The ingenuity of the Chinese consumer electronics industry really does know no bounds. Its latest triumph is “Bluetooth gloves”.

Entrepreneurially hawked while the snow was falling across Europe in March, the company that makes them, Sefe Engineering, claims that they enable people to make and receive mobile phone calls without having to take them off or even pick up the phone.

While the tip of the little finger of the glove has a microphone, the tip of the thumb contains a mini-earphone, enabling people to literally talk through their fingers.

Not only that, they come in a variety of natty colours. It's just a shame that the weather cleared up so quickly, though, no doubt leaving “Michael” at Sefe Engineering with a warehouse full of the gloves to bang out.

They will, however, set you back the best part of forty quid to purchase.

Quick question for Marrissa Mayer, the no-nonsense boss of Yahoo.

Why is it that when someone asks, “How long will the CIA continue to monitor individuals who are no longer deemed to be an asset to the US government?” on Yahoo Answers, UK & Ireland, the question is quickly deleted “according to our Community Guidelines”.

Yet when that same question is asked on Yahoo Malaysia, it's just a-okay. Have all the moderators been fired in Malaysia or does the CIA's writ not run quite so freely in that part of the world? That's a Yahoo Answer we'd like.

The best answer, incidentally, was “For as long as that individual lives, and then whoever comes to his funeral will be checked out”.