Technology: Be A Rock Legend In Your Living Room (No Guitar Required)

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Every kid dreams of being a rock star--or at least a winner on American Idol--but few parents want to endure the cacophony from their very own Sheryl Crow in training. The new HandBand ($90) from KGI Consumer Products offers a cheap alternative. Using nothing more than a high-tech pair of gloves and a portable, wireless receiver, it lets kids play virtual guitar, keyboards or drums at less than earsplitting volume. Each bend of the finger produces a different note; you switch instruments with the push of a button. It's a great idea, but the execution needs work. The sound that emerges from the grapefruit-size speaker is passable but a bit synthetic. And the finger contortions required to play the HandBand are so awkward that they'll discourage all but the most enthusiastic musicians. The air guitar is a lot more fun. --A.H.

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MAJOR LAURA SUTTINGER, before deploying from Fort Hood, Texas, to Afghanistan on Dec. 4, saying that her unit would fulfill its commitment to ship out despite losing three soldiers in the Nov. 5 shooting rampage carried about by accused gunman and fellow officer Nidal Hasan
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