News & Features

Getting a BlackBerry Z10? Case-Mate is Ready to Help You Protect It

I am shocked (SHOCKED!!) by how much I am liking the new BlackBerry Z10 tht I was given at the BlackBerry Experience this past Wednesday. It feels great in the hand, is fast and the BlackBerry Hub integrates all my messaging in a way that is surprisingly convenient. Honestly, except for the lack of a few key apps, I have not yet found anything specific that I actually do not like. In addition to my positive first impressions of the BlackBerry 10 OS and the actual hardware, I am impressed that BlackBerry isn’t being cheap when it comes to accessories….

Game Diary, Gear Bits, News & Features

Get Ready for the Next Chapter with the Star Trek Into Darkness App for iOS or Android

Are you excited for the Star Trek: Into Darkness film opening on May 17th of this year? The teaser trailers have been intriguing and suggested an intensity beyond what the first ‘reboot’ showed us a few years ago. To help fans get ready, a new app for the movie is available for iOS or Android, boasting interactivity with content and a constant release of new material as the movie gets closer to release. In fact, the first ‘surprise’ will unlock during the second quarter of the ‘big game’ (since they can’t say Super Bowl) on Sunday February 3rd. Here are…

Events, News & Features

PlayStation February 20 Announcement for PS4?

There is nothing like a frenzy filled Friday. I received an email from PlayStation Network titled “Be the first to know” this morning sent just after midnight. The email lists an announcement on February 20, 2013 at 6 p.m. EST. as while as links to “Learn More” and their official Twitter and Facebook. Based on current general PlayStation knowledge, the most exciting would be a new console (e.g. “PlayStation 4”). Looks like Sony might not be waiting until June’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) to make the initial announcement. Sony, a Japanese based company, also has information on their official blog….

Music Diary, News & Features, Reviews

Joe Lovano Us Five ‘Cross Culture’ Music Review

I have a huge library of jazz music stretching back nearly a century, and including representation from nearly every major (and most minor) figures of the art form. But like any other genre fan, there are artists I am ‘supposed’ to like that I have never connected with. I am also a rock music fan since my childhood, but never connected with much of the Rolling Stones (except for a few years in the late 60s) and Led Zepplin. In terms of recent jazz history, two leading instrumentalists are Joe Lovano and Brad Mehldau – and I have never really…

News & Features

SurfacePad for iPhone is TwelveSouth’s Newest Offering

TwelveSouth has just introduced their latest offering, an iPhone case that is “not a case”. The SurfacePad for iPhone is a thin, book-style case that they describe as the very first iPhone accessory that is designed for people who want a case but prefer to use no case. The SurfacePad is made from super-thin Napa leather. It weighs under an ounce. The company makes it clear that this is not a case for the person who is looking for serious drop protection or water sports. (If that is what you want consider getting a LifeProof case.) The TwelveSouth SurfacePad is, however,…

Game Diary, News & Features

Zombie Road Trip Released Yesterday and Super Stickman Golf 2 Coming Soon

Noodlecake Studios, the guys who brought you the original Super Stickman Golf, released Spokko‘s new project, Zombie Road Trip to the App Store and Google Play store yesterday. Zombie Road Trip is very similar to the endless driving game Extreme Road Trip and Extreme Road Trip 2, except that it adds a whole new layer of awesome on top of the existing genre. I was a big fan of the Extreme Road Trip games, so I was happy to take Zombie Road Trip for a test drive. You find yourself driving, pedal to the metal, in order to escape a…

News & Features

30 Rock Ends This Thursday; Top Ten Reasons I’ll Miss It!

There are very few sitcoms that can pull off that razor edge of satire and surrealism without teetering into live action cartoon territory. Even fewer can make characters both ridiculous and relatable all at once, but for seven seasons “30 Rock” has managed to nail the satire and the characters. And Thursday, January 31, is, sadly, the series finale. If you’ve never watched 30 Rock, head over to Netflix immediately to rectify that. Need more motivation than just “It’s that great show with Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin”? Here are my top ten reasons why you’re missing out if you…

Gear Bits, News & Features

PowerCup Car Charger Handles Your Devices on the Road

As our mobile environments are becoming more and more connected these days we struggle to accommodate the plethora of devices some of us carry with us and even use while on the road or stuck in traffic. Enter the PowerCup Car Charger and Tablet holder from USBFever.com. Here is a device that anchors in a center console cupholder and expands power functionality inside the vehicle by offering two cigarette lighter-style sockets and two 5V USB ports for charging mobile devices. A short flexible stalk leads to an expandable holder for your Apple iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tab. Of course, neither…

Events, News & Features

RIM Unveils Their Blackberry 10 at the Blackberry Experience in NYC

It is RIM’s last hope to stay afloat. After hyping the BlackBerry Playbook and banking on its success RIM has continued to stumble. Even hardcore BB-user like Elana and her brother have left their BlackBerries and moved to other platforms. And as for the Playbook not being a hit, when the company that made their chops on messaging releases a tablet without a native email client, how could it possibly succeed? So RIM has developed and entirely new operating system and is formally showing off the OS and the devices to run it. I’m in Manhattan for the Blackberry Experience…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Apple Introduces 128GB iPad 4, Pricing as You Would Expect

For the past couple of years everyone has wondered when Apple would come out with a 128GB iPhone or iPad, and last fall I think that many were genuinely surprised that the iPad 4 didn’t up the capacity. Well, now we have our answer … and it comes in the form of the 128GB iPad 4. The announcement came today, and the new version of the iPad 4 is going to be available starting Tuesday, February 5. According to a press release from Apple, the main focus is a sort of ‘Pro’ version of the iPad for the Enterprise –…

Events, Music Diary, News & Features

Prophet 12 Synthesizer by Dave Smith Introduced at NAMM 2013

One of the first synths I did serious work on was the Prophet 5. That synth was introduced by Sequential Circuits in 1978 as one of the first polyphonic instruments, but the reason it is still popular is the amazing sounds. The Prophet 5 was the brain-child of Sequential Circuits founder Dave Smith. If that name sounds familiar it is because Smith is also known as the ‘Father of MIDI’, and I recently wrote about the 30th anniversary of MIDI. After Yamaha bought Sequential Circuits in 1987, Smith went on to head up the new US research lab for Korg…

Gear Bits, News & Features

Apple Releases iOS 6.1 with iTunes Match Song Downloads and More

Have you ever just wanted to download ONE song from an album on iTunes Match so you can listen on the go? It simply didn’t happen … until now! Today Apple released iOS 6.1 with a number of improvements (and likely even more unannounced improvements). These include support for 36 additional LTE carriers for iPhone (23 for iPad), individual song downloads, Siri interaction with Fandango, and more. One unstated improvement in iOS 6.1 is found in Passbook. Previously, when you started the app for the first time an introduction was displayed. You were then sent to the iTunes App Store…

News & Features

Windows 8 Pro $40 Upgrade Sale Ends 1/31/13

Microsoft’s sale of Windows 8 Pro for only $40 ends on Thursday. If you haven’t taken advantage of the sale, time is quickly running out! If you’ve purchased a Windows 8 (Sadly, not Windows RT) tablet, ultrabook or other computer and you attempt to upgrade directly through the “Add Features To Windows” function, you do not get this discount, and the Pro upgrade price is $70. However, if you have a, XP, Vista or Windows 7 computer that you can run the Windows Upgrade Assistant on, you can purchase the upgrade from your computer, and then STOP and not download the Windows…

Game Diary, News & Features

Crysis 3 Multiplayer Beta Begins January 29

The open multiplayer beta for the sandbox shooter Crysis 3 game starts January 29 on PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 where players can battle the corrupt Cell Corporation. Players can try out the new superpowered Nanosuit, which features cloaking, vision, and armor properties. Players also get two team-based modes (eight in full game), two maps (12 in full game) and the new New York social feed, which lets players share their accomplishments. This beta ends on February 12. Besides the nanosuit, players will encounter powerful equipment and weapons including the typhoon assault rifle that fires 500 rounds per second….

News & Features

CTA Digital Pedestal Stand for iPad Keeps You Connected in the Bathroom

Admit it. Many of you have surreptitiously or otherwise carted your iPad into the bathroom because…well because you just love your iPad and are using it productively, right? Sure you do. The biggest problem in using the iPad in such situations is that human anatomy is at odds with multitasking when responding to the call of nature, and most people I know of only possess a maximum of two hands. What to do to solve the crisis? Why, never fear CTA Digital’s Pedestal Stand for iPad 2/3/4 with Roll Holder is here to solve this dilemma! Standing at about 32″…

Events, Music Diary, News & Features

Korg Introduces 9 New Products at NAMM 2013, Including KingKORG and MS-20 Mini

At the NAMM 2013 show, Korg announced nine (!) new products that all look great – I recommend you head to Korg to get all of the details. But I wanted to highlight two that look super-cool: the MS-20 Mini and KingKORG. The MS-20 Mini is the reimagining of the classic monophonic synth that we have seen emulated so much recently. The KingKORG is a robust analog modeling synth built for great sound and performance. MS-20 Mini Everyone loves the Korg MS-20, it seems. This 1978 monophonic synth with cable-patching and limited configurations ultimately had one major thing that has…

News & Features

Mobile Jaw Reviews the Samsung ATIV S and Nokia Lumia 920

Last year, Judie and I spent time going deep with Windows Phone 7. We put our iPhones in the drawer and made HTC Titans our only phones. We both liked the experience, but ultimately returned to our iPhones. When Microsoft sunset Windows Phone 7.5 just weeks after releasing the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone I was not impressed. It was a kick in the face of those who were early adopters of Windows Phone. I really thought I was be done with Windows Phone forever. I wasn’t. Judie wasn’t either. In fact, when HTC and Microsoft released the flagship of…

Music Diary, News & Features

AVID Teams with Katy Perry & Adele’s Producer for Online Talent Competition

If you are like me, you love the IDEA of a musical talent competition for a recording contract that slowly funnels from thousands to just a few … but the execution always gets muddled down as the music becomes secondary to what works on TV. But what if there was an online contest that will result in three lucky winners having their music heard, mixed and mastered by some of the industry’s top folks? That is exactly what Avid is announcing in conjunction with Abbey Road Studios. Avid is the maker of Pro Tools, which is THE system of choice…

Events, Music Diary, News & Features

Mackie Updates Master Fader Control App for DL Series Live Mixers

Last year at NAMM Mackie brought iPad control to their DL1608 mixer. Now for 2013 NAMM they have introduced the DL806 mixer and major updates to their Master Fader control app. This EQ is great for getting vocals, guitars and other instruments to sit perfectly in a mix. Now, DL users can choose between clean, surgical modern processing and the new range of classic vintage plug-ins for more flexibility in use. You can grab the app for free now, and the update will be coming soon. Mackie has added an episode to their DL Series podcast regarding Master Fader v1.4…

Game Diary, News & Features

GoG.com Adds 10 New Mac Games for January!

The answer to the question ‘where do I get Mac games’ has changed over time. A few years ago you would answer ‘I’m sorry dude, really sorry’. Then along came Steam, then the Mac App Store, and most recently GoG.com. Now you can proudly answer that there are great choices and prices at Steam, GoG.com and the Mac App Store. And GoG.com is advancing at an amazing pace, today announcing the addition of 10 Mac games to their roster. And like every other game, you now get the Mac and PC version of the game as well as all the…

News & Features

Thermometer for the Naturalist that Will Leaf the Competition Behind

For those seeking escape from the mechanical, desiring a more natural space, yet have the nagging desire to have an idea of what the approximate room temperature is in you sanctuary, Gizmine may have the thermometer for you. The aptly named Leaf Thermometer not only looks natural and realistic, it actually gives you a rough idea of how warm or cold it is by changing its color accordingly. No more straining eyes at small gradients on glass thermometers or glancing at digital readouts … just check the color! Henry David Thoreau would have been proud to have one while loitering…

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