Why You Can Trust CNET Get a Leap Motion Controller and $20 credit for $79.99
Get your "Minority Report" on with this futuristic controller for games, education, artistic expression, and more. Plus: two sweet bonus-deal freebies!
Are you a gadget liker or a gadget lover? Anyone who falls into the latter category, read on.
The Leap Motion Controller ranks among the more interesting products of 2013. It's like a Microsoft Kinect for your PC, a 3D-space controller that lets you interact with things onscreen using just hand motions.
Sound interesting? For a limited time, StackSocial has the Leap Motion Controller with a $20 app credit for $79.99 shipped. That's the same price you'd pay for the controller elsewhere, but the credit is what makes this a standout deal.
Although you can configure the Leap to work with your desktop for things like mouse-free scrolling (
users will want to grab BetterTouchTool straight away), the real fun lies in the apps. Some, like Cut the Rope, are free, while others will cost you a few bucks. (Most range from $1.99 to $14.99.)Thus, the $20 credit gives you a chance to grab some premium apps and really enjoy some of the best the Leap has to offer.
Because the gizmo relies solely on hand gestures and restricts you to the area in front of your computer, using it is more akin to "Minority Report" than Microsoft Kinect. I got some hands-on (make that hands-off!) time with one last summer, and came away with two impressions.
First, it works. You kind of expect it not to, but if it's properly configured and the lighting is good, the accuracy and responsiveness are really impressive.
Second, I'm not sure it has much practical value. It's fun, sure, and could actually improve the computing experience for someone with physical challenges. But it could also be the kind of thing you play with for a few weeks, then unplug indefinitely, then relinquish on eBay.
Of course, that's how gadget lovers roll, am I right? If you love stuff like this, here's your chance to try the Leap with some free app credit.
Bonus deal: Calling all Kindle Fire owners! Today only, Amazon is offering 12 music apps for free. Normally they range from $1 to $11. Among the best bets: Shazam Encore (normally $4.99), Treble Cat -- Learn to Read Music (normally $4.99), TuneIn Radio Pro (normally $3.99), and Ultimate Guitar Tabs (normally $2.99).
Bonus deal No. 2: Calling all Google Chromecast owners! For just the next two days, you can get Wondershare DreamStream Premium for free. This Windows utility lets you beam virtually any audio or video from your PC to your Chromecast. This giveaway nets you a 1-year Premium license, which would normally run $44.99. (Note: Once you've installed the program, make sure to register it using the email address and license code you received via email.)