You are saved from the dreaded “Blackberry Thumb,” that wonderful pre-arthritic cramping that compulsive texters get when that message can’t wait for sitting down at a computer and just has to get sent right now! 

When I first saw Celluon’s Laser Virtual Keyboard, I was immediately reminded of Tom Cruise whirling through information by dipping his fingers in projected light.  

I did a bit of hunting around the Intertubes and pieced together a good idea of how it functions…and doesn’t function. The concept is fairly exciting. Gone are those clunky full-sized keyboards.

Instead, the virtual keyboard projector is just a bit bigger than a lighter and projects a band of laser light angled down and out, creating a full-sized keyboard drawn in a blanket of traced light.

When your fingers break the beam of light at specific points, it is registered as a specific key on the keyboard, and “voila!” You’re typing! The tech even makes a clicking sound when you hit a key.

The VKB is designed to link up to PDAs through Bluetooth. So this little device is for when you need to send a long, grammatically correct text message from your PDA or laptop without resorting to thumbs or a cramped keyboard. All you need is a flat, smooth surface to project a laser-constructed keyboard onto it, and you’re good to go.

Reviewers complain that the flat surface the keyboard requires has to be low-glare or some lighting interferes with operation. There is also an obvious learning curve on a keyboard that has no tactile feedback.

On the other hand, there are equal numbers of reviewers that say they love their new toy and it works fine for them. 

Either way, it sure does look cool. It is a baby step closer towards virtual interaction using small and controlled body movements. Johnny Mnemonic, with his Nintendo Power Gloves would be proud.

[buy now from Amazon.com]