Robot PAs, Apple Watch killers, Best work laptops, Siri tricks: Photos of the month

With devices like the Myo Gesture Control Armband available for less than $200, tinkerers and DIYers are coming up with all kinds of ways to control life with the swipe of a hand.

Here you see Dutch DJ Armin Van Buuren control lights and stage effects in a concert.

For nine more examples of unexpected uses for gesture control armbands, read our full photo story.

He was a genius. A pioneer. And now, the subject of a movie that's been nominated for two Oscars, for actors Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet. But what does the Steve Jobs movie get right, and what does it get wrong?

We review the film with a techie's eye - read the full story here.

If you're looking for a top of the range, high-specification laptop to suit your business needs, check out our recommendations.

Lenovo's ThinkPad P40 Yoga (pictured here) is a multimedia station designed for the creative business user.

Find the right portable system for your job in our full photo story.

Apple's Siri is probably under-used on your iPhone and iPad even though it's a capable tool. These tips can easily improve what Siri can do for you.

First off, while relationships can be manually defined in the Contacts app but it's better to let Siri do it for you (as pictured in this screenshot).

Find out nine more Siri tips and tricks in our full photo story.

If you weren't able to make it to Las Vegas for CES this year, you can still catch up on the best the show had to offer in our full photo story of the top ten products.

Pictured here is Acer's Chromebase 24, an all-in-one (AIO) PC, which doesn't disappoint. It sports a 23.8-inch 1080p display, 8GB of RAM, 802.11a/c Wi-Fi, and four built-in microphones as well as an HD webcam.

The smartwatch and wearable field is lining up to take on the Apple Watch.

Take a look at the latest challengers and why they could be be dangerous to Apple in our full photo story.

Pictured here is the Casio $500 Android Wear device. On price it won't initially be a threat to the Apple Watch, but Casio historically brings prices down quickly with scale. What if all watches become just smart enough at lower price points?

Eat your heart out, Siri. The global service robotics market is set to boom. Learn about the seven devices leading the charge in our full photo story.

The most humanoid of the bots in this roundup, Pepper is designed for companionship. During interactions, Pepper analyzes facial expressions, body language, and verbal cues, honing its responses and offering a dynamic and surprisingly natural conversation partner. Originally designed for use in SoftBank Mobile's retail stores in Japan, Aldebaran says Pepper is poised to enter the home at some still-unspecified date.

It's still not too late to make progress on your 2016 fitness goals. We round up the best wearables and fitness apps to help you with your motivation and improve your health and wellbeing.

The Garmin Vivoactive (pictured here) monitors your running, biking, swimming, and golfing activities. It pairs with your smartphone and will vibrate when you get texts or calls. Download golf course maps to play any new course around the world. It even lets you know if you are over or under par.

Starting at under $15, the accessories for smartphones and tablet we rounded up can transform most any mobile device into a powerhouse tool. Read about all five in our full photo story.

For starters: the Smart and easy cell phone holder (pictured here) uses a magnetic disk on the back of your mobile or case to keep the phone where needed. Just put the phone on the holder and it is securely held for viewing.

The diversity of the machines roboticists have dreamed up over the years is truly astounding. Read our full photo story for some of the highs and lows from a discipline that stretches back further than you might think.

Pictured here is Archytus' Pigeon from 350 B.C., the first autonomous machine of antiquity.