entomological curiosities without risking any arthropodic karma in the afterlife.

The viewing takes place through an LCD that includes backlighting so it can be used as a night light too. As OhGizmo notes, it seems to be the latest expansion of Bandai's Tamagotchi concept, this time requiring the care and feeding of fake insects that even face such perils as virtual predators. If you get one of these, we hope that the ants' longevity stays true to reality so you won't have to deal with their adolescence.

Via Crave CNET

Nellie, say hi to Tengu

Nellie's the name of my beloved Nabaztag perched at the top right corner of my cubicle. When I first asked my friend to bring her back from Paris, everyone in the office was fawning over this Wi-Fi rabbit with movable ears that sings MP3 songs we feed her via the Web. Months flew by and everyone seems to have forgotten about poor Nellie. So I think it's time I got this electronic pet a friend: Tengu.

Unlike Nellie who is powered by an AC adapter, Tengu requires only an available USB port. Which is fine by me since I have more USB ports at my disposable than I have AC outlets. Tengu's a little different from Nellie. It doesn't connect to the evil clutches of the Internet. Nor does it sing. But there's a good reason Tengu will make a perfect partner for Nellie. It lip-syncs to the music it hears and is capable of making different faces according to its mode.

If Tengu isn't the perfect companion for Nellie, I don't know what is. And at US$39.60, I can even afford to get a couple of them just to keep Nellie entertained. The things I do for my pet in this techno era.

Via Firebox

Triforce for your PDA

Avid gamers will know about the Triforce, a symbol from Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series of video games. Now, without having to don a green costume and funny hat, you, too, will be able to wield the power of the Triforce. Pictured here is the Triforce pointer, a handy Swedish invention which replaces your stylus.

This plastic contraption at the end of a lanyard is an excellent idea. It's tied to your device so you can't lose it and looks pretty comfortable to use. We don't know where you can buy one, but it looks like something companies give out as swag during exhibitions. So start scouring those tech conventions if you really want one.

Via Coolest Gadgets

Get TurnON for tiny spaces

We've heard of the rat race, but this one brings it literally closer to home. Looking like a giant hamster/mouse wheel, this rodent-like contraption proposes to be very space economical. The idea is that you roll the wheel into position when you need a particular room setting or function. Spin it for a lounger, and when you're done, spin it again, and it's a table for two… Get the drift?

Too bad this isn't automated for a one-button spin, so expect to get a jolly good workout just moving from the kitchen to the bedroom, to the study, and back. More interesting is the Wet Cell, which is the module housing the commode, shower, and bath. Would the water from the loo defy gravity when you're on the opposite end taking a bath? Can you shower upside time and save time rotating the wheel? Fortunately, the ceilings of public housing in Asia are generally too low to accommodate the TurnON. So we'll never have to find out.



Via Dvice

Mirror, mirror, on the wall

Leonardo da Vinci called the mirror the "master of painters". Snow White's wicked stepmum had a talking mirror to reaffirm her beauty everyday. The Chinese geomancers use mirrors as the aspirin of feng shui. Whatever the role of the ubiquitous looking glass down the ages, we just can't live without one in the home. So why not jazz it up with something that doubles as wall art as well? Just because it's T.G.I.F. and we've been overwhelmed this whole week by a deluge of tech, from the Windows Mobile 6.1 buzz to the CTIA wireless tradeshow in Sin City, Las Vegas, here's something a little off the beaten track for Crave Asia. If I had my own hall of mirrors, these would be my favorites to deck the walls with.

Razorblade Mirror

Glass act: Designer Phil Sims' "perfect shaving mirror" takes its job both figuratively and literally. Watch out for it at Suck UK, though you'll have to lather up 75 pounds (US$150) to get ownership rights.
The face in the mirror: Sweeny Todd, demon barber of Fleet Street.

SkateMirror

Glass act: An ice-cool Purves UK offering for those who like to walk--or skate--on the quirky side of life. Might be cheaper to D.I.Y. your own mirror-skateboard combo if the 110 pound (US$220) tab is a little too upperty for the bohemian in you. Helps if you've oodles of confidence in your home improvement skills.
The face in the mirror: Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), who made skateboarding hip again after the Back to the Future movies.
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