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Singing gloves give new meaning to jazz hands

Hand gestures can add a lot to a conversation. They can convey excitement and help you describe a scene or object. And, of course, the simple act of lifting a certain finger can quickly let someone know you're not too happy with them. In all, gestures are an effective form of communication, and now, researchers in Vancouver have found a way to take them to the next level.

A team of engineers from the University of British Columbia has developed a pair of gloves that read hand gestures and convert them to speech and song, potentially giving those with speech and/or hearing disabilities another way to communicate.

The project, called Digital Ventriloquized Actor (DIVA) and led by UBC professor of electrical and computer engineering Sidney Fels, tries to replicate the movements of real vocal cords through the use of hand gestures read by a system of sensors. … Read more

CES: ViewSonic debuts new LED monitor series

LAS VEGAS--This week, I expect every new monitor announcement to include the word "LED" or "WLED" variant in it. This one is no different.

On Thursday ViewSonic debuted the VA48m-LED monitor series. The monitor comes in 19-, 21.5-, and 23.6-inch sizes, each featuring a WLED backlight and integrated speakers.

Key specs:

1920x1080 resolution (1440x900 for the 19-inch) 10,000,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio (not happening during real-world use) DVI and VGA inputs 5ms response time VESA mountable

The VA48m-LED series will ship in February for the estimated price of $149 (VA1948m-LED), $169 (VA2248m-LED) … Read more

Monitor tech: Panel technology and you

It recently occurred to me (thanks to a few e-mails I've received in the last few months) that many people shopping for monitors are completely unaware of the panel technology driving them and how it affects, not only their buying experience, but their user experience as well.

If you've read our Monitor Buying Guide then you're aware of the different types of panels your monitor can house. If you haven't read it, I certainly recommend you do, but if you'd actually like to get some work done today, you can get a small piece of it here.

The three main panel technologies currently used in modern LCDs are: Twisted Nematic (TN), Vertical Alignment (VA), and In-Plane Switching (IPS).… Read more

10 years gone: The VA Linux Systems IPO

Editors' note: This is a guest column. See John Mark Walker's bio below.

Quick, what were you doing on December 9, 1999? If you actually remember, then there's a good chance that you're an old-school Linux type. If you don't have any idea, then read on, and you'll discover what you missed.

I'll never forget where I was--at ground zero of the apex of dot-com ridiculousness. While I and all of my co-workers were in the office that day, about the only thing we accomplished was writing 15 gazillion Perl-based variations on the theme … Read more

Moto Tundra goes on sale

It's always a good sign when a cell phone introduced at CES actually makes it to a carrier. And it's an even better sign when that phone goes on sale just a week after the show.

Thursday, AT&T formally introduced the Motorola Tundra VA76r. In case you didn't catch our coverage from Las Vegas, the Tundra is a rugged push-to-talk phone that fits a hole in AT&T's lineup. Features include 3G, a 2-megapixel camera, support for AT&T's TeleNav GPS Navigator, Bluetooth, personal organizer applications, 100MB of internal memory, and … Read more

Testing CrystalTalk

While visiting the Motorola booth at CES, I had very my own Miss America experience. The company invited me to test its CrystalTalk Plus feature, which is a top feature of its new Tundra VA76r rugged phone. Since I've had good experiences with CrystalTalk before, I accepted the opportunity to see how it could be improved upon. CrystalTalk Plus promises, and as I found also delivers, an even better audio experience by adding a second microphone on the phone's rear side. Along with the primary microphone, it cancels out background noise to enable you to hear your caller, … Read more

A closer look at the Moto Tundra and Renew

Motorola's new Tundra VA76r and Renew W233 were built with the Earth in mind. But while one was designed to save the outdoors, the other was just built to be used outdoors.

The Renew, of course, is the new T-Mobile handset that is made from recycled materials. Up close we found that it has a light--dare we say wispy--feeling in the hand. The green color is unique, not to mention very appropriate, but there's not much else to say about its candy-bar design. The 65,000 color display is about what you'd expect--it's small, and the … Read more

Photos: Motorola at CES

Compared with last year, Motorola is having a quieter CES. While a year ago the company held a high-energy media event at the swank Wynn Hotel to announce its media-friendly phones, in 2009 the company announced its new handsets via a news release even before CES began.

Yet, that's not to say the new models aren't notable. First off, is the Motorola Surf A3100. This touch-screen smartphone offers Windows Mobile 6.1 and a selection of multimedia features. The Moto Tundra VA76r is a rugged push-to-talk phone for AT&T. Besides enduring bumps and bruises, it also … Read more

Moto rugged phone is good enough for the Tundra

Motorola Nextel's phones have long shown that the company has a talent for making rugged handsets, which is why we aren't surprised to see the Tundra VA76r for AT&T. Introduced on the eve of CES 2009, the Tundra is a flip phone with a durable design that should meet all the usual military specifications. It should be good for construction workers or even dog sledders speeding across the tundra.

Features include 3G, a 2-megapixel camera, support for AT&T's TeleNav GPS Navigator, Bluetooth, personal organizer applications, push-to-talk, 100MB of internal memory, and a memory … Read more