Well, the weather outside is frightful (in the Northern Hemisphere anyway), so you just might be regretting your choice of a touchscreen-equipped handset as your portable phone. Take your gloves off to send a text? Not in this weather.
As many of you will know, capacitive touchscreen devices (such as the iPhone
(
), iPod touch, Droid, Pre, Storm, etc.) require tiny amounts of charge from your fingertips to operate. Because of this, sticking a great big glove between your finger and the screen kills the conductivity.
Never fear! An entire industry has sprung up to stop you from getting cold hands when using your touchscreen phone outdoors. We’ve
hand-picked (see what we did there?) the best six pairs of gloves for gadget-lovers this winter, so have a look through our choices below and let us know your faves in the comments.
1. Freehands Mens’ Gloves
Arguably the market leader in gloves for gadgeteers, Freehands offers a wide range of styles including cashmere, wool, ski styles and these warm-looking recycled, fleecy efforts. Every pair of gloves has a fold-back tip for the thumb and forefinger, and rather cunningly boasts a magnet to stop the tip from flapping around.
Cost: From $18
2. The North Face ETIP Glove
Perfect for those in really cold climates, The North Face’s contribution to the gadget-glove marketplace boasts fingertip-replicating “Xstatic fingercaps” so you don’t have to expose even the tippy tops of your fingers to the cold. With a gripper palm to ensure you have a firm hold of your favorite gadget, the ETIPs are available in a range of sizes, for men and women.
Cost: $40
3. Dots Gloves
Made from 100% merino lambswool, the Dots Gloves range is small but perfectly formed. Available in men and women’s sizes in just four colors, the classic-looking gloves are indistinguishable from “ordinary” gloves. However, they cleverly boast thumb, index, and middle fingertips that operate touchscreens with “skin-like responsiveness.”
Cost: $20
4. Etre Touchy Gloves
The funky, unisex Etre Touchy range is all about what isn’t there, namely the “missing” thumb and index fingertips, leaving you free to touch away while keeping the bulk of your hands warm. This design is best suited for climates that are “cold,” rather than frigid or frostbite-inducing. The range includes some great contemporary colors so it’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to sacrifice style in the name of functionality.
Cost: From around $32
5. Freehands Women’s Gloves
Freehands offers an equally diverse women’s range of gloves including wool, fleece, softshell, cashmere and these “microfur” options that were the most popular version for women in 2009. Available in a range of colors and sizes, if you’re looking for a glove with a flip-back index finger and thumb flap, you’re not going to go wrong here.
Cost: From $18
6. AGloves
Although they may not be the most fashionable offering, the affordable, unisex “Agloves” are ideal for anyone with an iPad or other touchscreen tablet, as the silver-coated nylon fibers knitted into the fabric put the conductivity back in your touch for
every single digit. Stay cool!
Cost: $17.99
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