Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Back when I was on TechTV, I had a free utility that I used to change my mouse cursor into a floating hand. I had a lot of fun using a finger pointer to demonstrate things during live calls. Some people ask me to this day what program I used to create that. It was called CursorXP, available from Stardock. That program isn’t available now, but its replacement – CursorFX – looks to be even better!

Stardock CursorFX is a program that lets you use and create incredibly cool looking Windows mouse cursors. CursorFX users can create and use cursors that look and feel far superior to anything you’ve ever seen before! Best of all, it’s really easy to create your own super-charged cursors! It integrates into the standard Mouse interface of Windows and is easy to turn on and off as you need.

Now, I’m not going to leave you Mac users in the dark. There’s something out there for you, too! The finger cursor I’m about to show you is slightly different than the one you could have used from CursorXP. This one is really only for demonstration purposes. It’s not very practical to use for your “all-the-time” cursor. However, it is a lot of fun! This one is called PhoneFinger. And yes, the gigantic floating finger is really the mouse cursor!

PhoneFinger transforms your Mac’s mouse cursor into a realistic simulated human finger for testing and demoing iPhone applications and websites. Because of the iPhone’s high-resolution screen, Apple’s iPhone Simulator may use an area on your Mac’s display that’s physically far larger than an actual iPhone. This makes designing and testing user interfaces troublesome.

With the newest version you can even design your own hands! You can pick up and move windows. You can minimize or maximize – basically anything you’d do with a normal mouse cursor. You can change the size of the hand, to make it fit your screen better. Choose a male finger, or a more feminine model – complete with nail polish!

There is a minimalist mode, which is just a floating circle. So when you need to highlight something on your Mac, you can point at it with a finger, or have a circle around it. This is a free and fun way to give a presentation, or just mess around on your own time.

• Gyration Air Mouse Elite In-Air Cursor Control using Patented MotionSenseTM Technology and Optical Sensor with Low Profile Keyboard GYM5600LKNA
• Gyration Air Mouse Elite In-Air Cursor Control using Patented MotionSenseTM Technology and Optical Sensor GYM5600NA
• Targus Wireless Presenter with Cursor Control (AMP06US)
• Evaluation of cursor capturing functions in a target positioning task [An article from: International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics]

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3H8SeTyYXkY"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3H8SeTyYXkY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

• What do You use Green Lasers For?
• OS X Dock in Windows

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

What do you use a green laser light for? The answer is… anything you want. If you are into cool little gadgets like this, check out ThinkGeek. The light on this laser light is extremely bright, and comes with a variety of attachments.

The Specialized Green Laser Pointer is beyond cool. The laser beam on these is much brighter than those on red lasers. When you point them into the dark sky, for instance, you can see the entire beam, instead of just the point. This makes it easy to point out things like constellations, or illuminate a dark path when walking.

Green laser pointers are pure eye candy – very bright and look much better than a standard run-of-the-mill red laser pointer. And now we have three new varieties to add to the mix. Choose from one of these 3 laser pointers, each one with a special feature.

1. Stars: Uses 2 AAA batteries (included). Projects an awesome looking field of green laser stars. Rotate front pattern cap to manually change the stars pattern. Remove pattern cap and it’s a standard green laser pointer. Wavelength: 532nm
2. Shapes: Uses 2 AAA batteries (included). Includes 5 pattern caps (cross, circle with dot, line, arrow, dot). Patterns caps can be changed in a few seconds. Best for projecting distances of over 2 meters. A very slight speckle pattern is present on some shapes (the arrow and circle with dot shapes).
3. Red Green Combo: Uses 2 N batteries (included). Projects Red and Green from the same laser unit. Separate buttons for each color. Wavelength: 532nm (Green) and 650nm (Red).

I have a feeling I’ll be spending too much time messing with this laser pointer. We all know I’ll torment Ponzi with it, and the dogs.. and maybe even you!

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hb-jTZYuzNo"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hb-jTZYuzNo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

• How to Turn Your Mouse Cursor into a Finger
• Will Laser Scissors Help You Cut a Straight Line?
• Inkjet vs Laser Printers