The Fingerist finds fame, retail opportunities in Japan (video)

Japan tends to be on the weird side of any coin, and The Fingerist does nothing to undermine that reputation. This accessory for the iPhone and iPod touch was conceived at a "mutton BBQ restaurant" when one dude said to another that he needed an amp for his guitar app. Lo and behold, after an apparently successful CES appearance, the axe-imitating speaker thingie -- replete with a guitar strap and line-out to jack into real amplifiers -- is now on sale for ¥14,800 (or $150 for the rest of us). We can't wrap our minds around such an expense just for the privilege of fingering our touchscreens, but then you can make some pretty sweet music using these things (video evidence after the break).

[gemcosta Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:25AM]

For $150, I could buy a half-decent REAL guitar

[Parody Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:37AM]

@gemcosta
''Or you could just get the app and hold it normally!''
And that's how the R&D department got fired.

[BMills Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:53AM]

@gemcosta

For a second there, I thought Engadget was reporting on news from the porn industry!

[tosvus Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:09AM]

@gemcosta I would say one could probably be quicker to make decent(not great though) music since it would be easier to do than hitting strings. One could also change the entire concept and basically use it as a new instrument. For the developers: add room for an iPod touch as well, and you could cover both hands.

[RawheaD Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:50PM]

@gemcosta And I'm sure that guitar will be able to play all the hundreds of different instruments that the iPhone can emulate.

Seriously, what I don't understand are people that make such "no duh; that's not the point" comments. Do you actually take at least 5 seconds to think about the bigger, whole picture, or do you just knee-jerk and trash shit just for the sake of trashing it?

[Ryuuzaki Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:28AM]

This is awesome.

[PlatinumSkeet Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:46AM]

@Ryuuzaki


Were we watching the same video... Because this is definitely "not" awesome..

[case Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:47AM]

@Ryuuzaki

You're joking right? Totally shit and a massive waste of money.

[513 Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:29AM]

What's so funny ?

[ta2boy Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:39AM]

@513 - He was laughing at a youtube montage of people trying to figure out the correct way to hold an iPhone 4 so they won't lose their signal.

Unfortunately his laughter caused his pinky to twitch while holding his iPhone and he lost the youtube video.

[Bhima Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:32AM]

Mad cackling laugh incoming at 0:30. Dude just sounds crazy, like someone forcing laughter after they just slaughtered a litter full of kittens.

[benwb Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:53AM]

@Bhima
A full 8 seconds of mad laughing then he just stops

[Mr Oos Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:33AM]

"Japan tends to be on the weird side of any coin"

- understatement

[guitarkid Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:36AM]

150$ and you get only 4 frets to play, and you have to scroll before continuing to play the song?

Meh. For 150 bucks you can get a real guitar. Much better.

[Hazdaz Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:36AM]

I could see why this would be so popular in Japan.

It takes Karaoke one step farther; not just singing, but you provide your own instrumentals too.

[SewerShark Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:38AM]

For $150 you can awkwardly play a cellphone.

[nwright2 Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:47AM]

really? we're gonna call this the fingerist? GL selling your creepy product lol

[koideath Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:49AM]

What app are they using?

[kartracer3 Posted Jun 28th 2010 12:39PM]

@koideath I'm thinking it might be PocketGuitar?

[FritzJ92 Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:54AM]

So if I play this instrument enough will I finally be able to please the girls??

[aubreyq Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:57AM]

@FritzJ92 No.

[FritzJ92 Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:00AM]

@aubreyq

Then it needs a new name

[dustinface Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:03AM]

@FritzJ92 Yes.

[c4v3man Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:56AM]

@FritzJ92 Definitely Maybe

[dswatson83 Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:59AM]

What they really need is an EVO in there. They look so funny trying to touch on that small screen

[brianhj Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:00AM]

dumb

[Frogboy Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:30AM]

How's the mutton? Better than Elaine's, I hope.

[weaky6 Posted Jun 28th 2010 10:37AM]

iiIii

[JerryE Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:06AM]

As a guitarist for 20 years, this is an insult. Anyone who makes devices that emulate playing an instrument on a touchscreen (or Guitar Hero/Rockband, for that matter) need to DIAF. Freakin' waste of money.

[MrSmartyPants Posted Jun 28th 2010 12:09PM]

@JerryE Jerry, I've only played guitar for about 3 years, much of that time obviously taken up with learning the basics, and I'm with you. For $150, get yourself a guitar and do something real.

[MrSmartyPants Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:40AM]

For heaven's sake, for $150 you can buy a decent, albeit not top-of-the-line, actual guitar.

[theehokage Posted Jun 28th 2010 11:55AM]

i read "the fingerist"

and thought: oh my :o

[Aceyriot Posted Jun 28th 2010 12:31PM]

weird, but interesting

[redkamel Posted Jun 28th 2010 1:21PM]

it actually sounds pretty good. I'd rather learn to "play" that than rockband

[thebigbread Posted Jun 28th 2010 2:18PM]

I don't understand this. Spend the $150 to buy a small real amp, the $199-$299 you would spend for the iphone/itouch on a ibanez or an epiphone, and get REAL tone.

[infamous1 Posted Jun 28th 2010 3:05PM]

i can imagine a call coming in and you gotta hold that up to your head lol

[sonicyoof Posted Jun 28th 2010 3:44PM]

You guys should have a new feature, kinda like your KIRF/crapgadget stuff, called "Stupid and Totally Unnecessary iAccessories." This article would probably top all others in the category.

[AdhesiveWombat Posted Jun 28th 2010 9:37PM]

Or, you know, you could just buy a chord and an adapter for about $8 and plug your ipod/iphone into an actual amp if you really felt the need to make people laugh like lunatics. (0:30)