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terryowen-blog · 6 years ago

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Life is Good – Episode Two with Ruth Dela Rama – Dizon

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What Makes A Smart Phone A Genius Phone?

So, what’s the difference between just being smart to being a genius?

There’s an immense variance between being really bright and being intellectually gifted. While geniuses do tend to be extraordinarily intelligent, they also use imagination and creativity to conceive, realize or envisage something unique. They blaze new trails instead of just trudging down the beaten path. For the genius, the ability to imagine new possibilities is as important as intelligence.

Great geniuses in world history are central to our advancements in science, technology and understanding. Without geniuses from Archimedes to Stephen Hawking, our understanding of mathematics, literature and music would be completely different. Concepts that we now take for granted, like gravity, planetary orbits and black holes, might still be undiscovered.

In the same way, the LG Optimus cell phone is a concept – a genius prototype of the way mobile phones will be built and used in the near future.

On The Cellular Level

The telephone is a good way to talk to people without having to offer them a drink. (Fran Lebowitz)

It’s a fact that form and function are significant factors when buying a cell phone but performance is the most decisive dynamic to be considered. Never forget that a cell phone is only as good as the calls it makes. Thus, even if your handset has the best attributes but can’t make or take a single decent quality call, it’s virtually useless. Even the snatchers in Quiapo and Arranque won’t spend a New York minute trying to filch your phone.

While it’s true that the strength of a carrier’s network is critical to making good calls, the strength of the phone’s antenna and receiver play a big part in performance as well. The fact is, you are buying a cell phone so it follows that at its very core, your handset should serve its one true purpose – call the guy at the other receiving end.

So, for form, function and performance, who you gonna call?

No — not The GBs – call the Optimus, and you’ll discover that it doesn’t scrimp on the most basic function of any cell phone.

If you know the name and if you know the number, you can spend all your unli time talking until your jaw hurts because the LG Optimus cell phone’s 1500 mAh Li-Ion battery can last for up to 400 hours of stand-by or up to 7 hours and 50 minutes of talk time. You don’t even have to lift a finger to do it – with built-in voice dialing, your command is the phone’s wish.

When the time comes when every one of your friends and family members eventually catch up with you in the 3G trend, you’ll be ready to make true video calls with the phone’s 1.3 MP secondary front-facing camera which you can use for high quality video chats.

Additionally, I like the text messaging service’s threaded view. I do most of my communication via SMS and having this feature in the Optimus lessens the confusion of piecing together an ongoing SMS conversation especially if you’re discussing various issues with several people.

Add a proximity sensor feature (so my phone knows if I’m nearby so it can rest and save energy while I’m away), an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and the LG Optimus becomes one handy BFF (best fone forever).

The Fast and The Nitrous

There’s a way to do it better – find it. Thomas A. Edison

The LG Optimus 2X uses NVIDIA’s Next Generation Tegra, the world’s first processor for the mobile web, specifically designed for the high-resolution needs of tablets.

According to the NVIDIA website, Tim Bajarin, President of Creative Strategies, Inc. said, “The new NVIDIA Tegra processor has a unique feature set critical for tablets — fast web browsing with fully rendered pages, uncompromised graphics, snappy user interface and HD video — all with the battery life we’ve only seen with cell phones.”

The key to the Tegra’s capabilities are eight independent processors, including the world’s first dual core CPU for mobile applications. These processors are used together or independently to optimize power usage at all times. With its ultra low-power design, Tegra delivers over 16 hours of HD video or 140 hours of music — on a single charge.

The Next Generation Tegra is a leap in mobile computing performance for the following reasons:

The world’s first Dual-core 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 processor, ULP GeForce GPU, Tegra 2 chipset.

Eight independent processors that make short work of web browsing, HD video encode and decode and mobile 3D gaming.

10x faster than the processors used in smart phones today, and up to 4x the performance of the previous generation Tegra processor.

Advanced TSMC 40nm process with active power management.

The series emphasizes low power consumption and high performance for playing audio and video.

At a maximum CPU clock rate 1.2 GHz (dual-core), it’s just .6 GHz short of the dual core PC I’m using now, and my computer plays Crysis, Call of Duty – Modern Warfare, Red Alert 3, Starcraft 2, Oblivion, The SIMS 3 and Medieval 2 Total War. It’s not a new PC but it’s still quite fast pa rin, debba?

NVIDIA believes that the future of GPUs on smart phones is no different than the future of PC GPUs. As a result, the GeForce ULV GPU in NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 looks very similar to a desktop GPU — just a lot smaller, and a lot lower power. Or, in the other words, the only thing stopping NVIDIA from putting an Intel 7-like or an AMD Hexacore-similar processor in a cell phone like the LG Optimus is that a processor that powerful needs large amounts of power more than any mobile battery can provide.

Basically, the Tegra 2 processor was designed for a tablet PC. But the guys at LG wanted to give the Optimus more computing nitrous (The Fast and The Furious speak right there) so they basically put an F22 Raptor jet engine in a Mazda RX7. The result is a cell phone that runs in machs not in miles, if you get my drift — my Tokyo Drift.

Now, imagine that Tegra powering your cell phone. Like a mobile phone on nitrous, the LG Optimus excels at multi-tasking between applications and boosts superior web browsing performance. Start-up times of programs /apps and games are suddenly in turbo speed. Your phone will always be sober (alive, alert and enthusiastic) unlike other phones which are as hard to wake up as “pess droonk” English hooligans who’ve had too much Vino Kulafu after watching a Manchester United match.

A dual-core powered cell phone augmented with a 512 MB RAM means you can run multiple applications simultaneously without reducing everything to a grinding crawl. You can switch between applications while maintaining your MS Office Word document or your Excel spreadsheets. You can listen to Bruno Mars and still download files while playing X Men for Android OS – and still receive calls from your boss who asks about the progress of your report. Gaya nga ng sabi ni pareng Bruno, “It’s simply amazing.”

Sa medaling salita, my dream (and every workaholic’s dream for that matter) of having a a mobile phone that works hard (and plays hard) as you has finally been realized with the LG Optimus.

Mobile Life is Like A Bowl of Frozen Yogurt

Like most tablet PCs in the market today, the LG Optimus is driven by the Android 2.2 Froyo.

The Android OS is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. Google Inc. purchased the initial developer of the software, Android Inc., in 2005. Android’s mobile operating system is based on the Linux kernel. Google and other members of the Open Handset Alliance collaborated on Android’s development and release.

The Android Open Source Project is tasked with the maintenance and further development of Android. The Android operating system is the world’s best-selling Smartphone platform. Android has a large community of developers writing applications or apps that extend the functionality of the devices. There are currently over 200,000 apps available for Android.

The Android Market is the online app store run by Google, though apps can also be downloaded from third-party sites. Developers write primarily in the Java language, controlling the device via Google-developed Java libraries.

While I was in Divisoria to buy some Naruto and Gundam action figures, I visited Jeney Tan, my favorite tablet PC vendor at 168 Mall. She is all out for the Froyo. She explained to me every conceivable feature and advantage of the OS including the accelerometer which tilts everything you see when you hold the gadget in landscape or portrait mode.

Jeney even made bida about the Android 2.3 Gingerbread that should be in the market by now. Pre-loaded with Froyo, the LG Optimus is upgradable to Gingerbread. Adding my own flawed logic, I informed her that Gingerbread is a big leap from Froyo that when the cell phone’s display is held in portrait or landscape mode, it actually tilts the user in that orientation. She then looked me straight in the eye and said the words that I will never forget, “Ser, bebele ba kayo?”

Like a bowl of frozen yogurt during hot summer nights, Froyo (short for frozen yogurt) is a refreshing approach to using tablet PCs and high-end, high performance phones like the LG Optimus.

The Way It’s Meant To Be Played

Movies are a complicated collision of literature, theatre, music and all the visual arts. (Yahoo Serious)

Before I got the LG Optimus, I had one of those popular media players made by a US company named after a red or green fruit (and no, it’s not a berry). The video playback and quality was okay but among my long list of peeves was that it played a limited number of video formats if not just one which is MP4.

The video format is okay for my cell phone and my computer. But my other portable player has trouble playing MP4s and only plays Windows Media Video formats. So, I had to convert videos to MP4 for my portable media player and into WMV format for my family’s other video player and for movie / video archiving.

It’s in playing various video formats that the LG Optimus shows its true awesomeness. Because it plays and supports multiple video codecs (plus DivX / XviD video support), I don’t have to convert / encode my movies or videos over and over again for viewing and archiving. That saves me time. Precious time that I can waste playing Tekken.

Beyond video support, the Optimus wows us with its display.

I remember the first time I saw the Optimus at an LG outlet glass shelf, I was really amazed at the proportions — 34-22-32. Uh, okay, that was the vital statistics of the salesgirl who look liked Megan Fox. What struck me was that the screen seemed bigger than my touch phone. Asking Megan, I mean the salesgirl, I discovered that my other phone only had a 3.5-inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display while the Optimus had a 4.0 inch display (all the better to see Megan Fox with).

The Optimus is equipped with a 16M-color capacitive IPS LCD touch-screen of WVGA resolution (480 x 800 pixels). It has a HDMI port which you can use for HDMI mirroring. Just connect it to a wider screen or an HD TV and experience the most vivid and life-like videos this side of Cybertron.

Because the phone is able to play in full HD through any monitor, you see every detail of Jennifer’s Body in astonishing clarity and sexiness.

I usually watch videos and movies over large monitors when I’m with my family. Most of the time though, I’m using the LG Optimus to catch up on the latest movies while waiting for the FX or the van at the terminal. The viewing experience is just as good as the big screen which can sometimes make you feel that your head is going to be eaten by a giant 3D piranha.

But the best place to watch is in bed – relaxed and alone. And with the Optimus phone’s superior theater-like sound and HD video, I feel like I will have to save Bella again in the upcoming Twilight XXV: Vampire Sequels Without End.

Take Your Best Shot

A good snapshot stops a moment from running away. (Eudora Welty)

The LG Optimus possesses an 8 MP autofocus camera with an LED flash for insufficiently lighted areas like bars, discotheques, concerts and internet cafes / Counterstrike fragging rooms. It prioritizes people over things and stuff with that Photoshop-friendly face detection feature.

I could stop ranting about the phone’s super astig camera right here and you’d be convinced by its performance. But since I like listening to myself talk, let me continue.

Just for the camera phone, I’d sell my other touch screen phone made by a company named after a pomaceous fruit of the species Malus domestica. Compared with LG Optimus phone’s 8 MP camera, my other phone has a measly 5-megapixel still camera (boy, is it cool — NOT!).

Hands down, pants down – the LG Optimus takes the matrix of leadership in still camera shooting.

Size Does Matter

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages. (William Shakespeare)

When the folks at LG designed the Optimus, they had the young Spielbergs and fledgling George Lucases in their mind. Empowering the YouTube generation, they imbued the phone with the ability to do 1080p video recording at 24fps and 720p at 30fps. I have a JVC Everio HD camcorder that does the same – and it’s a full-fledged video recorder! How the LG people managed to cram a lufet video recorder inside the Optimus phone’s sleek frame is beyond my comprehension. But that’s why they’re geniuses, you see.

And if you’re in a Miley Cyrus or Katy Perry concert and want to record the whole thing, there’s plenty of internal storage (8 GB) and a micro SD slot for 32 GB cards.

Even with just a video recorder match-up, the LG Optimus slaughters the leading, popular competitor which can only record VGA-quality videos at 30 frames per second with the front camera.

LG Optimus trashes the rival with HD quality video recording.

No contest. Match over. Anyone for pizza?

Got My Blueprint, It’s Symphonic

Music is the wine which inspires one to new generative processes, and I am Bacchus who presses out this glorious wine for mankind and makes them spiritually drunken. (Ludwig van Beethoven)

You’ll go gaga over the LG Optimus phone’s high definition virtual surround sound. It’s the first mobile device with 7.1 multi-channel virtual surround sound which encloses you in a lush acoustic experience. The Optimus allows you to chill out or just dance via earphones, speaker, Bluetooth headset or any device with HDMI connectivity to take pleasure in listening to the Dolby Mobile and SRS sound enhancement.

The decision to make the cell phone a virtual stereo component that fits in your pocket is the kind of genius thinking that the LG folks enjoy doing for all of us cell phone users. In the astute words of the modern day oracle we call Lady Gaga, they were born that way.

How The Web Was Won

To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me. (Isaac Newton)

For me, dinner time at the mall is always a constant battle. Whether I’m having meals at Gumbo, Tokyo Café, Banana Leaf, Bacolod Chicken Inasal, Koryo or Gerry’s Grill (all located at SM City The Block), I’m always wishing that my cell phone would successfully find and connect to the free WiFi available at the mall. Most of the time, I’m victorious as the Azkals and in rare occasions it’s like The Battle of Bull Run, Masada, Pearl Harbor and the Fall of Bataan all rolled into one.

But these days, with the LG Optimus, my WiFi struggles are like a walk in the park – the Sandara Park. Its WiFi is at 802.11 b/g/n which means it decently performs whenever you need to update your Twitter account while feasting on that plate of spicy Jambalaya or Garlic Potato.

A phone that can connect to Wi-Fi hotspots enables you to surf the Web or transfer data at much higher speeds. Even if your phone supports 3G networks, you may want Wi-Fi support, too, as it tends to be faster and more reliable than cellular networks. It can be cheaper, too, since surfing on a Wi-Fi network doesn’t require using your carrier’s service.

With the LG Optimus, enjoy high-speed access to your favorite sites with full web browsing faster than any other smart phone in the market. With the dual core processors sharing the load of stacking up graphics, pages and videos, you will notice a faster response time especially those sites with a lot of multimedia and flash components like IGN, FilePlanet or GameSpot. You’ll immediately notice faster access to your favorite websites like Facebook, E-mail, Flickr, YouTube and Angry Birds.

In Brightest Day, In Blackest Night

Intellectuals solve problems. Geniuses prevent them. (Albert Einstein)

One of the best innovations of the LG Optimus Black is the enhancement and the durability of its LCD display. The LCD screen’s contrast and backlight strengths are indispensable for any cell phone. Ironically, it isn’t the darkness of the night that makes images or text unreadable – it’s the bright glare of sunlight which makes thing harder to peruse.

I usually ride shotgun in the FX or van which makes sunlight shine directly on my lap – the exact area where I would be reading an e-book (currently it’s Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic — Deceived). The brightness of the morning sun defeats the LCD screen making the e-book unreadable. It’s the same problem when I watch episodes of Gunny’s Lock and Load – the video is too bomalabs.

That’s the reason why I scored a cell phone capable of counter-acting the brightness factor. The Black’s 4” NOVA display has 700 nits of brightness, 16M-color WVGA capacitive IPS LCD unit. It’s the brightest cell phone screen in the world making outdoor viewing in broad daylight friendlier to the eyes.

The LG Optimus Black also supports multi-touch, which means you can register more than one touch point at a time. This technology allows you to pinch and grab the screen to zoom in and out on a Web page, for example. Other phones support single touch only, and can register only one tap at a time.

Thus, in brightest day, in blackest night, no video or e-book shall escape my sight. Let all who watcheth Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night, I swear, they’ll enjoy it with Optimus Black’s LCD light!

Is It Safe?

In the movie, The Marathon Man, the Nazi operative Szell (Laurence Olivier) repeatedly asked Babe (Dustin Hoffman) “Is it safe?” He was referring to the bag of diamonds Szell had procured at the height of the Third Reich. Of course Babe had no idea what it was all about and he got tortured severely for it.

I mentioned that movie for two reasons. First, one of my favorite actors is Dustin Hoffman. Second, most cell phone users are like that Szell character in the movie – they’re always asking the manufacturers “Is it safe?” referring to their handsets.

One of the most sensitive and most exposed parts of the cell phone is its screen or LCD display. Which is the reason why the kinfolks at LG made sure their units were ready for the vicious bump and grind of everyday buhay. No wonder the LG Optimus is equipped with a 4.0 inch, 480 × 800 pixel Gorilla Glass display.

The unique composition of Gorilla Glass allows for a deep layer of high compressive stress. This is created through an ion-exchange process. This compression acts as a sort of “armor,” making the glass exceptionally tough and damage resistant.

The Ion exchange process that makes Gorilla glass tougher than the other glasses used in other displays is a chemical strengthening process where large ions are “stuffed” into the glass surface, creating a state of compression. Gorilla Glass is specially designed to maximize this behavior. Thus, Gorilla glass is better able to survive the real-world events that most commonly cause glass to scratch, chip, or break. The result is a tough and damage-resistant glass that is ideal for today’s sleekest electronic devices and most sophisticated touch technology.

And for the environment-conscious cell phone user, Gorilla Glass is environmentally friendly and can be recycled. Corning Incorporated, which makes the glass, recycles it at various points in the manufacturing process, and consumers can recycle their devices as part of various recycling programs available in the Philippines.

Far and Away

It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things. (Leonardo Da Vinci)

Isn’t it obvious? I’m a Nicole Kidman fan!

When you’re in the city, being lost is not as perilous as being disoriented in the forest or jungle. In such situations, you’ll need workable tools that will get you home even though you’re far and away in some Oklahoma prairie.

Among the many practical uses of the LG Optimus is its capability to direct you to the nearest geo-tagged landmark. The phone is fitted with a gyroscope, magnetometer, GPS w/ aGPS support, a digital compass and a geo-tagging feature for images and videos.

Choose Your Weapon

You know you’re a serious World of Warcraft player when the game starts interfering with your life. You know you’re an addict when your life starts interfering with the game. (Anonymous)

Playing games over cell phones isn’t something new for most of us. But with an ultra angas dual core like the Tegra in the hood of your handset, the gaming opportunities for your Optimus suddenly enlarge exponentially.

That’s good news for gamers like me. Better processor performance translates to plenty of power to manage advanced graphics and demanding visuals. Say goodbye to bursting bubbles or clicking multi-colored jewels as your staple cell phone game fare. Superior dual core processors allow you to play console-quality mobile games like Assassin’s Creed or Call of Duty – Modern Warfare with exceptionally responsive motion controls powered by a gyro sensor. Playing either as Kratos, Rayden or Max Payne, your choice of weapons are now almost limitless.

When you’re at home and have a monster LCD monitor, connect via the phone’s HDMI port and play X Men for Android. Nothing like seeing Logan in full HD unleashing a world of hurt and making shawarma out of those henchmen with his Adamantium claws.

With Adobe Flash 10.2 support and an Android app community churning out new games almost every day, the Optimus makes leisurely gaming while waiting for your turn at the dentist’s chair a virtual paragon of asskickery.

FM First Class

It’s not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on. (Marilyn Monroe)

If you’ve listened to FM radio lately, you’ll notice that it sounds more like the AM band than what we’ve always known what FM sounds like. Besides the proliferation of talk shows, there are advice and counseling programs, jokes, skits and the proverbial balahura and balasubas DJs who dish out salitang kalye or palingkera style observations on politics, showbiz, romance, work and the intricacies of life.

The rise of the balahura and the balasubas DJs may have something to do with the surge of portable media players that can load up more music MP3s than one can possibly play in one whole day or work week. Thus, if it’s just listening to music that you’re after, you don’t need FM radio. You just need a media player and be your own DJ and choose your music line-up day after day.

But for us who also like to listen to intelligent banter and witty discussions like Monster Radio’s Morning Rush or Nicole Hyala and Cris Tsuper’s Tambalang Balasubas at Balahura, we turn to FM radio.

The FM radio experience with the LG Optimus is really top notch. For starters, the audio is first rate — stereo FM radio with RDS. There’s a micro USB port for charging and stereo Bluetooth v2.1.

But what makes the FM encounter first class is the social networking integration. Superior processor performance means you can listen to Chico and Delamar and then connect to Facebook or Twitter and send in your Daily Top Ten shout outs. The dynamic duo in turn may like or comment on your entry, and basically the whole feedback circle is complete.

In my opinion, that’s the way FM radio should be enjoyed – trulalu at walang halong eklavuh.

Your Future Awaits You

Choosing the right cell phone requires some handwork and clickworks with the mouse and a fair amount of legwork.

Hopefully, with this review on the features of LG Optimus, your mobile life will be lived out at the optimal level. With the complexities and opportunities of today’s high-tech life, a smart phone simply isn’t enough. You need a genius phone. And the LG Optimus is more than just smart. It’s a genius.

As Albus Dumblebee (the Grand Yellow Autobot Wizard of The Planet Hogwartstron) declares, “Step inside the world of the LG Optimus. Your future awaits you.”

Optimus is more than just smart. It’s genius. Visit lgoptimus.ph for more information! Likes: 25 Viewed:

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bestportablewm · 6 years ago

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Best Desktop Audio Interface

Are you looking for a top audio interface card? Tired of those plug-and-play solutions that have latency problems? Don’t want to deal with USB and Firewire ports? On a budget? See below for several options when it comes to professional recording desktop interfaces for your podcast, music production, and overall recording needs!

Top Computer Audio Interface Cards For 2019

Name: Rating:Price on Amazon: M-Audio M-Track 2X2M5.0 (Best Overall) Focusrite Scarlett Solo4.8 (Best For Music Production) BEHRINGER Audio Interface4.7 (BEST For Live Music )

M-Audio M-Track 2X2M

M-Audio seems to be constantly looking for what a consumer desires in low-cost consumer audio gear. As time and technology progresses, it seems that home audio interfaces are becoming faster, smaller, and more feature-packed than ever before. At first glance, the Fast Track Ultra seems to fit perfectly into this mold. The unit is an development on the previous Fast Track Pro, and finds a happy middle-ground between being a small and lightweight portable interface, and a studio tool with a wealth of I/O options and high-quality components.

As a longtime owner of the now-aging M-audio OmniStudio interface, I was curious how this new M-audio interface would stack up against what I considered my small home-studio workhorse. So is M-audio able to continue to improve upon their product line, or are their promises becoming too good to be true?

The Unit

The body of the Fast Track Ultra is clearly a tight squeeze for a unit containing four XLR mic pre-amp inputs on the front face. While my M-audio OmniStudio would support rack ears, the Fast Track is only just over a half rack space wide, clearly showing it is intended mainly as a desktop interface. The unit’s body is plastic, as opposed to the OmniStudio unit which is cased in an aluminum shell. Combined with some questionably loose 1/4” inputs, I am reluctant to say whether the unit would be able to endure heavy use as a portable audio interface. Nevertheless, it is a very attractive unit with easily accessible connections and knobs, giving it a very use-friendly image from the start.

The I/O

Many low-cost and portable audio interfaces seem to fit into two categories: The small 2-channel interface for simple projects or stereo remote recordings (Presonus Firebox, M-Audio Fast Track Pro), or the expanded units, often with eight built-in pres (Presonus Firestudio, Alesis MultiMix). With four built-in mic pre-amps, the Fast Track Ultra fits nicely in the middle.

The M-Audio Fast Track Ultra provides a complete recording solution, with six channels of analog inputs and outputs plus 2-channel digital S/PDIF I/O. Unlike most USB audio interfaces, it features two dedicated inserts on the first two channels, giving you the ability to insert outboard processing before A/D conversion. Easy connection via a single USB 2.0 cable delivers both audio and MIDI communication with your computer.

Getting Connected

The card is the first interface released by M-audio to have USB 2.0 connectivity, a change that seems a bit late. After booting up your computer, you may be surprised to find out that the Fast Track Ultra will power up as well, even without a power adapter. The unit can run with a minimal 2-in 2-out connectivity while being powered through the USB bus alone. A 5V power adapter, which looks oddly like a cell phone power supply, allows for full usage of the I/O options.

I noticed a weird problem after tracking some MIDI keyboards using the unit’s USB bus power. In order to hear playback, I put on my headphones and immediately noticed a hum. After unplugging the MIDI cable, the hum vanished. I decided to leave the MIDI cable inserted and plug in the power adapter. After restarting the unit, the hum again was gone.

The included drivers and software couldn’t have been easier to install on my Mac. The unit supports ASIO and WDM on PC, and core audio on Mac. The installation includes a Control Panel that exists both in the Applications folder and in System Preferences, bringing up the software mixer and monitor controls. Within less than ten minutes, you should be setup and ready to go.

The Control Panel

The m-audio allows monitoring all eight direct inputs (six analog channels and two of S/PDIF digital) as well as software returns, all of which can be separately adjusted in the Control Panel. The monitor windows are clean and simple, and allow fast and easy adjustments with flexible routing. The window looks like a basic mixer and includes a fader, pan, solo, mute, stereo channel link, and an effect send, as well as master out faders with effects return.

Adding up to monitor control, there is a tab for settings, meters, and a status screen labeled “about”. There is also a unusual tab named “flow” that initially seems to be a visual means of re-routing I/O. The screen is, in fact, a diagram for reference, perhaps to give a better on-screen understanding of the unit’s signal flow.

The settings tab has a sample rate selector, a toggle between internal and external clock sync, and settings for the hardware DSP processors, but before you get too excited, this is not intended to be a software plug-ins solution, but pretty a tool for routing monitor reverb or delay to a player without exhausting the cpu. This is a smart and useful, yet partial concept. Each channel is given an individual effect blend via the control panel, but the effects are restricted to several reverb, delay, and echo settings, all of which do not sound particularly great. Even so, this feature is not found on most units in this price range, and is a nice tool to have handy, regardless of its limitations.

The Sound

After completing a project, I am very pleased with the functionality of the unit. I connected it to an iMac with an external firewire hard drive, and we recorded up to six channels flawlessly, with very minimal latency and no clicks or other digital errors.

My only complaint is that the headphone outputs did not have enough gain to my liking, especially for drum tracking. A solution to this could be a better isolating pair of headphones.

Although the build quality of this audio interface seems decent enough, it is still a downgrade from my older OmniStudio, which has a heavier chassis and tighter knobs. Even so, I think the fast track would resist the test of time as long as it’s treated with care.

Whether you’re a musician, producer or DJ, the powerful combination of Apple and M-Audio gives you everything you need to put together a high-powered personal studio.

Best Audio Interface for Electronic Music Production

Focusrite Scarlett Solo

I use the Focusrite Scarlett Solo for recording podcasts, acoustic songs, and even vocals for some of my club mixes. Even with that wide variety of uses, I have to say that this audio interface gets the job done. My system is an everyday HP desktop that I purchased online that’s a little bit on the more advanced end of the spectrum. For software, I use Adobe Audition as I’ve been using its previous version, Cool Edit Pro, since high school. The Delta 44 and Adobe Audition have been a winning combination for me on my desktop.

The problem I had in the past with recording solutions was the constant snap, crackle, and pop of the audio. Reviewers complained about this issue with the Focusrite Scarlett Solo as well, but the informed reviewers stated that with the proper tuning and by actually reading the instruction manuals, you can have a professional recording setup on your desktop without breaking the bank. Initially, I was skeptical due to the negativity, yet I decided to take the plunge and try things out myself. The worst that could happen is a refund or putting it for sale somewhere online for a little bit of a loss. To me, that’s no big deal so I went along with it.

When the audio card arrived in the mail, I knew I had to do as the positive reviews suggested. I read the instructional manual, took into consideration some tips of reviewers, and even checked some other information online. When I felt I was ready to get the show on the road, I popped open my desktop tower and inserted the card into one of the PCI slots on my motherboard. Yes, even as a top audio interface today, this audio card still relies on a PCI connection rather than a PCI Express connection, which is more common nowadays.

Even with the slightly dated technology, this audio card runs like a charm. My first test was to record one segment of my upcoming podcast for my buddy’s exercise and health website. I made sure my buffer settings were just right – not too high and not too low as suggested by a reviewer of the the Delta 44 online. My voice has never sounded so clear, and this was without any filters. So once I applied my usual filters and effects with some tiny tweaks to mesh better with the new audio card, I sounded like a professional radio personality. Considering how much I spent on this audio card compared to my previous audio interface, it was basically a steal. I guess that’s what happens when you switch from a USB solution to an audio card interface.

So if you have the capacity for a top audio interface in your recording rig, you need to get this Focusrite Scarlett Solo . A few years ago, I purchased a Lexicon Lambda USB interface for my Dell laptop at the time. For what I wanted to do, it got the job done, but took way too much time to configure to get subpar results. There was constant sound popping and recordings cutting out no matter what I did. Even after going through page upon page of support topics, I didn’t get the end results I needed. With the Delta 44 though, everything’s working with much better ease. My acoustic songs sound pretty close to professional quality even though I’m recording things from my bedroom and my recent dance songs have more punch to them.

On the side, I moonlight as a DJ at the local clubs in my area. Aside from spinning remixes of the latest hits on the radio, I like creating my own songs and mashups with my own vocals. A lot of people have been digging my originals, so I had to step things up with better sound quality. The solo delivers.

If you’re in the market for a top audio interface that delivers professional results while on a budget, then the Focusrite Scarlett Solo is what you need in your recording rig. As long as you read the instruction manual and understand the basics of setting up this audio card with the rest of your recording equipment, you’ll be able to create sound recordings pleasant to the ears.

Best Audio Interface for Live Performance

BEHRINGER Audio Interface

Having experience with M Audio in the past, I knew I needed a more robust BEHRINGER Audio Interface controller compared to what I had before. I was making progress with my electronic music, so an upgrade was needed. My recording adventures began in high school when I would simply record acoustic tracks and vocals with my Dell desktop’s cheap computer microphone. With a couple of tweaks within Cool Edit Pro (now Adobe Premiere), I was able to get some decent sounding recordings.

When I got to college, that’s when I got heavy into acoustic recordings and gigs with my roommate at the time. However, I gradually saw myself transitioning into electronic dance and pop music. To me, there’s nothing like really getting into a beat and wanting to bust a move in a fun environment. So on my computer, I’d mess around with Fruity Loops, Reason, and Garageband once I got a Macbook Pro. For a while, I used an M Audio Radium 61 as my MIDI controller in Reason and Garageband. I really enjoyed its solid construction and its overall functionality. However, I needed an input device with a full keyboard. That’s when I knew I had to drop more than $100 or $200 on a MIDI controller to get what I wanted.

After some digging through M Audio reviews, as I knew I would be sticking with this solid brand, I found the BEHRINGER. Like my previous controller, it’s USB-powered, so I don’t have to worry about lugging around a clunky AC adapter or dealing with a bunch of wires. The wires involved with my Macbook Pro and other equipment are enough for me. However, some people might prefer using the optional AC adapter to relieve some stress off their computer’s calculations and whatnot.

The Oxygen 88 also comes with 4 velocity curves and 3 pedals – 2 sustain pedal inputs and 1 expression pedal.

What I absolutely love about the Oxygen 88 are the hammer-action keys. Rather than pressing onto something that feels cheap and overly plastic, it really feels like I’m pressing the keys to a legitimate upright piano. For how much I paid, that’s a pretty solid deal.

Of course, if I wanted to simply play piano, I could’ve gone with something more cost effective, but of course I bought this BEHRINGER Audio Interface controller to make awesome beats. For a few weeks, I messed around with Garageband and Reason utilizing the built-in functions of this MIDI device. Gradually, I got back to that level of comfort I had with the Radium 61, and I actually enjoy using this more due to those hammer-action keys. At first, I was reluctant to upgrade my MIDI controller because its keys just felt so right to me. Now I don’t see myself using a cheaper device again. Actually being able to feel the weight of the keys helps when I’m trying to add a certain effect or certain level of expression in my songs. This is something that is hard to create in mixing software without having to manipulate the settings and filters.

Now that I was feeling more comfortable with my new MIDI setup, I decided to test things out at a mug night for the upperclassmen at school. They apparently needed someone to replace this local band that was supposed to play for their event. One of my buddies was running this mug night and knew I liked DJing and throwing in a few of my own custom mixes, so he asked if I wanted to fill in that empty spot.

The night went on without any problems. Sure, it’s a different ballgame going from using this BEHRINGER Audio Interface controller to program notes to playing bits and pieces live, but I felt I knew what I was doing. Well I hope so. Most people wouldn’t have noticed anyway given the type of event I was playing for. Regardless, I was really feeling my songs – beat by beat, track by track. Having those extra keys on the Oxygen 88 really helped me out with my live playing. It was so much easier being able to assign instruments all across the board, especially since I was experimenting with more layers in my songs.

Everyone at that mug night event seemed happy and I was happy with how the Oxygen 88 helped me win the crowd over. I doubt I would’ve been able to pull this off if I was using a shorter keyboard. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the Radium 61 is a bad MIDI controller, as it was my pride and joy for years. It’s just that with the layering and complexity of my songs now compared to in the past, the Oxygen 88 is the right BEHRINGER Audio Interface controller for my needs.

The post Best Desktop Audio Interface appeared first on Best Portable Reviews.

from Best Portable Reviews https://bestportablereview.com/best-desktop-audio-interface/

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fmservers · 7 years ago

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macOS 10.14 Mojave review

Against my better judgement and repeat warnings from those who knew better, I went ahead and installed Mojave on my work computer the first chance I got. Sure, there were certain standard beta bugs and capability issues that made me regret the decision on occasion, but the only way to sufficiently test a product like this is use it day to day.

I can’t claim to have used every feature with any regularity. But that’s just the nature of an operating system upgrade. There’s a lot of ground to cover, in order to assure the update covers as wide a swath of users as possible. There are international features and updates to Apple’s machine learning offering — things that, in my case, don’t really impact usage.

Even with the broad scope of updates contained herein, however, 10.14 represents what is arguably the most focused macOS release in recent memory. Unlike High Sierra, which felt, in many respects (name included), like a refinement over its predecessor, Mojave finds Apple with specific mission in mind.

The last few years have seen the company hit mounting criticism that it had taken its eye off the ball when it comes to creative professionals — a segment of users long regarded to be the spirital core of its desktop offerings. There was a backlash against Final Cut, when Apple made changes for the sake of simplifying/streamlining, removing the high level of customization videographers had come to rely on.

Last year, meanwhile, Apple presented an uncharacteristically transparent view into the trials and tribulations of the Mac Pro line. “If we’ve had a pause in upgrades and updates,” Phil Schiller said during a roundtable discussion, “we’re sorry for that — what happened with the Mac Pro — and we’re going to come out with something great to replace it.”

Companies like Microsoft have seen opportunity in Apple’s further push into populism, targeting the ever-growing Surface line at those creative Pros. After all, while the category isn’t ultimately a huge one, the videographers, artists, musicians, et al. who use the products are among the most influential when it comes to buying decisions.

But Apple has begun to address these concerns. While the Mac Pro won’t be arriving until next year, it’s made important strides on the hardware front. The iMac Pro, for instance, presents an all-in-one alternative to the modular desktop, while the latest MacBook pros offer up some downright nutty specs on the high-end.

Mojave plays a central role in all of this. Many of the operating system’s marquee features cater to precisely those power users. Dark Mode, Gallery View, file metadata and Stacks are among the top new features here, and each have creative pros firmly in their sights.

I’ll be the first to admit that you’ll need to broaden your definition of “creative professional” pretty damn wide before I start to fit in. When Apple trotted out photogs, producers and interactive artists for a recent event, I’d be lying if I said I felt like I belonged.

That said, I’ve found a place for many of the aforementioned features in my own daily workflow. In the interest of giving the most time to those features I’ve spent the most time with over the course of the last four or so months, let’s start with the Mojave additions I’ve found the most useful.

Stacks

Every new version of macOS comes with several features that I can easily visualize becoming a part of my daily process. I get excited about the ways in which these additions will help me become faster, more productive, better organize. Invariably, however, they slowly fade into the background. I stop making the effort to engage and ultimately forget they’re even there.

In the case of many of them, I know my own disorganization and idiosyncratic methods are as much to blame as anything. The features are well-intentioned, but workflows are stubborn. And besides, just because you pay for the gym membership doesn’t mean you’re going to keep that New Year’s resolution, right?

Stacks, on the other hand, is straight up useful. As Apple has moved away from the desktop-based folder system, I’ve found my desktop growing more and more messy. It’s become the throw the dirty laundry anywhere approach to computer use. It’s bad and I hate myself for it, but what are you going to do?

Upgrade to Mojave, for one thing. While it’s true the company’s leaning heavily on Dark Mode as the flagship feature, Stacks is quietly the best and most useful addition. If you’ve got a messy desktop, simply Control+click the wallpaper or chose Use Stacks under view in the menu bar. Choosing this will automatically sort files into piles.

By default, the feature groups files by type. From the drop down, you can toggle this to group things by Date Last Opened, Date Modified, Date Added, Date Created or Tags. Clicking the top of the pile expands them out, so you can view everything at once.

Oh, and if you click Use Stacks again, everything will fly back into place, resorting your unruly desktop in the process.

Dark Mode

When Apple announced Mojave back at WWDC, Dark Mode got far and away the biggest response from the crowd. That’s what you get for putting on a show in a room full of developers. Of course, they’re not the only ones who’ve been champing at the bit for the feature. Videographers, photographers — really anyone who spends a lot of time staring at screens in dark rooms will likely appreciate the option.

When the feature is enabled, those applications that support it will default to the mode. The borders and backgrounds turn dark and white text is highlighted on a black background. In my Mojave first look a few months back, I lamented the lack of apps supporting the feature. At the time, Dark Mode was largely the realm of Apple’s own apps. Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Safari Reader are among them.

Understandably so. Lead by example, I guess. Things have improved a bit since then. According to the site Dark Mode List, which aggregates examples from both macOS and iOS, there are at least 78 applications that currently support the feature .

It’s a start, but there’s still a long ways to go. After all, you lose some of the effect when you switch back and forth between apps that do and don’t offer the setting. For example, while Safari supports it, neither Firefox nor Chrome do. Also, some of Apple’s own, not pre-installed applications don’t support it either, including Pages. That said, the list is understandably pretty heavy on developer tools.

With Mojave launching today, however, I’d anticipate that we’re going to see more companies rolling out the option soon. In the meantime, it’s a handy feature for those who need it and it’s a nice option for the rest of us.

Dynamic Desktop is a fun addition — though there are two options at the moment. there’s the standard Mojave sand dune, and Solar Gradient. Both shift during the day, gradually darkening as the sun starts going down. It’s a nice complement to Dark Mode, and a neat spin on the blue light reducing Night Shift feature that’s been around for a while now. Of course, more wallpaper options would be welcome.

Screenshots

Okay, this is one of those ones I know I’m going to get a lot more use out of than most of you normal folks. Day to day, however, I’d say this is the feature I interact with the most. When you take a screenshot, a small thumbnail pops up in the bottom, right hand corner of the screen, similar to what you get on iOS.

It stays for a few seconds and then quickly slides off screen. It’s a quick and handy way to see if you got the job done. You can also click into the thumbnail to open it up to full size and edit it accordingly. Screenshots can now be saved to a number of different destinations to help avoid messing up your desktop, including Preview, Messages, Mail, Documents and Clipboard.

There’s a new control panel accessible by hitting Shift-Command-5. From here, you can capture the entire screen, capture a window, select a portion of the screen, record a video of the full screen or just record a piece of the screen. I used those last bits with a little less regularity, but all of the above really came in handy when putting together the images for this writeup.

Continuity Camera is a new feature worth mentioning in the same breath. It’s yet another avenue where the company is able to flex its cross-device functionality. The somewhat clunkily named feature is built into updates to first-party apps like Pages, Keynote, Numbers, Notes, Mail, Messages and Text Edit.

Once in the program, click Take Photo and it will utilize a connected iPhone or iPad to capture media. Take the shot, click Use Photo and boom, the image is inserted into the application. It’s a clever feature that works like a charm, though I’ll be honest — I haven’t found a ton of applications for it in my own life. The number of times I’ve been writing something on my laptop I felt would be enhanced by taking a shot of something nearby have been fairly limited, thus far.

That said, I could certainly see using it to scan a document into a PDF being a handy one. I probably could/should have used then when applying for a Chinese visa a few months back. With so many of these new features, however, the trick is making a point to make it a part of your workflow.

Finder

Gallery View is a nice tweak on the old Apple Cover flow feature, offering large thumbnails of files, with smaller, scrollable versions down below. Here, however, you get a full, straight on shot of the image. It’s particularly useful when scrolling through a lot of images quickly.

The addition of full metadata is clearly another bit aimed at appealing to professionals. Click a photo and you get a LOT of information in the side pane — more than most users will likely know what to do with. Along with the standard file size and dimensions, Apple now serves up things like camera model, aperture number and other EXIF data.

Quick Actions, meanwhile, brings some iPhone-style editing tools to the bottom of the side pane. From here, you can rotate an image — which is actually pretty helpful in my line of work — or mark it up in a number ways, including highlighting and the adding in a signature, a la Adobe PDF. Apple’s actually made Preview a bit redundant here, by bringing some of its best features directly to the desktop.

iOS apps on desktop

This is arguably the most interesting addition from an overall strategy perspective. Apple made a point of assuring its audience of developers and users that macOS and iOS are not merging, as has long been rumored. We all breathed a collective sigh of relief, before the company showed off one new way in which the lines are being further blurred.

The company is making it easier to convert mobile apps into a desktop versions. Why? For one thing, Apple would love it if more desktop applications were purchased through the Mac App Store — there are plenty of economic, ecosystem and security reasons for this, most of which should be fairly obvious. It’s also in the company’s best interest to have its most popular developers creating content for all of its platforms.

To kick things off, Apple made three of its own first-party apps available in desktop form: Voice Memos, Stocks, Home and News. Of the three, News is the one that’s made its way into my heavy rotation. It seems a bit silly to have a standalone news app, with all of the access desktop browsers afford. But after installing it and walking through the curation process, I’ve grown to appreciate the desktop notifications for breaking news.

Again, there are a thousand other ways to access that information, but News is a handy one-stop shop. That said, I rarely found myself interacting directly with the app. I mostly clicked through interesting notifications as they popped through. Thankfully, they never came through with too much frequency, which would be absolutely maddening.

Voice Memo is an interesting addition, as well. The cloud sharing with iOS devices is the killer app here. You can record something on your iPhone and listen to and edit it on the desktop. The use for desktop recording is a bit less clear. In most cases, it probably makes more sense to pull out your smartphone to record.

The gesture makes it clear that you’re recording the other person, it’s easier to move to device closer to the source of audio, and you don’t have to deal with the sound of your own typing during the recording process.

The desktop versions of iOS apps are also interesting from a UX perspective. Aside from scaling, not all that much appears to be tweaked — and that’s kind of the point. It’s a heck of a lot easier to essentially port something over than it is to rebuild from the ground up. Of course, without a touchscreen Mac, you’re interfacing with the applications through the cursor. In a few of my less proud moments, if found my hand wanting to reach out to tap the screen.

This is particularly the case with Home. The desktop version of Apple’s smart home app retains the square tiles from its predecessors. Still, the inclusion of the app in this original quartet makes sense from a user stand point. It’s handy, having access to all your connected home info in a single place accessible at work or on the road.

Odds and ends

Okay, time to bust out the bullet points.

That 32-person FaceTime chat is arriving some time later this fall on macOS. That will be a fun one to test — and I suspect a bit more manageable on a larger screen.

Both the Mac App Store and iTunes have gotten makeovers. The updates are in keeping with the company’s push toward editorial curation to help drive engagement. Anything that pays more humans to write about things like music is a good thing, in my book.

Your Mac will now ask for consent when apps access your camera or microphone, similar to what the company does on the iPhone. I people won’t be in a rush to remove the masking tape from their webcams, but this is definitely a good thing.

Safari’s protections have been beefed up. Passwords are stronger and last year’s cookie-busting Intelligent has been beefed up. Per Apple,

When you browse the web, the characteristics of your device can be used by advertisers to create a “fingerprint” to track you. Safari now thwarts this by only sharing a simplified system profile. And now improved Intelligent Tracking Prevention keeps embedded content such as social media Like buttons, Share buttons, and comment widgets from tracking you without your permission.

Time to upgrade

Is Mojave worth the upgrade? Well, yeah, duh. It’s free and brings a number of interesting new features. I’m not sure I’d call it a “love letter to developers,” to borrow a phrase from our iMac Pro review, but coupled with that new hardware, Apple’s clearly letting creatives know that there’s a place for them in the Mac’s future.

Your mileage will vary, of course, but I’ve found plenty of new features that integrate nicely into my own workflow. Stacks, Dark Mode and improved screenshots have all proven handy in the months I’ve been running the beta on both my work and personal systems. The final version of the operating system drops today for everyone, so you can partake without in all of those with a much more certainty.

Via Brian Heater https://techcrunch.com

#TechCrunch

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