Playing air guitar from the neck up

(Credit: HimeyaShop)

With excellent advances such as the Rock Band Stratocaster controller on the horizon, we've been hopeful that popularity of the dreaded air guitar might finally begin to fade. But we were disappointed to learn that the "Air Guitar Pro" will be shipping July 25.

As if air guitarists needed any encouragement, this $27 device uses infra-red sensors to read finger movements and blast the resulting notes on its built-in speaker, according to Technabob. It looks like the end of a guitar neck that's been broken off and embedded with seven chord buttons. Worst of all, it can be hooked up to an amplifier so middle-aged men everywhere can make fools of themselves in the most public ways.