Uncategorized

Toontrack releases Alt-Rock drums

Steve Albini’s imprint on the sound of rock is undeniable. Having worked on seminal albums by the Pixies, PJ Harvey and, perhaps most notably, Nirvana’s milestone record “In Utero,” his sonic DNA is in the fabric of productions that have helped create a new branch in rock history. This collection of drums captures the incomparable sonic fingerprint of not only Steve Albini but also the ambience of his very own studio, which he personally built and designed. Welcome to Electrical Audio in Chicago, IL, and a truly unique collection of drums.

I love Toontrack’s drum packs and use them all the time when I’m writing songs.

UPS tests drone deliveries

In Monday’s test, a drone launched from the roof of a UPS vehicle flew autonomously toward its destination, dropped a package and then returned to the vehicle as the driver continued on a delivery route.

This is clearly coming.

This image of terror should not be photo of the year

I’ve been following this discussion since the photo was given the “World Press Photo of the Year” award. It’s been a fascinating discussion on several levels. I honestly can’t decide on which side of the fence I fall. I can see the excellent points both arguments make.

Amazon’s Alexa is intriguing

I’ve watched all the hubbub around Alexa since it first came out, but I never pulled the trigger and picked one up for myself. I know people that own them and they have nothing but praise for the device. It’s an intriguing proposition, but I’m still not sure if it’s something I’d use everyday or if it would be more of a novelty item.

Amazon is making a big push into the home market with Alexa, partnering with other manufacturers, which is a really smart move. The more I look at Alexa, the more I want to try it out, but I’ll still on the fence.

A 3km beer pipeline

I need a pipeline of Heineken to my house. Still, this is pretty amazing.

Wearable fitness devices don’t seem to make you more fit

Interesting article and, while the conclusions may be slightly controversial, it does make sense as described. I think fitness devices don’t “make” you more fit but they can help you track your fitness goals.

Do camera reviews even matter?

I wouldn’t go far as to say they don’t matter but I do agree with the overall premise – take the reviews with huge truckloads of salt. The only camera review site I trust implicitly is Digital Photography Review. Their reviews are both technical and creative and contain a wealth of information. But nothing replaces your own experience and word of mouth when it comes to camera reviews.

Things I learned covering the Westminster dog show

I’ve never been behind the scenes at the Westminster show but have been for other much smaller shows and many of the things mentioned here are common throughout. It’s a fascinating world.

The story of a biker’s Sunday

Richard Hammond, of “Top Gear” and “The Grand Tour” fame, is not just a car guy. He also loves motorcycles. If you’ve ever wondered why those of us who ride do this incredibly dangerous thing, read this article. The feelings he describes in the beginning of the piece are bang on for many of us, as is the camaraderie you have with random other riders – they may be complete strangers but you have the “brotherhood” that ties you to each other in ways hard to understand or describe.

The difficult journey of “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”

Khan is arguably the best Star Trek movie. At least, I think of it as being the most enjoyable out of a long list of pretty mediocre movies in the franchise. I won’t ever watch it again because I’m afraid it’s not as good as I remember it to be.

Snark guitar tuner

I’ve used a lot of tuners over the years, but this is one of my favorites. I have one of these that I use with my electric and acoustic guitars.

Amazon Echo on the web

I’ve been playing around this morning with Reverb, seeing how it compares to Siri on the macOS desktop. If you don’t have an Amazon Echo-type product but want to see what all the hype is about, this will give you a taste.

Billboard’s iPhone 7 Plus cover photo

The latest issue of Billboard features Camila Cabello on the cover in a stunning photo shot outside a rental home in Beverly Hills — with an iPhone 7 Plus using the new Portrait mode.

That is really remarkable. I love using Portrait Mode on my iPhone 7 Plus—even though I’m not a great photographer, Apple helps give my photos depth and polish that I wouldn’t be able to achieve otherwise.

AT&T expands access to unlimited plan

AT&T Inc said on Thursday it would make its unlimited data plan available to all wireless customers who pay a monthly bill, days after rival Verizon Communications Inc announced an unlimited option.

I really dislike the fact that we have to wait for a price war in order to get access to something like an unlimited plan. I don’t trust any wireless company.

Cord cutting advice using the Apple TV

This is a good article by Abdel Ibrahim that takes you through some apps and hardware you’ll need if you want to watch TV using the Apple TV. I still wish it was easier than what it is.

Apple brings WWDC back to San Jose in 2017

Apple on Thursday will announce that it’s bringing its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) back to San Jose, Calif. This will be the first time WWDC will be in San Jose since 2002— the conference moved to San Francisco in 2003. I spoke to Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing about the move.

Apple struggles to make big deals, hampering strategy shifts

I don’t know if the article is correct but they don’t seem to take into account the fact that, as Tim Cook has often said, Apple buys companies for the usual reason but also because the company and people “fit” with Apple. That’s easier to do with a smaller company than it would be for a Netflix-sized acquisition.