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Music
Bowers & Wilkins deliciously gorgeous MM-1 computer speakers
By Paul Ridden
13:27 November 19, 2009 PST
The makers of the award-winning Zeppelin ipod dock will shortly release some true hi-fi quality computer speakers which break away from reliance on the output capabilities of a system soundcard and connect via high speed USB instead. Boasting a frequency range of -6dB at 57Hz and 22kHz, outputting audio at 4 times 18W and incorporating music studio technology, the fully active MM-1 system could be just what audiophile deskbound digital music junkies have been waiting for. Read More
The Vega touchscreen tablet from ICD
By Paul Ridden
14:21 November 17, 2009 PST
Innovative Converged Devices (ICD) has unveiled its new Vega 15 inch touchscreen tablet, an Android-powered communication and media device that features wireless 802.11b/g, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity, a Tegra combined application and graphics processor from NVIDIA, an ambient light sensor and accelerometer. Read More
Rihanna kitchen scales with in-built iPod dock
By Paul Ridden
14:45 November 16, 2009 PST
Kitchen scales are essential for making sure your culinary delights turn out as expected. ADE-Germany has included another ingredient in the soon-to-be-released Rihanna model which is squarely aimed at those who like to listen to music while they rattle about in the kitchen. Currently in the prototype phase, the Rihanna kitchen scale is claimed to be the world's first to feature an iPod docking station. A recipe for success or iPod overkill? Read More
Learn to play harmonica in a Flash
By Paul Ridden
15:00 November 6, 2009 PST
A music teacher from Riverside Illinois has come up with a Flash drive design that's more novel than novelty. Possibly one of the most portable instrument around - the harmonica - and the most portable digital storage solution have been merged into one to produce the FlashHarp. Read More
Google rolls out new music search
By Paul Ridden
16:12 November 3, 2009 PST
Google latest innovation has taken the power of its search engine and our insatiable lust for music and combined the two. Those lucky enough to live Stateside can now enter an artist, song title or lyric into Google's normal search window and the first results offered will link to audio previews, information and details of how to buy. Read More
DJ Hero review
By Tim Hanlon
01:38 October 29, 2009 PDT
It's safe to say that Activision has never been an innovator in the music game genre. It bought its way in by purchasing Red Octane, and the rights to the Guitar Hero franchise along with it. Harmonix, the original developer of Guitar Hero, went on to create Rock Band, which Activision subsequently cloned with Guitar Hero World Tour. So just how successful could DJ Hero be with nothing to base it off? According to a surprised Tim Hanlon, very. Read More
Portable power - the Bose SoundDock 10 digital music system
By Mick Webb
17:55 October 26, 2009 PDT
As the number of music-lovers who find their collections bundled snugly into the confines of an iPod continues to grow, so too does the number of increasingly more powerful docking stations that appear on the market to play those tunes aloud. One of the latest additions to the party, the SoundDock 10, comes with a promise from Bose that it delivers quality sound from a minimalist package. The SoundDock 10 features a newly-designed subwoofer, audio input and video output as well as optional Bluetooth capability. Read More
Research highlights environmentally friendly nature of digital music distribution
By Paul Lester
15:25 October 12, 2009 PDT
Despite the music industry being relatively slow to catch on to the fact that accessing music online is clearly the way forwards, the phasing out of DRM and appearance of innovative new services that offer consumers more choice, convenience and easy access to tunes, suggests that things are finally falling into place. One area that is often omitted when discussing the pros and cons of online is the environment, and it stands to reason that there would be a noticeable impact when you remove the cost of both printing CDs and delivering them to the consumer. Read More
iNudge - try out this free, online music sequencing widget
By Loz Blain
08:22 September 24, 2009 PDT
More than a little reminiscent of Yamaha's bizarre Tenori-On, iNudge is a free online composition and sequencing tool that takes all the pesky music training out of making music. Playing with its neat grid interface, anyone can come up with funky little beats and make quirky electro tunes. It's a product of an age where musical talent can be completely divorced from the ability to manipulate strings, wind or membranes to get a desired sound - and it's a lot of fun. Have a try right here in your browser window, just click through. Read More
Video: Laser/smoke microphone promises the world's most accurate sound capture
By Loz Blain
06:41 September 23, 2009 PDT
The quest for ever more realistic sound reproduction seems set to move to a whole new level. Traditional microphones convert sound to electrical signals by measuring the deflections that sound vibrations cause in a diaphragm. But each diaphragm has its own weight, inertia and resistance, which colors the sound that gets recorded. So American digital audio pioneer David Schwartz, who invented the MP3 sound format, has come up with a novel new type of microphone that virtually eliminates the microphone's mechanical interference with the sound. The laser/smoke microphone uses a laser to measure the deflections that sound makes in a steady stream of smoke - which is virtually weightless. Prepare for a new wave of high-fidelity microphone technology. Read More
Pure Sensia DAB/WiFi touchscreen radio
By Jeff Salton
00:08 September 22, 2009 PDT
Not long ago, radio manufacturers had only to worry about the basic look of their devices. Rarely were new stations added, reception methods hadn’t changed in a long time and, generally, smaller was better. Sure, they had to combine an alarm clock in some models, but that wasn’t too difficult. Now a radio has to be a veritable Swiss army knife of appliances, and this is where the new Sensia from Pure excels. Its list of features includes a large color touch screen display, DAB, FM stereo and digital radio with full Band III, wireless media streaming, input from iPods/iPhones and MP3 players, and Pure Apps that let you connect with Facebook, Twitter, Picasa and thousands of podcasts. Read More
Tested: Sennheiser HD 800 vs beyerdynamic T1 audiophile headphones
By Tim Hanlon
06:46 September 17, 2009 PDT
At IFA earlier in the month I had the opportunity to test a pair of Sennheiser's HD 800s and beyerdynamic's newly-announced T1 headphones, neither of which are your average set of headphones. Both are their respective companies' flagship products, and represent extensive research and development, the goal of which is to reproduce the source material as accurately and naturally as possible. And they don't come cheap - starting at around $1,300 US dollars. Read More
Viewsonic announce MovieBook VDP400/500 HD PMPs
By Paul Lester
16:56 September 16, 2009 PDT
The PMP market has received a bit of a boost recently and, following our early glimpse of i-Station’s T4 HD, a rather unlikely contender in Viewsonic is looking to take a slice of a market that is traditionally dominated by rivals such as Archos and Cowon. Read More
Native Instruments announces Komplete 6 bundle for music creation
By Paul Ridden
16:06 September 13, 2009 PDT
Native Instruments has just announced a recession-busting update to its impressive arsenal of digital musical instruments and effects - Komplete 6. The bundle not only comes with improved versions of amp and effects simulator Guitar Rig, the powerful sound manipulator Absynth and over 44Gb of sampling joy in the form of Kontakt, but it's also being offered at a significantly reduced price too. Read More
Logitech rock Wii and Xbox 360 with Wireless Drum and Guitar Controllers
By Mick Webb
11:02 September 10, 2009 PDT
In exciting news for Guitar Hero fans, Logitech has made good on its promise to release premium Wireless Drum and Guitar Controllers for the Wii and Xbox360. Following on from the initial release for the PS3, Logitech’s new peripherals will have lounge room rock stars rejoicing – and all in time for Guitar Hero 5. Read More
iTunes 9 gets some worthy additions
By Darren Quick
00:09 September 10, 2009 PDT
Hardware wasn’t the only thing getting attention at Apple’s Rock and Roll event. Apple has also shown its all-conquering iTunes software some love with a slight makeover and a few new features. The iTunes 9 interface now includes a persistent navigation menu for improved store navigation, a full window iTunes store for people who think the sidebar takes up too much room, and the ability to access previews from anywhere in the store instead of having to drill down through many pages. Read More
Altec Lansing's 200W Expressionist Ultra MX6021 computer speaker system
By Jeff Salton
19:29 September 7, 2009 PDT
Some people like their PC gaming experiences big. They spend big money on big games, big monitors and big gaming accessories but suffer from SSS (small sound syndrome). Well, listen up! Altec Lansing has released the Expressionist™ Ultra (MX6021), a distinctively styled and powerful three-piece home speaker system for computers, MP3 players and more that delivers 200W RMS. And with this quality of sound, it won’t be just the gamers taking advantage of all that power. Consumers who keep their music on their PC will greatly benefit from these speakers. Read More
SanDisk slot in the release of the Sansa Clip+ MP3 player
By Mick Webb
19:48 September 6, 2009 PDT
Hot on the heels of the recently released slotRadio player is the latest addition to SanDisk's ever-expanding family of personal music players, the Sansa Clip+. An update of the popular Sansa Clip, the unit boasts the inclusion of a microSD card slot, offering not only memory-expanding capabilities but compatibility with SanDisk's pre-loaded offerings. Read More
Nokia unveils sleek X-series range with two new models
By Paul Lester
04:07 September 6, 2009 PDT
Nokia's recently announced ‘X-series’, which currently consists of the X3 and X6, looks to build on the success of the XpressMusic series with some funky new styling and a healthy set of features. Read More
ION Audio's entry-level digital DJ controller: the Discover DJ
By Tim Hanlon
07:19 September 5, 2009 PDT
The democratization of music is something Gizmag has been watching for some time. Just this year, we've seen software that teaches you to play guitar, drums and the piano (and you can check our music category for much more). Today at IFA 2009, we came across ION Audio's Discover DJ controller, a USD$99 product which turns any PC or Mac into a digital DJ setup. Read More
Sonos Controller CR200 gets touchy-feely
By Paul Ridden
22:46 September 4, 2009 PDT
The Sonos Controller has just undergone a makeover. Like the CR100 before it, the new controller will allow you to effortlessly manage music throughout your home but instead of controlling the action using a scroll wheel and buttons, the new Sonos CR200 now has a 3.5in capacitive touchscreen, full-color VGA 640 x 480 LCD display with LED backlighting. Read More
Incentivizing the masses - free music drives phone usage
By Paul Lester
14:44 August 30, 2009 PDT
Ever since services like the original Napster brought free (albeit illegal) music downloads to the world, the music industry has been quick to point the finger at pirates but slow to realize that digital content is clearly the way forwards. Since then, download services such as iTunes and streaming services like Spotify have introduced new business models to the masses and Orange is the latest to come up with an innovative new way to listen to tunes on the move. Read More
Sony makes some noise - S Series Walkman with built-in speakers
By Mick Webb
22:14 August 27, 2009 PDT
Sony has announced the latest update of its enduring stalwart, the Walkman, with some additions to their range of portable music players. Rather than just providing music for one, the S-Series includes built-in speakers to share the sound, while the new E-Series offers a stylish entry-level option. Read More
Let Concert Hands teach you to play piano
By Paul Ridden
18:56 August 25, 2009 PDT
Have you ever dreamed of playing piano but the thought of committing yourself to years of grueling lessons fills you with dread? Then you just might be interested in the Concert Hands system, where your hands are gently guided back and forth along a track positioned just in front of the keys, and pulses prompt your fingers as each note is displayed on a screen in front of you. According to the developers, the technology will have you playing fluently in a few short days. Read More
Guitar pioneer Les Paul - 1915-2009
By Paul Ridden
21:40 August 17, 2009 PDT
Genuis. Pioneer. Innovator. Words that don't even come close to describing the revolutionary thinking of one Lester William Polsfus. Better known as Les Paul, he had such a huge influence on the world of modern music that it's difficult to sum up his achievements in such a short piece. I use the past tense because sadly the Wizard of Waukesha died in a New York Hospital on August 13th. Read More
Terotech
- November 21, 2009 @ 19:38 UTC
