Your phone is with you through thick and thin, so why not turn it into a real companion? If you don't have a high tolerance for living and breathing pets, you might want to check out TechPet.

TechPet is a robotic dog that runs on your iPhone. Okay, maybe TechPet isn't for adults (well, most adults), but it is a great way to keep your kids entertained for hours on end.

The Appeal of TechPet

The same company that brought us the Tamagotchi way back when has created TechPet. TechPet is a small plastic dog that comes in various colours. When you plug your iPhone into the headphone jack, TechPet comes to life. The face of your iPhone will turn into a puppy face, and you will have to take care of your new pet just like you had to take care of your Tamagotchi. How do you take care of a robotic pet?

The same way that you take care of a regular dog, of course! You have to feed, walk, and clean up after your robotic pet (yep, all pet functions are part of this toy). As you spend more time with your TechPet, various features will become unlocked. When your pet is sick or border (or you've been neglecting it), you TechPet will let you know by frowning or whining.

Responsive Too!

TechPet responds to your voice, commands that you shout, and bodily movements. When it's happy, your robo dog will dance or move. When it's sad, you will know. If you want to go the extra mile, you can customize your TechPet's face by downloading bows and other details. Or, you can just download the free app and let TechPet do his thing.

And what would a robo dog be without a variety of dog colours? TechPet is available in pink, Dalmatian, and white. You can purchase your very own TechPet on Amazon or through other retailers for $59. Keep in mind that you do need an iOS device to use TechPet, and that this robotic dog doesn't work with Android devices quite yet. Why in the world would you want a TechPet? Well, you might not want one, but your tween might.

This Dog Does More

In addition to becoming a robotic pet, TechPet also turns into a convenient MP3 player when not in use as a pet. How cool is that? Your virtual dog can play with you and give you robotic love, and you can also listen to music through your pet. Could this pet get any better? Oh; it's also impossible to kill TechPet (the company learned that lesson with many disappointed Tamagotchi players).

If you have a birthday coming up and you don't know what to get the tween on your list, check out TechPet. Of course, you'll have to purchase an iPhone first, but most kids these days already have those, right? TechPet is a relatively inexpensive way to provide any tween you know with hours and hours of pet-like fun. You can check out more TechPet details on Amazon.