Enterprising South Koreans have found a solution to the problem of using their iPhones in frigid weather: sausages.

From Clusterflock comes word that a Korean cold snap has inspired iPhone users in that country to use CJ Corporation's meaty Max snack sausages as iPhone styli, keeping their hands well-protected in toasty gloves.

Devoted iPhone fanbois aren't deterred by frosty conditions

This delectable discovery has been a boon to the CJ Corporation. According to one Korean report, sales of Max sausages in convenience stores has surged a full 39 per cent over the same period last year.

Interestingly, frigid iPhone fingering is not a problem that Apple has ignored. As we reported early last year, Cupertino has filed a patent application entitled "High tactility glove system" to protect one's tender digits when Morther Nature turns a cold shoulder.

Even in cozy confines, a dual-mode Max sausage can fuel both mind and body

Of course, there are other solutions to using your iPhone in wintry weather - the Pogo Stylus, for example, does a fine job of interfacing with the iPhone's capacitance touchscreen. And although our testing revealed the Tavo glove's PlayPoint technology to be a bit hit-or-miss, it's better than frostbite.

However, as one Polish web site notes: "Po zredagowanym SMSie taką kiełbaskę można zjeść i przyjemność z korzystania z telefonu jest jeszcze większa."

Roughly translated, this insightful analysis reads: "Once you've edited an SMS, having a sausage you can eat makes the pleasure of using a mobile phone even greater." ®