New Handeze Gloves for Aluminum PowerBook G4s -- I've long recommended Handeze gloves for reducing repetitive stress injuries in the hands and wrists (see "Handeze Gloves" in TidBITS-199). The fingerless gloves, made of a special kind of Lycra, keep my hands warm and nimble, and the slight pressure seems to improve circulation. RH Sales, the makers of Handeze, have produced a next-generation version designed specifically for newer and hotter laptops, like the aluminum PowerBook G4s introduced at Macworld this year. The $25 Asbesteze gloves use a combination of Lycra and heat-resistant fibers to keep palms and wrists from becoming too hot (which can exacerbate inflammation) when resting on the aluminum PowerBooks. Macworld magazine recently reported that the PowerBooks could reach 102 degrees F (39 degrees C); a test probe inside the Asbesteze gloves showed a comfortable 91 degrees F (33 degrees C), which is the normal temperature of human skin. RH Sales told us that they're researching a follow-up product to protect laps from overheating from the backside of the PowerBook, a product they jokingly called "Asbestass." Given the painful (and embarrassing) groin injuries sustained last year by a Swedish scientist from his laptop, it might be a hot seller. [GF]

<http://www.handeze.com/>
<http://db.tidbits.com/article/02372>
<http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2001/ AbantyFarzana.shtml>
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2503291.stm>