Disc jockey

Nine 'Disc jockey' stories December 2010 - February 2015

Apple airs filmmaking iPad ad narrated by Martin Scorsese for the Oscars

Mark Gurman Feb 22 2015 - 11:40 am PT

On the day of the annual Academy Awards ceremony, Apple has begun airing a new iPad Air advertisement highlighting how the tablet is used in the filmmaking industry. The new video advertisement is narrated with excerpts from notable movie director Martin Scorsese’s 2014 commencement speech at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. The video, embedded below, is accompanied by a website highlighting specific stories of the iPad being used to make movies. These video stories were actually filmed and edited on iPads. The new website also discusses key video planning, filming, and editing applications for the iPad such as Final Draft, Garageband (but not the consumer-focused iMovie), and VideoGrade. This film-focused advertisement follows a music-oriented one that aired on the day of the Grammy Awards.

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Add some sick modular hardware controls to your Mac for $99 (Kickstarter project)

Ben Lovejoy Dec 6 2013 - 5:05 am PT

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[kickstarter url=http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/cchu/palette-a-freeform-interface-that-controls-any-sof width=640]

Trackpads and keyboards are great for many things, but there are some tasks where there’s no substitute for a physical dial, slider or button. In video editing, for example, there’s a reason that professional kit uses a rotary dial to move forward or backward through the video clip. Photo editing and audio work are also far easier with physical dials and sliders.

While there’s a whole world of dedicated hardware controllers out there, the Palette project on Kickstarter takes a particularly neat approach: a modular system that you can design to your own requirements. There’s a power block, button, rotary dial and slider, and you can mix-and-match them in any layout you like, and they can be made to work with any software …
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Pioneer announces next-gen DDJ-WEGO2 DJ Controller for iPhone & iPad

Jordan Kahn Aug 29 2013 - 7:59 am PT

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Pioneer announced today that it’s soon releasing a next generation DDJ-WeGO2 DJ controller for iOS devices. The new version will feature the same multicolour LEDs, pulse control on a set of quality platters, USB power, built-in in and out audio ports, and optimizations and layouts ideal for Virtual DJ software on Mac, and Djay and other apps on iOS. Pioneer is now including a Lightning cable for easily connecting iPhones and iPads, and the DDJ-WeGO2 also features a handle that makes it truly ultra portable.

It’s also made the red, black, and white color schemes on offer cover the entire body of the controller this time around:

The DDJ-WeGO2 will be available in white, black and red to complement the user’s taste, with each color option now covering the entire controller body. The DDJ-WeGO2 colors also match the popular line of HDJ-500 DJ headphones. The controller features multi-color LED backlighting for the Jog wheel and a color-customizable user interface for the included software.

Screen Shot 2013-08-29 at 10.57.57 AM

It’s current DDJ-WEGO2 sells for as low as $260, but the next-generation will sell for $429 when it goes on sale in October.

The iPhone as an intelligent remote control, and a DIY silent disco device – Apple patents

Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 4:46 am PT

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Moving beyond today’s remotes (image: bttremote.com)

An iPhone may fall under the generic heading of a mobile phone, but a combination of the convenience of apps and the ability to use the iPhone as a remote for everything from playing a movie to changing the color of our lighting means that many of us use them at home almost as much as we do when out & about.

In a patent published today, Apple explores the potential of the iPhone to act as an intelligent remote with the kind of functionality typically associated with high-end home automation setups. The idea is based around the concept of ‘scenes’. Having a romantic night in with your partner? You probably want the lights dimmed, the music on softly, the TV off. Movie night? The big-screen on, Apple TV selected as the source, surround-sound speakers selected, volume up higher – and so on …
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Free on App Store: Infinity Blade II, Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Where’s My Water?, Badland, Tiny Wings, Traktor DJ, Day One, Over, Barefoot World Atlas, more

9to5 Staff Jul 8 2013 - 4:06 am PT

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5-years-app-store

Update: Apple is now officially advertising its app promo celebrating the App Store’s 5th birthday with a link on the Apple.com homepage and a new section in iTunes. You can access the new section featuring 5 apps and 5 games free for a limited time from iTunes on your Mac or the App Store on your iOS device.

As noted on 9to5Toys and the Verge, a group of premium games have free at the iOS App Store this morning.

So far, games such as Infinity Blade II, Superbrothers: Sword and Sworcery EP, Where’s My Water?, Badland and Tiny Wings are all on offer for nothing, alongside apps such as [Map My Ride], Traktor DJ (normally $20), Day One, Over, and Barefoot World Atlas.

Speculation is that the huge sale is to celebrate the 5th birthday of the App Store. Or part of the “Only on the App Store” Promotion above. Or a glitch. Or…just go download them!

Find any other gems? Share in the comments…
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Turn your iPad into a real hardware DJ controller with Ion Audio’s ‘Scratch 2 Go’

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2013 - 7:26 pm PT

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Straight from the CES Unveiled event in Las Vegas, audio accessory maker Ion just introduced us to one if its latest creations— a hardware DJ controller kit called “Scratch 2 Go” that puts a physical crossfader, two sets of three control knobs for pitch, EQ, etc., and a two small platters right on the display of your iPad. The company also announced updated versions of its other DJ and Guitar controllers for iPad and iPhone…

The hardware controls attach to your iPad’s display via suction cups and essentially work like a stylus, allowing you to control elements of several DJ apps on the App Store. The hardware controls are designed specifically for the iDJ 2GO app that will also work with Ion’s just announced updated Lightning version of its iDJ 2 Go hardware DJ controls. However, Ion confirmed to us that it would also work with the popular djay app for iPad.

It could also work with other iOS DJ apps provided the stylus-like tip of any particular element of the 5-piece kit lines up with the controls inside the app you’re using. Ion is making the new Scratch 2 Go kit available in April for $30 through select retailers.

A video of the kit in action from the CES show floor below:

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Grab 8 Great Music apps for Mac for $39 including TuneUp, Tracks, Flip4Mac Studio, Boom for Mac, Ondesoft Audio Recorder, more

9to5 Staff Dec 18 2012 - 5:17 am PT

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From 9to5Toys.com:

Starting today, StackSocial offers The Mac Music Bundle for $39. That’s $316 off and the lowest price we could find for this 8-app bundle. It includes MegaSeg DJ, The T-Pain Engine, Tracks, Flip4Mac Studio, Boom for Mac, Ondesoft Audio Recorder, SOS Online Backup, and TuneUp. Head below for descriptions or over to StackSocial.

More great software, tutorials and gift ideas at Stack Social.
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MacLegion Holiday Bundle puts 10 great apps including Fantastical, djay and TechTool on your Mac for $50

9to5 Staff Nov 18 2012 - 9:50 pm PT

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The bundles, they don’t get better than this: MacLegion’s $50 holiday bundle (normally $540 – that’s over 90 percent off) includes 10 great apps, and the first 5,000 customers also recieve Alarm Clock Pro (normally $19.99) as a bonus.

As always, MacLegion ensures all the apps included are the latest versions each developer has to offer. MacLegion bundles entitle you to full after-sales support as well as valid upgrade paths for later software releases, just as if you had bought each application from the developers themselves.

Our faves include Flexbits’ Fantastical calendar application, Algoriddim’s djay music mixing system, and the timeless TechTool Pro system utility.

All of the apps and descriptions follow:

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Tinchy Stryder raps it up with 10 iPads at Carphone Warehouse

Mark Gurman Dec 11 2010 - 1:52 pm PT

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t41zernuKxo&w=640&h=385]

Following a challenge from Carphone Warhouse in the UK, rapper Tinchy Stryder, along with his crew, performed live using only iPads as their instruments. The result was captured on film (above) and it is quite remarkable. The crew used 21 iPad apps to create their music last night with titles ranging from the popular I am T-Pain app to djay. The rest of the apps are listed after the break (witha iPad Christmas Bonus video).

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