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Hands on with NuTouch Gloves
iPhone owners who live in cold climates have many solutions for staying warm while using their devices. I've seen gloves with metal dots on their fingers, cutoff gloves with caps that transform into mittens, and gloves with conductive fabric tips designed for use with capacitive screens. The NuTouch Glove line falls into the latter category. Unlike some of their brothers on the market, all five tips are so enabled, not just the forefinger and thumb. Retailing for about US$12, these gloves are unisex, suitable for use with most business and casual wear. In the pair I tested, the tips did not pop out visually as much as the product shot at the top of the screen. So it didn't look as if the gloves were anything other than normal outerwear. The gloves were warm, keeping my hands toasty in sub-freezing weather, but I'd recommend against using them for any sustained, physical hand-centered activity. Like, say, shoveling snow. My first tests involved biking and I found my hands were pretty much rubbed raw by the end of a half hour. Normally, I have to strip off one of my winter gloves to take calls and to interact with RunMeter -- the app I use to track my rides. The NuTouch gloves let me add ride log data on the go, but were just stiff enough to irritate my skin due to the constant pressure. This roughness was not a problem during walking, where I wasn't constantly leaning on my hands, moving their positions over handlebars, and sweating through the gloves. They worked especially well for short dashes downtown and walks between buildings where you sometimes need to pull up a map or send a quick text, especially in the cold Colorado winter. These gloves are a good choice for cold weather touchscreen use -- just remember they're business wear and not meant to be sportswear.
Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves keep your fingers warm, useful this winter
If you are looking for a gift for an iPhone-owning friend this Christmas or just want a useful iPhone accessory for yourself, I highly recommend the Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves. There are plenty of capacitive touchscreen gloves on the market, but Mujjo's gloves are the first I've tried that have never missed a tap of my fingers. I've been using Mujjo's M/L glove for a few days and couldn't be happier with them. As for the fit and feel, they are comfortable and snug on my hands. But the beauty of these gloves is that you don't have to remove them to use your touchscreen device. That means no more freezing your hands off while you walk down the street trying to text your friend in 10 degree weather. Mujjo's gloves can be used with touchscreens because high-quality silver-coated nylon fibers are knitted right into the fabric of the glove. Those nylon fibers carry the conductive properties of your skin through the glove and onto your touchscreen. You'd think that the gloves would make the touch surface larger on your device, but I haven't had a single problem touching individual keys on the iPhone keyboard (in portrait mode, no less), composing entire emails, playing games like Cut the Rope: Holiday Gift, and scrolling through my music. Right now you can only order the Mujjo gloves from the company's website. They come in two sizes: S/M or M/L. They ship from Germany and cost €24.95 (about US$32.40). Though I only tried the gloves on my iPhone 4S and briefly on my iPad 2, the gloves should work just fine on any touchscreen device.
Columbia's line of electric Omni-Heat jackets, gloves and boots on sale, just in time for Old Man Winter
It took 'em a bit longer than expected, but Columbia's still pushing out its complete line of Omni-Heat electric (and in turn, heated) jackets before the holidays. In fact, a few more of these guys have cropped up since we reviewed the (admittedly excellent) Circuit Breaker back in March, including the Electro Amp, Wader Widgeon and Big Game Interchange. As you could probably glean from the titles, the latter two are camouflaged, making them both a) invisible to the human eye and b) totally fit for hunters. Those four are available for gentlemen with between $750 and $1,200 to spare, while the ladies can opt for the electric Hottie ($750) or Circuit Breaker softshell ($850). A full line of Omni-Heat gloves and boots are also shipping now, with the source links below pointing you directly to the shopping houses you're after. Have a look at what you're missing just after the break.
Hey yo, T(ether) technology tracks rap gestures in 3D
T(ether) is a bit like that amazing Reality Fighters game we saw on the PS Vita, except it's more tranquil and it works slightly differently. The tablet-based technology uses motion capture cameras to track users' heads and the orientation of the device itself, building a 1:1 spatial connection between real and virtual coordinates and allowing "intuitive interaction with volumetric data." As you'll see in the clip after the break, this equates to some pretty neat tricks. And, if you throw in multiple users wearing motion-tracked gloves, things get even more Eastside.
Mix Master Gloves keep your hands warm, control your iPod. Q-bert mitts still MIA (video)
There's plenty of options for keeping your digits toasty while you peruse the music on your iPhone or iPod, but most of those still require you to fish the device out of your pocket to skip that Audioslave track that sneaked on there. Burton's Mix Master gloves skip all that physical interaction nonsense by sticking a wireless remote in the back of one of the mitts. You just plug a small dongle into your iDevice and it pairs up with the music-controlling hand-wear. Of course, if you're not the exceedingly lazy type, you could just sew a few cents worth of conductive thread into any standard pair of gloves and avoid coughing up $160 for the Mix Masters. If you're still curious there's a video after the break.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: Lighting superbike, kinetic energy generator and vibrating gloves
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It's been an epic week for environmental news as Inhabitat reported that the East Coast battened its hatches against the force of Hurricane Irene, which has arrived in the wake of a 5.8 earthquake that shook the Eastern Seaboard from Virginia to New York. We compiled a series of tips to help our readers weather the storm, and we took a closer look at the six nuclear power plants that were shaken by the East Coast's unusual quake. We also showcased several incredible examples of high-tech architecture -- the recently crowned world's tallest LEED platinum building and the world's longest tunnel, which Russia recently announced would span the Bering Straight. Speaking of remarkable advancements in sustainable transportation, this week we took at look at what could be most powerful electric car on earth, and we brought you footage of the 200 mph Lighting superbike breaking a world land speed record. We also saw eco vehicles take off for greener horizons as Oliver VTOL unveiled an ultra-efficient airplane with 6 engines, a team of engineers in Africa constructed a DIY space shuttle in a local garden, and the flying ParaMoto Trike soared through the skies. On the topic of air travel, you may also want to check out our six tips for flying with small children (without Benadryl). It was a big week for wearable technology as well, as researchers unveiled a powerful kinetic energy generator that can fit in your sneakers. We also saw a vibrating glove that improves motor performance, a haptic glove that allows the blind to see with sonar, and a range of antenna-embedded clothing that offers a discreet form of hands-free communication. Finally, we heard Ashton Kutcher predict that wearable technology will be the next big wave, and we shared a glow-in-the-dark sequin gown that would make a choice piece of evening wear if this weekend's storm knocks the lights out.
Caption Contest: A heaping helping of wearable music
Is this the new musical Power Glove? Imogen Heap thinks so. The Grammy winner rocked the stylish hand warmers at a TEDGlobal 2011 event in Edinburgh, Scotland, creating gesture-based music during a four-minute demonstration, with the gloves wirelessly connected to a nearby laptop. Could this be the death of the theremin as we know it, or just another good excuse to do a caption contest? Brian: "Imogen there's no heaven." Terrence: "Ms. Heap hard at work on a sequel to the NES "classic" Bad Street Brawler, tentatively titled Street Corner Complainer." Darren: "Seriously? Wires?" Brad: "Now if only I could find some oven mitts that would magically bake cookies for me, I'd be set!" Jon: "Force enhancing gloves allow Imogen to one up Luke, raise X-Wing." Tim: "Do I look intense enough now? Too pensive? What if I tilt my head up a bit further?" Amar: "And then they handed me the Grammy and I grabbed it like this and then -- oh, have I already told you this story?" Dante: "What do you mean they aren't cashmere?!?!" Joseph: "So I was holding Bjork's leg up like this, but she still couldn't get over Madonna's gate." Sean: "To sleep, perchance to dream – ay, there's the rub..." Christopher: "Please sir, I beg you -- don't take my Flowbee away." Richard Lai: "Ceiling cat, come to momma." [Image credit: University of the West of England]
Keyglove ditches QWERTY for one-handed computer control (video)
We've seen some pretty ambitious hand warmers in our day, but this one takes the cake. Keyglove is an Open Source Hardware (OSHW) project that's intended to eliminate those clunky keyboards and unmanageable mice from the computing process altogether, instead engaging a series of conductive sensors that, when touched together, mimic a keystroke. The mitt's creator says the traditional mobile keyboard is "either too big to be portable, or too small to be easy to use," adding that his solution would eventually become second nature just like touch typing. Keyglove is an Arduino and AVR-powered device that also incorporates an accelerometer to control mouse movements. It's apparently fully customizable and allows for a total of 60 unique touch combinations -- impressive, sure, but it took us long enough to figure out the home keys on the real thing. If you dream of a world full of one-handed typists, check out the video after the break, or follow the source link to find out how you can donate to the project.
Apple awarded patent for capacitive touchscreen-friendly 'magic' gloves
Apple received a patent for a glove system that is compatible with a touchscreen. Anyone who has used an iPhone, iPod touch or an iPad in a cold weather climate knows the pain of having to remove a glove to answer a call or check an email. Even thin driving gloves impede your ability to use your iOS device. Rather than smear your screen with pork fat, Apple might have a more palatable solution for your cold weather needs. This latest patent describes a two-layer glove that includes a weather-protective layer and a layer compatible with a touchscreen display. The layer that protects your hand from the elements will include tactile feedback so you can feel the interaction with the display. I am not sure how the Apple version differs from gloves already on the market, but as someone who lives in a northern climate, I would love to see a pair of these stylish "magic" gloves hit retail shelves of Apple Stores. Maybe they can throw them into some accessory bundle for us northern folks. And, hey, a pair of Apple-branded gloves has to be better than using a frozen sausage. [Via 9to5Mac]
Digits conductive pins won't make a fool of you in the cold
Ever tried writing a text message or an urgent work e-mail with gloves on? Chances are what you planned to type and what came out couldn't look more different...if anything came out at all. Digits are a $14 set of four conductive pins that, like the Dots iPhone gloves, were designed to make cold weather touchscreen use easy, and hopefully error free. Unlike Dots and other pre-made touchscreen products, however, Digits allow you to use your own gloves, provided they're knit (unfortunately, they're not leather-friendly). Each pin comes in two parts: one piece sticks through from inside your glove, and the other, which sports silicone caps, attaches from outside, using the same concept as this DIY set. Digits should keep your touchscreen free of scratches and your texts and e-mails free of error, even when it's freezing out. Hopefully now you won't end up firing when you should be filing.
Three touchscreen-capable gloves tested
While capacitive touchscreens have a lot of wonderful qualities when it comes to precision and sensitivity, the need for skin contact can be a problem in cold climates. MobileBurn has tried out three different solutions that help protect your digits from frigid air while still letting you manipulate your iPhone or iPad without resorting to some kind of sausage. Gloves from Isotoner and Agloves and a retrofit kit from GloveTips.com gave a decidedly mixed set of results in MobileBurn's testing. Fleece smartTouch gloves from Isotoner feature capacitive pads on the tips of the index finger and thumb. While the gloves are warm and the pads work well, their position means that your finger or thumb have to be straight on to make contact. If you often use the side of the finger tip or thumb, you're out of luck. The Agloves are infused throughout with silver, meaning that you can touch the screen any way you want and still control it. However, the knit construction means they don't keep your hands as warm as the Isotoners, and they are apparently very slippery, making it hard to keep a grip on your phone unless it is in some kind of case. Finally, the GloveTips let you retrofit your favorite gloves with capacitive tips. Unfortunately, the contact points are very small, and if you don't get them in exactly the right spot for the way you hold your phone, they aren't very reliable. If you've tried out any gloves that let you control a touchscreen, let us know how they worked out in the comments. Check out MobileBurn's video in the second part of the post.
Hitachi displays a capacitive screen capable of accepting stylus input (video)
Can someone ring up Lucifer and check that his heating's still working? Hitachi has achieved the unthinkable in bringing together the high precision and input flexibility of resistive touchscreens with the finger friendliness of capacitive panels. It's graced this year's FPD trade show with a new prototype that offers the capacitive functionality we're all used to by now, augmented with the ability to recognize input from a stylus or, perhaps more importantly, gloved hands. We're sure we can hear the sound of cheering coming from the chilly shores of Scandinavia right now. If all goes well, Hitachi should be able to bring them (and you, and the rest of the world) this finger-saving innovation at some point in late 2011, after production gets going in the second half of that year. Video demonstration after the break.
Columbia rolls out Omni-Heat Electric gloves, jackets and boots, batteries included
Look, we don't want to think about those brutally cold winter days ahead either, but there's no denying that Columbia's new electrically heated apparel could take the sting out of those below-zero temperatures. Similar to the company's Bugathermo boots, its new gloves, jackets and boots pack what they call Omni-Heat Electric technology, which basically outfits the clothing with lithium polymer battery packs and a specially tailored heating system. Dubbed "on-demand" heat, you can turn on and off the heat with the touch of a button, and then adjust the level by pressing the color-changing LED-backlit button. The number / size of batteries depends on the article of clothing -- for instance, the jackets are equipped with two 15Wh batteries while each glove, as you can see up there, has a smaller capacity cell. So, how long will they keep you warm and toasty on the slopes? About six hours, says a Columbia product manager, and once out of juice you can charge them via any USB cord. Oh, and yes, you can refuel your phone or iPod using the battery pack itself -- obviously, we asked! At its press event in New York City this week, Columbia dressed us in a Circuit Breaker Softshell jacket (yes, that's what it's called) and a pair of the Bugaglove Max Electric gloves and threw us into its Omni-Heat freezer booth -- we have to say, our arms and back stayed mighty toasty and the jacket didn't feel as heavy as we expected. The gloves, on the other hand, are bulky, though may provide some good cushioning for novice snowboarders like ourselves. Of course, that heat is gonna cost ya. The aforementioned jacket rings up at $850 and the gloves at $400. Sure, picking up a few hand and boot warmers would be cheaper, but believe us, you wouldn't look or feel nearly as cool. %Gallery-106695% %Gallery-106692%
CTA's $20 Baby: Ultimate Boxing Gloves for PS Move
Well, it was only a matter of time before CTA started churning out accessories for the PS Move. Not unlike a similar offering for the Wii, the Ultimate Boxing Gloves are meant to add "realism and excitement to boxing and street-fighting games" by providing "fist-clenching ability" and compatibility "with all PS Move boxing game launches, including The Fight: Lights Out." Also on tap for the company are the Triple Port Charging Station (for simultaneously charging your PS Move Controller, Navigation Controller and Sixaxis controller), Dual Port (charging one PS Move Controller / Navigation Controller set) and Quadruple Port Charging Stations (for two sets of controllers). Sounds great, guys -- but we're still holding out for something incorporating wings or a rowing machine. Charging Stations due out in September, while the gloves should be available October 1 for $20. PR after the break.
Wii Weighted Gloves turns gamer into virtual badass, actual outcast
We're beginning to encounter an odd psychological effect of too much exposure to CTA's wild and wacky game accessories. It's almost as if we've developed some strange variant of Stockholm Syndrome that's tricked us into believing that the Weighted Gloves for Wii are worth twenty bucks. At least the premise makes sense -- strap your Wiimote and Wii Nunchuk into these weighted gloves and start in on your fave boxing game. The space-age velcro fasteners will hold your controllers tightly in place as you throw punches and dodge jabs with the best of 'em. And if you really want an out-of-this-world experience, try it while wearing wings! Get a closer look after the break.
MIT researchers develop the most fabulous gesture control technique yet
When looking for a cheap, reliable way to track gestures, Robert Wang and Jovan Popovic of MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory came upon this notion: why not paint the operator's hands (or better yet, his Lycra gloves) in a manner that will allow the computer to differentiate between different parts of the hand, and differentiate between the hand and the background? Starting with something that Howie Mandel might have worn in the 80s, the researchers are able to use a simple webcam to track the hands' locations and gestures -- with relatively little lag. The glove itself is split into twenty patches made up of ten different colors, and while there's no telling when this technology will be available for consumers, something tells us that when it does become available it'll be very hard not to notice. Video after the break. Update: Just received a nice letter from Rob Wang, who points out that his website is the place to see more videos, get more info, and -- if you're lucky -- one day download the APIs so you can try it yourself. What are you waiting for?
Zanier GPS gloves let you Xplore without getting lost
The Zanier Xplore.XGX gloves must be one of the finest examples of stuff you don't need, but would probably dearly love to have. With an embedded GPS tracking unit and a monochrome screen, these multifunctional finger warmers will guide you to and from the lodge, but the real fun kicks off when you hit the piste. Altitude, speed, duration and distance of your slaloms can all be recorded and then downloaded to your computer before being uploaded to the web. Is there anything more an exercise enthusiast (or an unashamed poser) needs? You get a Gore-Tex finish for enhanced grip on the sticks, and a few USB attachments to get connectivity up and running. Pricing has not yet been announced, but they're part of Zanier's 2010/11 line, so the wait shouldn't be too long.
DIY touchscreen gloves are as simple as a few stitches
Sure you could buy any number of capacitive touchscreen-friendly gloves available these days (like the Dots iPhone gloves we tried on last winter) -- but what if you're looking for something a little warmer or more stylish? Then you might want consider a DIY pair, which turn out to be far easier to make then you might think. As Instructables member Grathio has helpfully laid out, all you need is the pair of gloves of your choice, a needle, and a magical material known as conductive thread (used in all sorts of wearable electronics), which you simply sew into as many fingertips as you like. Ready to get started? All the details you need are at the link below.
Hands-in with the Dots iPhone gloves
These have actually been out for a tick, but we just got our special someone a pair of the Dots iPhone-compatible gloves and they're so simultaneously silly and brilliant we thought you'd get a kick out of 'em. Yep, they're just nice wool or knit gloves with metal dots in the fingers that work with capacitive touchscreens -- no crazy patented Apple "anti-sticky" layer or ridiculous overdesign involved. Of course, just because they're marketed towards iPhone users doesn't mean they won't work with the Storm or G1 as well -- honestly, we're sort of surprised these little nubs haven't popped up on gloves everywhere. Couple more pics and a quick video after the break.
Apple patent reveals 'iPhone gloves' for warmer hands-on experience
A new Apple patent has been found that will assuredly warms the hearts (and hands) of many iPhone users currently enduring a cold winter. Originally filed a day before the iPhone's June 28, 2007 launch, it details a glove with a thin, electrically conductive, "anti-sticky" inner layer that is able to function with a capacitive touchscreen. It also suggests the glove could have apertures on the fingertips for opening and closing the more protective outer layer. Of course, the concept is far from new -- just do a quick Google search for "iPhone gloves" to see a wide variety of choices -- and Apple doesn't really dabble in this sort of iPhone / iPod accessory, but if Phil keeps his hands in his pockets for the first half of the Macworld keynote, we're gonna start to get ideas.[Via Apple Insider; thanks, Shawn]
