There are a lot of people today who use touchscreen devices such as mobile phones and tablet PCs. However, most individuals have a problem in using their touchscreen devices during winter. This is because normal gloves don’t work on touchscreens. In answer to this, a variety of brands have come up with touchscreen gloves.
Basically, this type of gloves allows people to stay warm while using their touchscreen handheld devices. There are two designs of touchscreen gloves – one exposes the tips of the thumb and index fingers which are often used to text while the other has materials that produce static electricity from the fingertips to the device. Choosing what type of gloves to use depends on personal preference. Using bare fingers to text remain more precise but you will definitely get the hang of texting while wearing the gloves with more practice.
The gloves are made not only for mobile phones and tablet PCs but also for other touchscreen devices including laptops, portable media players and digital cameras. There are many reasons why you may want to consider using a pair of touchscreen gloves. It enables precise input without having to remove the gloves and exposing your hand and fingers to the freezing cold.
Why Regular Gloves Don’t Work on Touchscreens
There are two types of touchscreens – resistive and capacitive. Resistive technology is found on older touchscreen models. It responds to force or by pushing down on the screen of your mobile phone. Capacitive, on the other hand, is used of popular mobile phones such as iPhones. It requires actual touch which means it easily responds to movements. Most touchscreen devices that have been made in the last few years feature a capacitive touchscreen. The fingertip transfers an electric current which the body produces. This means that regardless of how hard you push down on the screen, it will only work when you touch it.
What are Touchscreen Gloves?
As its name suggests, touchscreen gloves are designed to keep your hands warm while texting, playing games or doing other tasks on your device. This is done by using conductive thread on the fingertips of the gloves. A touchscreen glove uses conductive cloth on the thumb and pointer fingertips because these are the ones that people most likely use on a touchscreen. The rest of the glove is made of warmer materials.
Its first designs were actually made of think materials which meant it offered light protection against frigid conditions. The gloves though were improved over time. Touchscreen gloves today have become more insulated particularly pairs that were designed by winter gear manufacturers. Nonetheless, the fingers that are used for texting will probably remain scantily clad despite the glove’s good insulation as having a thick layer of cloth over these would make it difficult to operate a touchscreen device with accuracy.
There are basically two designs of touchscreen gloves – fingerless and conductive. Fingerless gloves are being sold at different retail stores and there are many brands that carry it as well. This type of gloves features a mitten cover over the thumb and index fingers which you can open when you have to send a text message and pull back when you are done. However, it may not be ideal to wear this pair during sub-zero days.
The other type of touchscreen gloves is conductive. This is preferred by most consumers because there is no need to remove the gloves when using your device. As mentioned, the fingertips have conductive materials which help the touchscreen sense your movements. It is important to make sure that the touchscreen gloves that you will be getting are compatible with your device. Most gloves can be used on different mobile phone and tablet PC models but there are some that are exclusive to certain brands.
The Advantage of Using Touchscreen Gloves
The primary advantage of using touchscreen gloves is that an individual will not have freezing hands to be able to use his or her touchscreen device. It can be very inconvenient and uncomfortable to have to remove your gloves if only to send a text message or make a call. This is the reason why many people find touchscreen gloves very useful particularly during the winter season.
There are a lot of designers and brands that sell touchscreen gloves. This means consumers will have a variety of options. You can also get a pair that suits your style as touchscreen gloves are considered as fashion accessories.
Price
The prices of touchscreen gloves vary depending on the materials that are used to make it. Luxury materials including leather can make a pair of touchscreen gloves quite expensive but you may want to get cheaper pairs if you have a limited budget. It can be bought at retail or online stores. There are consumers who prefer to buy from online stores including Amazon as it is more convenient and they also get it at a lower price because of deals for the holidays.
How to Make Your Own Touchscreen Gloves
There are individuals who think it might be unnecessary to spend for touchscreen gloves. Instead, they make an old pair of gloves and turn it into touchscreen gloves simply by cutting off the glove’s thumb and index fingertips. However, you may want to stitching conductive materials to the gloves’ fingertips particularly if the temperature is freezing.
Making your own touchscreen gloves involves stitching but you don’t have to be an expert in order to do it. You simply need to sew small circles of thread on the thumb and index fingertips. In fact, the more challenging task would be getting your hands on conductive thread as it you might not be able to buy it in small quantities. You may also want to buy texting dots for your touchscreen gloves. These are useful particularly if you will be using public touchscreens. It helps avoid germs and provides better accuracy. There are articles online and in magazines that you can refer to for instructions on how to make touchscreen gloves at home.
