It has been getting cold here in the northeast. This morning was quite chilly and it’s only going to get worse. That means jackets, hats and – of course – gloves. And that is a problem if you’re one of the growing number of people who use the touchscreen device. You see, capacitive touch screens need some sort of resistance to register taps, slides and other kinds of input. Fingertips work great… gloves do not. .Yes, sadly gloves and iPhones don’t mix well.
There are a number of solutions were just out there.
You can opt to use a stylus so that you don’t have to worry about a glove (or cold finger) getting in the way of your touch registering.
You can use a pair of gloves where one or more of the fingertips flip back to expose your finger so you can type, but that means you’re going to end up having a cold finger or two.
There is a third choice, IsoToner’s smartTouch Gloves. The new gloves are designed for touchscreen devices and make it possible for taps and slides to register on the screen without taking off the gloves. I’ve been trying a pair and like them quite a bit. Here’s a closer look.
It is pretty clear from looking at the gloves for even a moment that they are not intended for tremendously cold weather. These won’t keep you warm if you are skiing, shoveling snow or working outside. Then again, during those activities I can’t imagine pulling out your iPhone anyway. Rather, these gloves are for times when you may be in the (passenger) seat of a car that is first warming up, stepping outside for a moment, etc. They are light, comfortable and tight around the hand to keep cold air out, although not uncomfortably so.
What makes these gloves special is that on the pointer finger and thumbs there is some extra material that is specially designed to register when touching a capacitive screen. The result is that you can use your iPhone, Android device or other touchscreen phone or tablet without having to take them off.
The special material works well. It DOES actually let you use your iPhone without removing the gloves. No, you’re not going to write a novel while wearing the gloves (not that you would do that on an iPhone regardless) but for shooting off a quick message, checking your twitter feed, etc., they work fine.
The gloves look rather nice – well, as far as gloves go. They are comfortable to wear for an extended period… I know because I’ve been wearing them for the last few days and I’ve been quite pleased.
As you can see, there are two specialized finger tips for touch screens. The webbing on the other three fingers gives you some additional grip which is an excellent thing if you are holding a somewhat slipper device.
Right now the IsoToner Website shows the gloves in a box on their home page but only lists one pair of women’s gloves for $40. I also found them on the JCPenny Website discounted to $29.99 from their MSRP of $40 and on numerous other eTailors.
MSRP: $40
What I Like: Actually let you manipulate an iPhone or Android touch screen without having to remove gloves; comfortable; available for a nice discount
What Needs Improvement: Provide limited warmth