FluidTunes 1.0.2

FluidTunes grants users iTunes playback control by simply using a web camera. It mirrors any movements you make to the interface buttons. Basically, you can interact with the FluidTunes interface by moving your arms, head or feet.

The utility helps you navigate through the iTunes playlist and even control playback (play, pause controls, browse the list forward and backward).

I approached the program anxiously, but in the end results proved quite disappointing. The application can do its job but that depends on the light conditions in the room. If the contrast between your hand and the background is low then the camera detects no movement and iTunes behaves erratically or simply won't work. Even in optimum light conditions, FluidTunes is hard to handle.

Other issues involve the interface size as the layout takes a great deal of the screen. Also, whenever I switched between the application and another window, the camera turns on and off, making it run slower and consuming much of the system's resources.

In short, the idea of controlling iTunes playback by waving your hands sounds great, but the way FluidTunes implemented it leaves room for improvement.