Hasta La Gadget!

We knew it would be coming, and now it looks like it’s finally here. Slacker Radio has completely overhauled its service by introducing a completely new design and tacking on some new features. This time around, Slacker is looking to catch up in the music-streaming market by taking on Pandora and Spotify for the internet radio crown.

Slacker says that they have 10 times more music than Pandora does when it comes to live streaming music, and they have over 200 special genre stations used for music discovery, something that should get Spotify a little nervous at this point. Slacker even said that its shuffling capabilities are much more advanced than Pandora’s, noting that users will noticed less repetition.

The site’s overhaul is mostly cosmetic, though. The new look is presented in a blue and grey combo, and the site’s navigation is much quicker and easier this time around. Overall, everything’s larger: larger icons, larger text, and simple easy-to-find controls to fine-tune your music to the level that you desire.

Slacker has 13 million songs in its catalog, which puts it right up there with Pandora and Spotify, but with only 500,000 paying subscribers, Slacker is looking to bolster its user base, and this redesign and new brand may just do the trick. By going directly after the big competitors, Slacker may just create a stir and get avid music listeners to switch over.

[via The Next Web]

Slacker Radio gets overhauled redesign to take on Pandora and Spotify is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Whenever we hear the words Portable Drums, we think of the traditional drum kit with its stand and heavy drum-sets  Kevin Depape (seen on Yanko Design) goes one step further into the world of electronic drum sets. He introduces a portable yet very high tech drum kit called the Y-Drum portable drums. These drums are designed to be for everyone, starting from beginners to folks with good drumming skills. In fact just about anyone who wants to have more fun with percussion drumming should be able to enjoy the Y-Drum portable drum – at least, that’s the idea.

In theory, you simply build your own set with the pads available in the kit virtually anywhere you feel like drumming. Or for a conventional setup, follow the instructions included in the box pack (if it was an actual product). Also included in the case is a charger and cordless headphones. Hook up your favorite computer or smartphone that needs to have the Roland’s application installed on it and connect via Bluetooth to the Y-Drum kit (the main “box”), which is itself connected to the laptop via USB. This functionality is quite handy as you do not have to deal with wires getting in your way while playing. Simply start playing your favorite drum tunes and say good bye to air drumming.  At this point, this is just a concept, but would you like it to become a product? How would you use it?

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: HTC Infographic Hints At Audio Quality Improvements, Sonos Playbar Available For Pre-Order For $700,

Some big news for lovers of indie music with commitment issues. eMusic’s CEO Adam Klein announced this morning that his service will be dumping its subscription requirement, letting customers download music from the site without being forced to buy into a monthly fee. The new model, which puts the site in line with most of its musical competition, kicks off today. There’s a press release detailing the move after the break, if you’re into executive quotes.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: eMusic

As Leap Motion dev units have begun shipping out, developers have been toying with the motion-tracking device to find unique uses for it. One developer in particular ended up using his unit to help him out with his music recording. Stephane Bersot used the Leap Motion to play air drums, change the pitch of his guitar, and even control the EQ on his piano keyboard.

Essentially, the Leap Motion is able to change the pitch of the guitar chords based on the position of the guitar’s headstock, meaning that there’s no need for players to use a tremolo bar or bend the strings while playing. The device can also track specially-made drum sticks that allow the Leap to track the end points of the sticks to play the beats.

However, that seemed to be Bersot’s most difficult challenge. He says “it wasn’t easy to play drums with it,” and it actually needs more work to make it more stable. Essentially, Bersot used the velocities and positions of the drum sticks on the X axis, and had it play the note at just the right time during the down motion.

We’re assuming Bersot’s project is just for fun, since it doesn’t seem like he plans to release something like it anytime soon, but it goes to show the potential of the Leap Motion device. While it can be used to track your hands to move objects on a screen, the implications of such a device go way beyond what one might think.

[via MAKE]

Leap Motion sees its potential as a possible musical device is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Today John Williams—one of cinemas most memorable and prolific composers—turns 81. And even if you’ve never heard of him, you’ve certainly heard his work. He’s responsible for some of the most recognizable movie soundtracks from the past 40 years. More »