keys

Four 'keys' stories January 2014 - January 2016

iRig Keys Review: A mini MIDI Piano Keyboard for iPhone and iPad with big music potential

Benjamin Mayo Jan 20 2016 - 5:47 am PT

The iRig Keys Mini is an electronic MIDI music keyboard that connects to iPhone and iPad with a Lightning cable. Although it isn’t regularly advertised, iPhones and iPads have had great support for MIDI input instruments and other devices for a long time. Since iOS 4 in fact, Apple gave the developers the ability to interact with MIDI peripherals. Simultaneously, the App Store has bloomed a wide ecosystem of sophisticated music creation and audio production apps. This makes for a perfect storm of capability and functionality: not only are MIDI accessories possible, they can really be used to make music on iPhone and iPad.

Read on for my full review of the iRig Keys Mini piano keyboard for iOS ($79.99).

Expand
Expanding
Close

CES 2015: Noke is a Bluetooth padlock that can be unlocked with your iPhone

9to5 Staff Jan 7 2015 - 11:39 am PT

1 Comment

Noke Padlock

It is the second day of the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and we’re back on the show floor to discover the diamonds in the rough. Noke, the world’s first Bluetooth-enabled padlock, is one of those hidden gems. Noke replaces the nuisances of losing your keys or needing to remember random combinations with convenient unlocking over Bluetooth technology when your iPhone is within close range.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Hilton hotels to let you use your iPhone as your hotel key from next year

Ben Lovejoy Jul 28 2014 - 6:05 am PT

16 Comments

lock

Queuing up at a hotel check-in desk is often the last thing you want to do after a long flight. Starting next year, you’ll be able to bypass the front desk altogether in Hilton hotels, your iPhone serving as as your hotel room key.

We’ve seen the same thing in smaller hotel groups, but Hilton’s adoption of the technology moves it very much into the mainstream. The group told the WSJ that it will begin introducing the new door locks next year, and expects to complete the global roll-out by the end of 2016.

The Hilton app already allows you to check-in electronically, but currently you still need to collect your room key from the front desk – which kind of defeats the object. With the new system, iPhone check-in will send a key code to your phone which can then be used to unlock your door.

Bluetooth-controlled door locks for home are also expected to be a big thing this year, with products on the way from Okidokeys and August.

Editors Keys turns Apple’s wireless keyboard into the first Logic Pro X shortcut keyboard

Jordan Kahn Jan 6 2014 - 8:39 am PT

9 Comments

Logic-Pro-X-wireless-keyboard-01

Editors Keys today announced the first ever wireless shortcut keyboard for Apple’s recently released Logic Pro X audio suite. The keyboard sports 150 shortcuts and the company notes it was also able to fit in some extra shortcuts as icons sitting behind the text on each key. Perhaps the best part of the new Logic Pro X keyboard is the fact that Editors Keys used an actual Apple wireless keyboard for the product, which means you’ll be able to swap out your current Apple keyboard without sacrificing the look and feel. The company says it worked with the Logic Pro X community to develop the best experience possible for users:
Expand
Expanding
Close