Skip to main content

Samsung patents a way to let you play air guitar on your phone or tablet

musical-instrument-02-20-13-03
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Companies file patents all the time and it flies under the radar because most of the time it’s just techno mumbo-jumbo that we don’t understand. But Samsung recently received approval on a patent that is written in a language we all understand: rock and roll.

Uncovered earlier today by Engadget, U.S. Patent 8,378,202, also known as “Portable communication device capable of virtually playing musical instruments,” makes way for a music player that would allow listeners to add their own riffs to their favorite tracks. Essentially, it lets you turn every song into Free Bird.

Recommended Videos

Using the sensors in your phone, this patent would presumably let your phone or tablet know when you are holding it in the “jamming” position and would turn the buttons on the side of the device into a virtual fretboard. Moving the phone up and down would simulate sliding on the neck of the guitar and motion sensors would pick up on your second hand strumming, simulating the universal sign language symbol for rocking out. The phone would then produce the sounds you’re rocking and blast them through your phone atop the music already playing. It’ll be just like having your very own virtual garage band in the sense that no one wil want to listen to your terrible music.

There are no announced plans for a device that uses this patent.

(Image via)

AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
Topics
iPhone now lets you make WhatsApp your default for messages and calls, here’s how
The WhatsApp logo.

iPhone users can now get setup so that WhatsApp is their default messaging and calling app.

If your iPhone is updated to iOS 18.2 then the functionality is already available for you right now.

Read more
Buy a budget Samsung Galaxy A26 or A36 phone, get bonus discounts
The Samsung Galaxy A36's color options.

We're in the midst of a big boom for budget phones. The Google Pixel 9a, which seems to be facing some delays, is nonetheless coming out soon. Not long ago, the iPhone 16e arrived. If you want one of the best budget phones, now is a great time to buy. But what if you want more than just a phone? What if you want a full tech package? That's what we're seeing when you order a budget Samsung A-series phone — either the Samsung Galaxy A26 or Samsung Galaxy A36. You can get the phone ($300 and $400, respectively), get trade-in credits that can cover as much as half of the phone's cost, and save up to 60% on a pair of Samsung earbuds or a Samsung smartwatch. Tap the button below to check it all out yourself or keep reading for a more detailed analysis.

ORDER NOW

Read more
This Amazon ‘Big Spring Deal’ makes a fun Samsung tablet just $200
The back of the mint Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite 2024.

Spring is here, and so are seasonal deals. Cue Amazon's special "Big Spring Sale." While it's not as well publicized as, say, Prime Day or any of the other before, after, and on Thanksgiving Day sales, we have found a dozen Big Spring Sale deals on tech products you'll love. But there's one more we really want to share with you.

While this sale lasts (it goes until the March 31) you can get a 2024 version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite for just $200. That's $65, and 25%, down from its usual price of $265. Pay special attention, too, to the fact that it is the 2024 version, as the 2022 version gets a bit more publicity (and is still in circulation). Go ahead and tap the button below to discover this exciting tablet deal for yourself, or keep reading to see why the 2024 Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is so special.

Read more