Yamaha DX-7 Emulator

One of the key limiting factors for me in terms of integrating Android in my life was the lack of viable music apps … which in turn was due to the lack of a low-latency music infrastructure baked into the OS. While those issues haven’t been resolved, at this year’s Google I/O conference there was a session called ‘High Performance Audio’ which delved into how developers can implement low-latency audio in their apps.

During the talk, one of the apps featured was a music synthesizer called ‘Music Synthesizer for Android’, which is in fact a detailed emulation of the classic Yamaha DX-7 synth. Even if you don’t know the DX-7 by name, you certainly know the sound. In fact, there are websites set up detailing 80s songs featuring the DX-7! Here is the app description:

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Torchlight Free on GoG.com

Every summer GoG.com puts on a huge summer sale … and this year is no exception! For the next 17 days they will have more than 500 games on sale! This massive catalog os great games is ENTIRELY DRM-free, meaning that once you buy and download the game, you are free to install it and keep your install file and never worry about being online or needing a special client or anything else.

In addition to the huge general sale, GoG.com is also offering 150 games on ‘daily specials’ up to 85% off! For the first day they have their entire D&D collection for 80% off, including such classics as Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2, Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2, Planescape: Torment, Icewind Dale 1 & 2 and more. They are also breaking the ‘up to 85%’ by offering Alan Wake and Alan Wake’s American Nightmare for 90% off! Finally, for the next 48 hours they are offering the 2009 action-RPG Torchlight for FREE!

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Jay-Z Magna Carta Holy Grail

In the rap and hip-hop world, few artists loom as large as Jay-Z. Emerging in 1996 with a blockbuster debut that was as successful critically as it was commercially, he seemed to fade for a few years before emerging with the excellent ‘The Blueprint’. Then some more mediocre minor releases before what he claimed would be his last release, 2003′s ‘The Black Album’. Since then he has worked more as a producer and executive developing new artists than as an artist himself. That all changes on July 4th with the release of “Magna Carta Holy Grail”. But this one has a twist that makes it even more interesting – read on to find out more! continue reading

There is little doubt that next week’s WWDC- World Wide Developer Conference will bring with it the announcement of iOS 7.0. The next iteration of Apple’s mobile operating system, iOS will likely bring a “flatter” design with cleaner shapes and colors as well as a host of new and updated features. Still, while Apple will likely ANNOUNCE iOS 7.0 next week it would be surprising to see it actually released until the fall. That means the current Apple Operating System, iOS 6 (actually iOS 6.1.4 right now) has at least a few more months of life. If you have an iPhone, iPad, iPad mini or iPod touch why would you want to continue underutilizing it until iOS 7.0 is released?

How to use your iPhone: iOS 6 will help you do more with your iOS device. It covers Safari, the camera app, iCloud and much much more. Just a few minutes looking at it and I have already recommended it to a few different members of my family. After all, why waste all the power the iPhone and iPad have just because you haven’t taken the time to learn about it. Best of all How to use your iPhone: iOS 6 is absolutely free. Click here to download it.

Have a parent, grandparent, friend or spouse who only used their iPhone for calls and their iPad for reading? Why not send them the link so they can get a copy for themselves too? Just forward this post or copy this link- “An Underused iPhone is a Such a Shame“- and share it with them.

Magicka iPad

Magicka is one of the better small developer PC RPG games of recent years, a game that never takes itself seriously but offers loads of fun and action. The iPad version was released at the end of March and has been received very well, cited as one of the best RPG-like battle games for any mobile platform. Now you can get in on the action for FREE – but it isn’t clear if this is a limited offer or if the game has gone free-to-play. Either way it makes sense to grab it NOW!

Here are some features:
* Combine elements to create thousands of spell combinations
* All-new campaign for single or multiplayer
* Cross-platform co-op
* 4-player mayhem with many “accidental” team-kills
* New items and powers unique to the iPad
* Spend hours touching a representation of yourself

Here is the launch trailer:

Head to iTunes and grab Magicka for FREE!

Memorial Weekend is underway, but it won’t be until Monday that you can save big on pretty much everything ZAGG has to offer. The Memorial Day Sale will take place on Monday, May 27th and Tuesday, May 28th and the savings are huge.

Yes, during the sale, tablet keyboards will be 20% off. Not enough savings for you? How about this… everything else, including ZAGG’s invisibleSHIELDs, cases, audio products, and portable battery chargers, will be 50% off. Yes, you can save half on everything ZAGG has to offer other than their keyboards. And there’s more: Items you buy during the sale will have free shipping to all USA addresses and, on orders of $10 or more, you can add Crew earbuds and a ZAGGfoam cleaning kit (a $24.98 value) for just $5. That’s a great sale, but it lasts just two days. Click here Monday, and start saving.

Think Tank Photos Mirrorless Mover line of bags is a great way to carry and protect your mirrorless camera. The line is “scaled to fit today’s compact, mirrorless cameras, this collection of bags offers the same top quality materials and craftsmanship that Think Tank is known for. “The Mirrorless Mover 30i is also the first accessory I am getting to review for it.

It was just a year ago that I finally decided to “up my photography game”. I went out and purchased a Canon T3i, a few lenses an a number of other assorted items. Over the course of the year, I have had the chance to not only learn about the camera, but I have also reviewed numerous photography accessories — check the end of this review for a list of just a few. As the year proceeded however, I increasingly found myself wanting a camera that offered the same power, quality and flexibility without all the bulk and weight. This became particularly apparent during CES. Yes, during those 14 hours days wandering the show floor and (literally) running from meeting to meeting, every ounce matters. I started looking into mirrorless cameras that offered terrific features, interchangeable lenses and great photo and video quality in a much smaller and lighter package than my T3i. Last week I finally took the leap and ordered a Sony NEX-6.

I love it.

Suddenly many of the camera bags I reviewed this past year were simply overkill. I just didn’t need a bag or backpack designed to hold a DSLR and a telephoto lens while carrying something not much bigger than a point and shoot.

It was fortuitous that Think Tank Photo had announced their new line of bags while I was ordering my NEX-6 and they were kind enough to send the largest in the line, the Mirrorless Mover 30i. continue reading

iPhone and iPad apps for anyone on a budget.

Nothing over $.99!

My kids have finally reached the age that our family is going twenty directions at once. This spring we have had my varsity games I coach as well as both of my sons’ baseball games. Of course, most of these all occur at the same times on the same days in different towns. Since I am almost always coaching during this mess, my wife is in charge of keeping it all running smoothly. We recently found an iPhone app that has helped keep the chaos to be somewhat controlled while I was grocery shopping. Cozi Family Organizer made my usually miserable shopping trip much easier. Let’s take a look why.

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Angry Birds Space for Free!

Never a bad time for a great sale! Just in time for that classic gaming holiday – Memorial Day – EA and G5 have offered up huge sales, and likely many others are following suit with smaller sales. One of the best deals is Angry Birds Space – Free for iPhone or iPad!

Straight away, head to the EA Mobile page on iTunes App Store, and just FEAST on the more than 55 games for iPhone and iPad that are either $0.99 or FREE. There are some really sweet deals, though the vast majority are repeats – just scan the list and see what you don’t already own. Like I said … tons of deals.

And for those who love their Kindle Fire HD, here is what is on G5′s Kindle Fire Sale:

Letters from Nowhere (Full) – 99¢
Mahjong Artifacts: Chapter 2 – 99¢
Nightmares from the Deep: The Cursed Heart (Full) – 99¢
Paranormal Agency – 99¢
Special Enquiry Detail – 99¢
The Mystery of the Crystal Portal – 99¢
Virtual City – 99¢
Shards of Time – 99¢
Epic Adventures: Cursed Onboard – $1.49
Masters of Mystery: Blood of Betrayal – $1.49
Abyss: The Wraiths of Eden – $2.49
Dark Arcana: the Carnival – $2.49
Fate of the Pharaoh – $2.49
Kaptain Brawe: A Brawe New World – $2.49
Royal Trouble: Hidden Adventures – $2.49
Spirit Walkers: Curse of the Cypress Witch – $2.49
Tales from the Dragon Mountain: the Strix – $2.49
The Magician’s Handbook II: BlackLore – $2.49

Check out all of those great deals and enjoy fun gaming this holiday weekend!

One of the biggest trepidations I’ve had about my switch to Windows Phone is having to buy all new apps. It’s always hard to kick-start a library of apps on a new platform, and I knew going into this that the total cost wasn’t going to be just the phone itself, but the software as well. Luckily, Nokia and Microsoft have a few great promotions going on to make that out-of-pocket amount a little less painful.

First, when you buy a new Lumia 928 between now and June 23rd, you get $25 in Microsoft store credit. That’s enough to build up a nice software library if you’re a switcher like me! Most of the paid apps I have been eyeing at Windowsphone.com tend to fall in the $.99-$1.99 range, and I should be able to pick up most of the premium apps I need with this. It’s not a bad deal, and even if you’re an existing Windows Phone user, it’s a great way to pick up some new apps and games!

Once your apps are set, grab the Nokia-exclusive Zinio app. They’re offering a $50 credit towards magazines when you download the app, so between all those games from the Microsoft credit and the magazines you can get from Zinio, you’ll never be bored while you’re near your Windows Phone! This offer is good through June 30th, so if you’re grabbing a new Nokia make sure you get Zinio set right away!

It’s clear that Microsoft and Nokia are doing their best to making buying a Lumia a sweet deal! It’s hard to say how much Verizon is involved in these, though they do have tips and a marketing page set up about Windows Phone, which is more than they’ve done for Blackberry! In any case, if you’re planning on buying a Lumia 928, or if you have a Nokia phone already, grab these deals before they’re gone!

EA Sports, Amazon, and DirecTV have released details on great deals included in the upcoming limited-edition version of the Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition video game for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

These deals equal more than $400 at a $99.99 Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition game price, which is now available for pre-order exclusively on Amazon (quantities are limited).

This “Ultimate NFL Experience”  includes the game, a Madden Ultimate Team subscription, and various offers from DirecTV/NFL Sunday Ticket.

The Madden Ultimate Team subscription includes one pack every week (starting Week 1 and ending on Week 17).  The Anniversary Edition packs feature two rare players, four silver players and four bronze players.

Users can enjoy DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket services whether or not they are a subscriber when purchasing this special anniversary game edition.

• Free access code (computer, tablets, and mobile devices) for DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket for 2013 NFL regular season (17 weeks) including DirecTV Red Zone Channel access (user who do not receive DirecTV service)
• $10 off per month for 1st year of DirecTV service + NFL Sunday Ticket MAX free (users who receive DirecTV service but are not currently subscribers)
• Free NFL Sunday Ticket access on computer and mobile devices (current DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket MAX subscribers using current username/password)

Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition features Barry Sanders on the cover and will officially release on August 27, 2013. Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition will feature 30 new moves with various combinations plus the all-new precision modifier.

Gangster Rio

If you ask most ‘core’ gamers about the products Gameloft produces, chances are the words ‘shameless ripoffs’ will be uttered fairly quickly. But most of those same folks who like to game on iOS and Android devices (such as myself) will also admit that most of their games are polished, well-produced … and fun. This weekend you can get two of their more recent releases – Gangstar Rio: City of Saints and N.O.V.A. 3 – for free!

Gangstar Rio: City of Saints is a combined ‘Saints Row’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto’ clone set in … Rio de Janeiro. Like those games, you take on missions in a semi-free-roaming world, and essentially gain more and more strength and reputation through committing criminal acts and not getting caught. I honestly thought this one was better than the original ‘Saints Row’ (which itself was a shameless GTA clone). Loads of fun.

N.O.V.A. 3 – Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance – Gameloft is Gameloft’s take on Halo. It is a space-based shooter with expansive multiplayer options and plenty of missions. The shooting elements remain some of the best on a smartphone, and everything flows well.

So head to the iTunes App Store and grab Gangstar Rio: City of Saints and N.O.V.A. 3 for free!

Looking for a way to protect your iPhone 4S? Maybe you’re still early in your contract and want to protect your investment. Or, like me, you want your phone protected and safe until the iPhone 5S comes along. Either way, if you want an incredibly protective case at a jaw-dropping price, Eversave has you covered with a Lifeproof for the iPhone 4/4S for only $29!

If you need a refresher, Lifeproof is a waterproof, impact proof, dust proof case that’s also thin and stylish. Dan and I have both raved about it, and we thought they were great cases at $79.99. So for $29 this is an outright steal!

Sign up for Eversave and get yours now!

Stream Daft Punk Random Access Memories

My son is a HUGE Daft Punk fan, something he got as part of his introduction into the electronica world – courtesy of me. The group is one of the most influential in electronic pop, with people like Skrillex and Deadmau5 owing them a huge debt. The last recording they released was the soundtrack for Tron: Legacy (which was the best thing about that movie), and a live album before that … so it has been eight years since 2005′s ‘Human After All’.

Right now you can pre-order the upcoming album “Random Access Memories” on iTunes (for $11.99) or the CD version on Amazon.com (for $10.99, apparently without ‘AutoRip’). We already have it pre-ordered, but iTunes is sweetening the deal once again – for the next week you can stream the entire album for free! As they have done before, this is a single file that plays straight through, but you can manually move about the file. Based on my initial listening, it seems like a solid new entry that will require multiple listens to truly appreciate all that is happening.

Head to iTunes and stream the whole album for free now!