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Phone makers love to take pride in the extravagant names they give their products, but it's likely that the Huawei Honor is more to its creator than just a decently-specced handset. After all, the introduction of the Honor -- followed by last week's announcement of the super-slim Ascend P1 S -- appears to represent a shift in the OEM's overall product placement strategy. Huawei has done a great job finding customers in emerging and prepaid markets, but now it has its sights set on cranking out noteworthy phones that will gain the attention of anyone looking for a high-end device.
Based on its laundry list of specs, the Honor isn't a high-end handset compared to some of its LTE and dual-core competitors. And yet, it's still the best device Huawei's offered to date, and it's clear the company's upcoming phones are only going to get better. So we're really eyeing the Honor as a step closer to the OEM finally realizing its ultimate goal. Does it live up to its name? Can the Honor play with the big boys, or is it nothing more than just an outward indication of the company's future? Read on to find out.
With specs like these, you can tell Huawei, best known for its budget devices, is making a push into higher-end devices, but the Honor isn't quite there. Nor does it pretend to be. It has some quality components, but there's no way it could be viewed in the same light as the HTC Rezound or Samsung Galaxy Nexus. That said, it easily fits into the upper end of the mid-range tier: it sells at select retailers for roughly $350, while its Cricket iteration, known as the Mercury, goes for $250 with no contract involved.
Let's start off with the display. It takes advantage of a 4-inch TFT display, but the Honor uses a thinner and longer screen that helps it become much easier to grasp. Since it offers FWVGA (854 x 480) resolution, the panel's pixel density stands at roughly around 245ppi; it's not high-res by any stretch, but we certainly can't call it a lightweight either -- to give you an idea of where it sits in comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket's WVGA display is 207ppi, whereas the iPhone 4S Retina Display is 326. The colors look good in normal conditions, but they appear distorted in direct sunlight. Viewing angles are about average, meaning you'll have a difficult time reading text or watching movies when looking at it from the side.
We also enjoy the look and feel of the Honor. It doesn't try to be too flashy, though anyone who enjoys something other than basic black will be happy to know the back cover comes in six different choices. Our tester unit was white, and when we tilt it just the right way, we can easily see tiny sparkles all over it, reminding us of something we'd normally see in some types of car paint. It's not a huge surprise, but the battery cover is made of plastic and is a bit slippery. This wasn't ever a concern to us since we never had issues gripping the thing, but we'd still prefer some sort of textured or soft-touch plastic regardless. We're happy to note that the device weighs 4.94 ounces (140g) and, as a result, feels incredibly light. With its rounded corners, slightly tapered battery cover and minimal array of buttons, the Honor did a fantastic job at offering an elegant appearance without looking too loud or noisy.
And let's not forget that back cover of which we've made mention of already: you'll see a snazzy 8MP rear camera with an LED flash to the left and speaker to the right. Underneath lies the SIM card and microSD slot, though it doesn't come included with one -- since you only have 4GB of internal storage at your disposal, it may not be such a bad idea to grab as much external space as you can.
The Honor uses a quad-band GSM / EDGE radio for worldwide compatibility and 900 / AWS / 2100 UMTS / HSPA with a max speed of 14.4Mbps. This is great for Europe and Asia, but in the US, your only bet for bringing down respectable 3G download speeds is with T-Mobile; if you have AT&T service, you're going to be limited to its turtle-slow EDGE network. Better than nothing, of course, but if you've been thinking of plunking down a few benjamins for the Honor, it's best not to have any cruel surprises when it shows up in the mail. However, there is one other option for US folks: Cricket, a prepaid carrier, offers a variant of the Honor called the Mercury. In addition to taking advantage of a CDMA / EVDO Rev A radio rather than GSM, the Mercury's front-facing camera has been downgraded to VGA resolution.
In short: these numbers are pretty darn good for a single-core device, cranking out excellent marks in SunSpider 0.9.1 for the web browser as well as incredibly high Quadrant and Nenamark scores. In terms of raw scores, it kept up with (and sometimes bested) the Rezound, which is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU and 1GB of RAM, though admittedly Sense UI likely lessens the Rezound's scores somewhat. Regardless, the processor in the Honor is just about as good as you can find on the market without adding an extra core into the mix.
We love the speaker, as it blares louder and clearer than most handsets we've reviewed. Call quality is par for the course, and we rarely experienced any static or tinny voices. Also, we didn't have a single problem finding our location using GPS with WiFi turned off. Lastly, the Honor may look smaller than today's standard Android, but there's a whopping 1,930mAh battery tucked inside. And it performs exactly as you'd expect, as you'll easily get seven to eight hours of intense use -- gaming and video playback, for example -- and almost a day and a half of moderate usage, which basically consists of frequently checking emails and texts, making a few calls, browsing the web and so on.
The Honor's camera app sticks with the stock UI but makes some changes to the option list on the right side of the viewfinder. They're mainly the same settings with different icons, but the most glaring difference is an added menu option for HDR. The sensor offers continuous autofocus, but the UI lacks the ability to tap to focus. As always, we would have also preferred a dedicated shutter button.
The app menu offers the standard 4x4 grid of icons, all of which can be moved around to your heart's content by pressing the menu settings button at the bottom of the screen. Apps can even be tucked away into folders -- again, a feature we've seen in TouchWiz 4.0 and welcome with open arms -- and can even be uninstalled directly from the app menu, without the need to go deep into the task manager to do so.
Speaking of which, the Honor comes with several pre-loaded apps that cannot be uninstalled. Most of them are the standard set of programs that you'll find on any Android device -- you know, the calendar, calculator, alarm clock, messaging, Latitude and so on -- but there are a few Huawei-specific icons scattered about, such as Streams, Cloud+ Drive, All Backup, Security Guard, TouchPal Input and Traffic Manager. Many of these apps may well be of benefit to users, and we're happy that we can at least tuck them away into folders as a small compromise, but we continue to argue that apps not native to stock Android should be optional rather than mandatory.
Huawei employs the use of so-called aHome launchers, which means that you can customize them with various themes. It comes with two by default: one that looks awfully similar to the stock Gingerbread launcher -- complete with the standard shortcuts on the bottom, though you can swap the phone and browser icons with contacts, SMS and settings -- and one called Beyond the Sky which offers a bottom bar with your own choice of shortcut icons. Aside from the bottom bar, there are few differences between the two. The home screen also allows you to choose different types of transition animations when navigating between panels: the panels can slide back and forth, they can take the form of a cube and you can opt to have the screens do a 180-degree flip. And there's one more customization option for the home screen: the number of panels you're able to feature. Sadly, you're not able to offer more than five at a time, but minimalists will love the ability to delete unused panels.
It's apparent that Huawei wanted to keep its UI as simple as possible. For instance, the app menu only has two large buttons at the bottom of the screen -- home and settings -- and doesn't offer anything when you push the capacitive menu key. A few app icons, rather than going overly fancy and trying to out-do themselves, only show a basic representation of its overall purpose. The phone dialer, for example, is just a white box with a green phone; the call logs app has the same background and a similar-looking phone, but it adds arrows pointing to the left and right. The most extravagant UI elements appear to be the animations, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on which way you look at it: when switching from portrait to landscape mode (or vice versa), the screen acts as if the laws of physics apply to it. It adjusts to the new orientation, but not before swaying back and forth a couple times as it attempts to reconcile the inertia caused by the transition. Thus, it appears to rock back and forth for a couple seconds, as if you're on a boat, waiting for the seas to settle down.
A side effect of having a narrow screen is the negative impact it has on the virtual keyboard. While we love the fact that the Honor comes with four different types of keyboards pre-loaded, every single one of them looks squished, as if the screen's two side walls are getting even closer and pushing each individual key in a vertical direction. We had a rough time trying to type on the keys, though we found ourselves intrigued by the included TouchPal board; instead of pressing an extra button to capitalize a letter or holding the key down to get a symbol, we discovered that all we had to do was swipe up or down on that key in order to get the intended result. In other words, swiping our finger up capitalizes the letter, and swiping down converts it into the corresponding number or symbol.
One additional note about the Honor's firmware. Huawei made headlines when it offered a demo build of Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) on the Honor's official support page. By doing so, the device became one of the first phones -- outside of the Galaxy Nexus, of course -- to run an official version of ICS, even if it was simply a trial beta version that was mainly intended for the Chinese market. The download is available for everyone to try out, and even comes with instructions on how to revert back to Gingerbread if needs be.
LOS GATOS, Calif., Jan. 20 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) today announced Leslie Kilgore, its Chief Marketing Officer for the last 12 years, will join the Netflix board as a non-executive director and that it had appointed Jessie Becker, interim Chief Marketing Officer and Jonathan Friedland, Chief Communications Officer.
"Leslie has been instrumental in our long-term success and our recent return to solid growth," said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and CEO. "We are delighted she is joining our board of directors and will continue to be a key part of Netflix."
Ms. Kilgore joined Netflix in 2000 as CMO after holding various positions at Amazon.com, Procter & Gamble and Booz Allen and Hamilton. Ms. Kilgore, who has an MBA from Stanford University and a BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania/ Wharton School of Business, also serves as a director at LinkedIn Corporation.
An 11-year Netflix veteran, Ms. Becker has most recently been Vice President, Marketing, in charge of a variety of acquisition channels. Previously, she held positions at Amazon.com and Oracle Corp. Ms. Becker has an MBA from Stanford University and a BA and BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania/Wharton School of Business.
Mr. Friedland joined Netflix in February 2011 from The Walt Disney Company, where he was SVP, Corporate Communications. Before that, he spent over 20 years as a foreign correspondent and editor, mainly with The Wall Street Journal, in the U.S., Asia and Latin America and co-founded the Diarios Rumbo chain of Spanish-language newspapers in Texas. Mr. Friedland, who has a MSc. Economics from the London School of Economics and a BA from Hampshire College, was a member of the WSJ team that won the Pulitzer Prize for its coverage of the 9/11 attacks.
Ms. Becker and Mr. Friedland will report to Mr. Hastings. During the coming months, Netflix will also conduct an external search for a new CMO.
About Netflix:
With more than 20 million streaming members in the Americas, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] is the world's leading internet subscription service for enjoying films and TV programmes. For about US$7.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited films and TV episodes streamed over the internet to PCs, Macs and TVs. Among the large and expanding base of devices streaming from Netflix are the Microsoft Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PS3 consoles; an array of Blu-ray disc players, internet-connectedTVs, home theatre systems, digital video recorders and internet video players; Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, as well as Apple TV and Google TV. In all, more than 700 devices that stream from Netflix are available. For additional information, visit www.netflix.com. Follow Netflix on Facebook and Twitter.
We've recovered from the grueling week of CES... sort of. As you probably already know, technology doesn't seem to take time off after the big show, and neither do we. Plenty of news has been making the rounds since our star-studded vidcast last week (and by star-studded, we mean Sean Cooper and some nifty handsets, at the same time), so Myriam Joire and Brad Molen are taking to the mics to discuss it, rant about it and -- in some rare cases -- praise it. So tune in live to join in the online chat and listen to some grade-A mobile talk.
Next-Generation SSDNow V+200 Balances Performance with Price
Wide Capacity Range Ideal for Corporate Deployment, Personal Users
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the latest addition to its SSDNow family, the SSDNow V+200. The new Kingston? SSDNow V+200 solid-state drives are the ideal high-performance upgrade solution for the performance minded yet cost-conscious business or home user.
"The SSDNow V+200 is equipped with all essential tools needed to extend the lifecycle and boost a system's performance to the maximum. The balance between performance and price makes this SSD deliver the best ROI as an upgrade for a fleet of corporate notebooks or desktops or the home PC."
The SSDNow V+200 features the second-generation high-speed SATA 3.0 (6Gb/s) SandForce? SF-2281 Processor and outstanding sequential read and write speeds of up to 535MB/s and 480MB/s. The SSDNow V+200 enables fast system start-up, rapid data access and speedy copying of large files such as videos, presentations and graphics illustrations.
"Kingston constantly strives to offer the perfect upgrade solution to cover each market segment. The SSDNow V+200 drive has been specifically designed to meet the needs of both business and home users looking for an inexpensive yet powerful upgrade," said Ariel Perez, SSD business manager, Kingston. "The SSDNow V+200 is equipped with all essential tools needed to extend the lifecycle and boost a system's performance to the maximum. The balance between performance and price makes this SSD deliver the best ROI as an upgrade for a fleet of corporate notebooks or desktops or the home PC."
The SSDNow V+200 is available in 60GB, 90GB, 120GB, 240GB and 480GB capacities as either a stand-alone drive or as an upgrade kit to make installation easy and quick. Upgrade kits include cables, brackets, cloning software and HDD enclosure - everything the business or home user needs to get started.
A video of the new SSDNow V+200 can be found here.
Kingston SSDs are backed by a three-year warranty and 24/7 live technical support. For more information visit www.kingston.com
Kingston SSDNow V+200 Features & Specifications:
Dramatic performance for any system upgrade
Multiple Capacities: the right capacity to meet your storage standards
Endurance: Data Integrity Protection featuring DuraClass? Technology
Dependable: RAISE? for advanced data reliability
Secure: Self-encrypting drive technology
Durable: DuraWrite? optimizes writes to extend endurance
Form Factor: 2.5"
Interface: SATA Rev. 3.0 (6Gb/s), SATA Rev. 2.0 (3Gb/s), SATA Rev. 1.0 (1.5Gb/s)
Capacities1: 60GB, 90GB, 120GB, 240GB, 480GB
Sequential reads:
SATA Rev. 3.0: 535MB/s
SATA Rev. 2.0: 280MB/s
Sequential writes:
SATA Rev. 3.0: 60GB – 460MB/s; All Others – 480MB/s
SATA Rev. 2.0: 260MB/s
Sustained Random 4k Read/Write2
60GB – 12,000/47,000 IOPS
90GB – 20,000/47,000 IOPS
120GB – 20,000/44,000 IOPS
240GB – 36,000/43,000 IOPS
480GB – 43,000/30,000 IOPS
Max Random 4k Read/Write2
60GB – 85,000/60,000 IOPS
90GB – 85,000/57,000 IOPS
120GB – 85,000/55,000 IOPS
240GB – 85,000/43,000 IOPS
480GB – 75,000/34,000 IOPS
Power Consumption: 0.565 W (TYP) Idle / 1.795 W (TYP) Read / 2.065 W (TYP) Write
Storage Temperatures: -40? C to 85? C
Operating Temperatures: 0? C to 70? C
Weight: 115g
Vibration Operating: 2.17G
Vibration Non-operating: 20G
MTBF: 1,000,000 Hrs
Warranty/Support: three-year warranty with 24/7 support
What's that coming over the hill? Is it a monster? No, clearly. It's LG's Connect 4G, the company's second LTE-equipped phone which sashayed past the FCC's subterranean bunker on the way to a debut on MetroPCS' network. The CDMA/LTE unit's got the usual assortment of Bluetooth and WiFi b/g/n gizmotronics, plus an inductive cover you can use to confuse elderly relatives. Now that it's been declared fit for purpose by the boys in blue, it's well on course to meet the February launch date we'd heard about back at CES -- at a price that's "still to be determined," the spoilsports.
Two K-words we're almost always pleased to hear: Korg and Kaoss. Good, then, that the former has decided to make more of the latter -- the mini Kaoss Pad 2 (effects unit), and Kaossilator 2 (synthesizer), to be precise. Both new editions will slip in your pocket, and are dominated by that all-important X-Y pad. The mini Kaoss Pad 2 is all about effects, packing 100 programs, three memory slots, and MP3 playback (with pitch adjust). The traditional flanger, filter, delay, and reverb ear candy are also joined by looper, vinyl break, and ducking compressor.
But what good are effects without anything to, er, affect? Enter Kaossilator 2. It's a palm-sized synthesizer, with 150 onboard sounds and a PCM engine for drums. You can sample via a built-in mic, gate and arpeggiate sounds, and create layered textures with loops. Both can record your performance, save it to SD, or impose share with others via a built-in speaker. It's all peace and quiet, though, until April when the Kaossilator lands for about ?168 ($260). The KPad, on the other hand won't hit the market until May, retailing at the same price. Full PRs after the break. mini KAOSS PAD 2 Dynamic Effect Processor
Sleek, self-contained, and ready for stage, studio or the DJ scene.
Introducing the mini KAOSS PAD 2 – with onboard MP3 playback!
Korg's KAOSS PAD Series products have become the must-have effect units on in every musician's rig – especially on the DJ scene. The original mini KAOSS PAD has earned enormous popularity for packing full-fledged effects into its compact body. Now, welcome the mini KAOSS PAD 2! In addition to inheriting powerful effect programs from the KAOSS PAD KP3 and the KAOSS PAD QUAD, it provides an MP3 player with adjustable pitch, making the mini KAOSS PAD 2 unit ideal for creating DJ-Style performances. Use it as a DJ playback device, or use it to process the entire output of your DJ rig with Korg's famous KAOSS effects. Instrumentalists, guitarists, sound designers and even just music fans will enjoy using the mini KAOSS PAD 2. The Organic Electroluminescent (OEL) display provides superb visibility. Add to that a touch slider for ease of use, microSD card data saving, plus a built-in speaker and mic. All of these features reflect the enhancements incorporated into the sleek and exciting mini KAOSS PAD 2
Product Highlights:
?Control effects in real time using the intuitive touchpad interface
?100 effect programs, ideal for DJ mixes or sound design
?3 Program Memories provide instant recall of favorite effects
?FX RELEASE applies a natural "tail" to the effect sound
?Powerful Looper, Vinyl Break, and Ducking Comp effects borrowed from the KAOSS PAD QUAD
?Use the "Hold" feature to memorize a position on the touchpad
?Built-in Auto BPM detection
?Internal mic plus external audio inputs
?MP3 player with microSD card slot for data storage/exchange;
?Perform on the mini KAOSS PAD 2 without needing any other equipment!
?Support for pitch change and cue point settings allows serious DJ play.
?Record your performances
?6 preset loops for use as audio demos sample
?Easy-to-read screen uses high-visibility organic EL (OEL) display
?VALUE slider allows smooth parameter control
?Battery operation and built-in speaker for on-the-go enjoyment
Realtime touchpad control
The intuitive design and amazing flexibility of the touchpad allows mini KAOSS PAD 2 users to easily control multiple effects and parameters by simply stroking, tapping, or rubbing the KAOSS touch pad with their finger. Using this remarkable design, you can easily control effects in complex ways that would be impossible on a conventional effect unit, almost as though you were playing an instrument.
100 dynamic KAOSS effects
100 diverse, ready-to-play effect programs are packed into the mini KAOSS PAD 2, including many inherited from the KAOSS PAD KP3. These include standard effects such as Flanger, Filter, Delay, and Reverb, as well as three new effects that first appeared on the KAOSS PAD QUAD: the powerful Looper, Vinyl Break, and Ducking Compressor.
FX RELEASE provides natural effects and transitions
When you take your finger off the touchpad, the FX RELEASE automatically adds a delay effect so that the effect blends smoothly into your song or performance, and avoids abrupt effect dropouts. When using an effect (such as aggressive distortion) that has a completely different character than the unprocessed sound, enabling the FX RELEASE ensures that the effect will blend naturally into the tracks of your song.
Extreme performance control
Excellent for DJ use and live performance, the mini KAOSS PAD 2 provides three Program Memories for instant recall of your favorite effects. The Hold function freezes the effect parameters based on your finger's current location on the touchpad for hands-free operation. Auto BPM detection syncs the applicable effects to the tempo of the song, so that everything continues to move in sync for a professional performance. These features provide the mini KAOSS PAD 2 with extreme DJ potential.
Built-in Mic
Need to really whoop it up on the dance floor? The mini KAOSS PAD 2 offers a built-in mic that can be used as a "shout" mic during your DJ performance to further energize the crowd. And yes indeed, you can apply the effects to the mic sound.
MP3 player
The mini KAOSS PAD 2 provides an MP3 player that can play back audio data from a microSD card. You can save your favorite songs on a card, and apply real time effects to the song as it plays. Store sound effects or other audio material that you want to use during your DJ session, or save your favorite song data and then enjoy applying various effects to it. Unlike previous KAOSS PAD models, the self-contained mini KAOSS PAD 2 allows you to perform without requiring any additional equipment as input sources.
Both the WAV format as well as the MP3 format is supported; you can use the mini KAOSS PAD 2 for professional performances that require high audio quality.
* SDXC cards cannot be used.
* Supported file formats:
WAV files (16-bit, 44.1 kHz/48 kHz, stereo)
MP3 files (44.1 kHz@128, 192, 256, 300 kbps, stereo, VBR supported)
Serious DJ toolkit
The playback speed of the internal MP3 player can be varied using the VALUE slider. The mini KAOSS PAD 2 also allows you to set a cue point specifying where in the song playback will start. In addition, the VALUE slider can be used as a fader to adjust the volume balance between the external audio input and the MP3 player, allowing the mini KAOSS PAD 2 to be used as a serious DJ player or a simple mixer. Add the mini KAOSS PAD 2 as the third player in a DJ set, enjoy exciting DJ play by combining two mini KAOSS PAD 2s, or load your mini KAOSS PAD 2 with sound effects or voice samples and use it as a sample player!
Record your performances
A microSD card can be used for saving MP3 data, and also to capture your mini KAOSS PAD 2 performance into the master recorder as WAV format data. Once you've found the perfect way to apply an effect, you can use this function to record your idea. This is a convenient way to share mini KAOSS PAD 2 performances on the Internet.
6 preset audio demo Loops
6 preset audio demo loops are stored in the internal memory. These demo loops provide a handy audio source that can be used to immediately audition the various effect programs, without having to hook up an external audio player, or before any audio data or MP3 files have been stored on to a microSD Card.
Ergonomic design
The mini KAOSS PAD 2 features a comfortably curved body that makes it both stylish and extremely easy to play. The high-contrast OEL (Organic Electroluminescent) display clearly shows the names of the sounds, features, and parameters, and ensures excellent visibility, even in a dimly lit DJ booth or stage. As with the touchpad, the VALUE slider is also touch-sensitive. By sliding or tapping your finger (as appropriate for each function), parameters and functions may be controlled smoothly. Lightweight and compact, the KAOSS PAD 2 is slim enough to fit easily in your hand or pocket. The energy-efficient design allows it to operate everywhere on just two AA batteries. Equipped with a built-in speaker, the KAOSS PAD 2 is ready to share your exciting sonic creations wherever your music takes you. The headphone output provides privacy for playing and experimenting alone, and can also be used to connect the KAOSS PAD 2 to another audio device.
KORG KAOSSILATOR 2 Dynamic Phrase SynthesizerIt's a totally new KAOSSILATOR!
Introducing the KAOSSILATOR 2; the palm-size phrase synthesizer that can be played by anyone, at any place, and at any time.
Introduced in 2007, the KAOSSILATOR has won high acclaim as the original gadget instrument and gave rise to the KAOSSILATOR PRO and iKaossilator for iPhone. Now say hello to the impressive KAOSSILATOR 2. Boasting a powered-up sound generator, KAOSSILATOR 2 delivers synth and drum sounds spanning a wide range of genres, plus dramatically expanded loop recording. KAOSSILATOR 2 is packed with capabilities that can be enjoyed alone on or together with other people. Use two loops to create DJ-like mixes. Use the internal mic to record guitar, vocal, or other audio source – just as with a looper effect. The Organic Electroluminescent (OEL) display provides superb visibility. Add to that a touch slider for ease of use, microSD card data saving, plus a built-in speaker and mic. All of these features reflect the enhancements incorporated into the sleek and exciting KAOSSILATOR 2.
Product Highlights:
?Play the synthesizer simply by using your finger to stroke, tap, or rub the touchpad
?150 built-in sounds cover every style of dance music
?PCM sound engine serves up realistic drums
?Scale Key and Note Range eliminates "wrong" notes
?Built-in Gate Arpeggiator with adjustable gate time and swing settings
?Loop Recording allows the creation of layered phrases with unlimited overdubs
?Dual Loop Recording banks allow DJ-Style mutes and cross-fades
?Record using the built-in mic; or use the mic input for recording of external input
?microSD/SDHC card slot for saving loops and recorded performances
?Operation linked with KORG iKaossilator for iPhone
?Easy-to-read screen uses high-visibility organic EL (OEL) display
?VALUE slider allows smooth parameter control
?Battery operation and built-in speaker for on-the-go enjoyment
Freely play the synthesizer simply by touching the touchpad
The unique interface allows melodies and phrases to be played by simply stroking, tapping, or rubbing the touchpad. Horizontal motions control the pitch; vertical motions control aspects of the tone such as filter cutoff, feedback, or modulation depth. When using a drum kit program, multiple sounds can be played simultaneously, and you can even play the touchpad as if it were a drum pad.
The intuitive design and amazing flexibility of the touchpad allows users who are not keyboard players to perform easily, as well as creating performances rich with tonal changes that could not be produced on a keyboard instrument.
150 built-in sounds covering a full range of musical styles
Korg's acclaimed synthesizer technology has been meticulously packed into this sleek, compact format. The 150 ready-to-play sounds cover a broad range of styles including hip-hop, house, dubstep, new disco, and electro. In addition, the KAOSSILATOR 2 provides a solid set of synth sounds such as synth lead, synth bass, acoustic sounds such as piano or guitar, and even sound effects for DJ use.
Accurate PCM drum sounds
PCM sound generation provides drum sounds and drum performances that are more realistic than ever. There are 15 Drum Kits in the KAOSSILATOR 2. Each Drum Kit consists of instruments such as kick, snare, and hi-hat. In addition, there are 25 Rhythm Loop patterns that let you create drum phrases simply by moving your finger. The lineup of sounds covers numerous genres, so you'll be sure to find the drum sounds you need.
Musical Scale, Key, and Note Range help create musical performances
Even if you've never played a musical instrument, the KAOSSILATOR 2's Key and Scale features ensure that the notes being played will match the song being performed. Use the Key setting to specify the musical key or "root." Choose any of 35 scales, ranging from popular scales such as chromatic, major pentatonic, and minor blues, as well as unusual scales such as Spanish, Ryukyu, and Raga. By using both the Key and Scale settings to match the song, you can play perfect solos without a single wrong note. In addition, the Note Range allows you to specify the range of playable pitches. You can set this to a narrow range to ensure that melodies will be played accurately as you intend, or to an extremely wide range to allow unexpectedly dynamic and unconventional phrases to emerge.
Gate Arpeggiator expands your performance power
The fifty built-in gate arpeggiator patterns can automatically generate phrases and beats by simply moving a finger across the touchpad. As a new capability of the KAOSSILATOR 2, you can now edit the arpeggiator's gate time and swing settings so that musical phrases are created exactly as you intended.
Loop Recording allows intuitive overdubs
The KAOSSILATOR 2's Loop Recording feature can overdub touchpad performance as many times as you like. By adding layer upon layer to a simple phrase, it's easy for anyone to create amazingly intricate tracks. Thanks to the Scale/Key settings, the results will always sound musically appropriate, each and every time!
Dual Loop Recording banks provide DJ-Style performances
The two Loop Recording banks can be used alone, or used together for truly dramatic results. By combining the two loop recording banks, you can create new performances that were not possible on earlier KAOSSILATOR units. Different sounds and phrases can be recorded onto each of the two loops. These loops can then be cross-faded or muted, or the loop length can be changed in realtime to create dynamic live performances. Unwanted loops can be erased and rerecorded while playback continues, so you'll be able to create DJ-like performances on the KAOSSILATOR 2 without the sound ever stopping!
Record and loop nearly any source!
The KAOSSILATOR 2 offers both an internal mic as well as an auxiliary mic input. This combination allows the loop –recording of nearly any audio source. Plus, you can easily mix different audio sources, so that as a loop phrase created using the KAOSSILATOR 2's internal sounds plays in the background, you can overdub your own rap, vocal, or other external sound, or enjoy a loop recording session with a musical collaborator – such as a guitarist.
microSD card slot for data storage
A microSD card can be used to save loop recorder data. In addition, performances played on the KAOSSILATOR 2 be recorded using the master recorder, and stored on a card. Whenever an important musical idea begins to take shape, it can easily be saved, and can even be used later as part of a studio production. This is also a convenient way to share KAOSSILATOR 2 performances on the Internet. The KAOSSILATOR 2 also acts as an audio player, and can play back performances created using the master recorder. Listen to your best performances for comparison, or share them with your friends.
* SDXC cards cannot be used.
* Supported file formats: WAV files (16-bit, 44.1 kHz/48 kHz, stereo)
Operation linked with KORG iKaossilator for iPhone
You can use the kaossilator 2 together with Korg's iKaossilator for the iPhone/iPad. This allows audio data to be transferred between the kaossilator 2 and iKaossilator, and lets you use the two devices in a BPM-synchronized performance.
Although iKaossilator and the kaossilator 2 share the KAOSSILATOR name, their sound generator and recording style are completely different. While the iKaossilator uses a PCM sound source, the kaossilator 2 uses a modeling synth. And while the iKaossilator provides a five part sequencer that lets you freely insert or remove notes as you perform, the kaossilator 2 allows unlimited overdubbing as well as recording of external audio input. By combining these two with audio data that utilizes the advantages of each, you can vastly expand your performance possibilities.
* Linked operation will be enabled by an update for KORG iKaossilator for iPhone.
The update is expected to be released in March 2012.
Ergonomic design
The KAOSSILATOR 2 features a comfortably curved body that makes it both stylish and extremely easy to play. The high-contrast OEL (Organic Electroluminescent) display clearly shows the names of the sounds, features, and parameters, and ensures excellent visibility, even in a dimly lit DJ booth or stage. As with the touchpad, the VALUE slider is also touch-sensitive. By sliding or tapping your finger (as appropriate for each function), parameters and functions may be controlled smoothly. Lightweight and compact, the KAOSSILATOR 2 is slim enough to fit easily in your hand or pocket. The energy-efficient design allows it to operate everywhere on just two AA batteries. Equipped with a built-in speaker, the KAOSSILATOR 2 is ready to share your exciting sonic creations wherever your music takes you. The headphone output provides privacy for playing and experimenting alone, and can also be used to connect the KAOSSILATOR 2 to another audio device.
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. 
We came, we saw, we collapsed. After seven days in Vegas and 700-plus posts, we'd love nothing more than to catch up on The Daily Show, eat something other than In-N-Out Burger and bask in what we hope will be a slow news week. Alas, though, the show must go on, and so must our gadget ramblings. And what better place to start than with the gear we schlepped to CES? You'd think, like marathoners prepping for a race, that we'd stick with the high-tech equivalent of broken-in sneakers, red gatorade and other safe bets. But in fact, the week saw a few of us taking a chance on unfamiliar tech -- everything from the Elgato Turbo H.264 to the Sony NEX-C3. For Darren, the transition from thumb drives to AirDrop was benign, though largely ineffectual. In Terrence's case, an impulsive foray into the world of Macs left him without functioning USB ports. Good times, right? Meet us past the break for a few tales of what went right (or dreadfully wrong) last week in Vegas.
Anyone who knows me would know that I prefer to arrange things just so, and then keep them that way for as long as feasible. Thus, my primary laptop had Snow Leopard on it up until about a month ago, when I upgraded to Lion (mumbling all the while, mind you). Not that I wasn't familiar with Lion, but there's a difference between "using" something and "relying" on it as your daily driver. At any rate, I'd never been in a position to take advantage of AirDrop, mostly because my Snow Leopard machine wasn't equipped to handle it.
Countless times during CES, there arose a need to share this file or that with someone else in the Engadget trailer, and every time I'd end up asking: "Do you have AirDrop?!" At first, I was in love. The drag-and-drop nature of it all seemed so much simpler than handing someone a flash drive. But then, reality hit. First off, the transfers were painfully sluggish -- compared to a flash drive transfer, yes, but still. Secondly, there's no way to AirDrop files to two people at once; again, bummer.
I ended up seeing a transfer through via AirDrop only once, and relied on USB sticks for the rest, but I truly love how simple it is to use. If speed didn't matter and the feature wasn't limited to one transfer at a time, I'd be in love. As it stands, I won't be tossing my small stash of USB sticks just yet. 
Back in September, AOL issued me my very first Apple computer -- a late 2011 13-inch MacBook Pro. When it came time to ship out for CES, my instincts told me to take my personal laptop, a ThinkPad X200, as a backup, but ultimately my desire to travel light won out. It's a decision I quickly regretted: as we were gearing up for Acer's big press event, my Mac's USB ports decided to stop functioning. All of a sudden, my LTE dongle, which I had tested the evening before without issue, refused to connect. So, I quickly pulled out my spare connectivity option -- a Sprint EVDO dongle that hasn't failed me once in four years.
Well, turns out my MacBook didn't like that one either. To make it through the event I was forced to suck it up and pay for WiFi access at the hotel (twice, at the absolutely absurd price of $20 for 40 minutes). Eventually, I discovered there must be either a firmware or driver issue (I'm still trying to track down the root of the problem), as almost anything I plugged into those ports simply refused to work. Even more bizarre: unless I booted OS X with headphones already plugged in, the jack didn't operate and, once unplugged, wouldn't work again without a reboot. I'm sure my fellow trailer prisoners appreciated listening in on my unfiltered, awkward ramblings as I edited my hands-on videos. Thankfully, there was one surefire way to get my CDMA access and headphone support back: boot into Ubuntu. It just works.
I spend a lot of time tearing around trade shows and running to meetings to check out all the gadgets I'm lucky enough to get to see. What I never talk about are the tools I use to get my job done. The unsung hero of much of my work is my camera / laptop bag: the Crumpler Customary Barge. I used to carry two bags: one for my camera and a messenger for my laptop, cables, USB sticks, modems, extra batteries and all the other detritus you need to work in my world. I shifted to one for a couple reasons: my shoulders and back were getting worn down, toting a lot of gear. Also, an edict from some transportation authority that I could only bring one bag onto the plane. The nerve.
So how does the Crumpler win? Well, it's tough, seriously tough. On top of that, this guy has space for a 15-inch notebook, a DSLR, two or three lenses, chargers and cables, with all the various compartments conveniently arranged and dead-easy to get at. The pocket at the bottom of the bag, where all the camera stuff gets stowed, has its own zippers along with Velcro dividers to help keep things from clanking. The top section has a padded sleeve for the laptop, a pouch for cables and a cavernous space where I dump everything else. Sure, the weight hasn't lessened, but schlepping all that weight across two shoulders and behind me makes it an easier pill to swallow -- or carry.
Of course, Crumpler bags aren't inexpensive, and the Customary Barge rang in somewhere around $250 when I picked it up in late 2010. It may not be the prettiest of bags, but I've yet to find a worthy replacement. Though, with Crumpler's 'Til death do us part' warranty, I shouldn't ever have to, because if it breaks they'll make it right.
Your next tablet is going to rock a quad-core chip, so why not stuff that same silicon into your next phone too? Per PocketNow, that's apparently what LG has up its sleeve with the forthcoming X3. Evidently, the four-core Tegra 3 device will also tote a 1280 x 720 4.7-inch display, 16GB of storage, Ice Cream Sandwich and NFC all in a svelte 9mm package. The whispers didn't stop there, of course, indicating it'll also wield 21Mbps HSPA support coupled with 802.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. So will the X3 be the world's first quad-core phone, much in the vein of LG's G2X that preceded it? Or will it be beaten to the punch by HTC and Samsung? Here's to hoping we'll find out at MWC.
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Time to update your Intel executive playing cards. The chipmaker is doing some serious reshuffling high up in its ranks. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that SVP Brian Krzanich and EVP Dadi Perlmutter will be taking on the roles of chief operating officer and chief product officer, respectively. The big moves come on the heels of some positive looking financial results. The Journal suggests that the decision may be part of the company's attempt to line up a successor for current Intel CEO, Paul Otellini.
Afraid of the cloud? You're not alone, as rising concerns surrounding the security of distributed computing have led University of Vienna researchers to seek out quantum mechanics as a privacy fix. The team's findings, soon to be published in the journal Science, prove that an end user's data can remain encrypted throughout its journey to and from remote servers, essentially rendering the quantum computer's calculations as "blind." So, how exactly does this evasive entanglement work? Qubits (or quantum bits) containing the pertinent information are transmitted to a central facility where they're processed according to a specific set of measurements, leaving the resultant computations readable only by the original user. Not obtuse enough for you? Then check out the source below for a more detailed walkthrough.
Frustrated by the performance of GPS on your current Sony Ericsson phone? Well, if you've got the latest software and a device carrying Qualcomm's Snapdragon S2 or S3 processor, you're in luck. Alongside bright new darlings like the Xperia S and Xperia ion, all will be able to hook up to GLONASS, Russia's very own interpretation of GPS. Support on another global positioning network will increase the total of satellites orbiting around you from 31 to 55 -- more ways to find exactly where you got lost. GLONASS support has already launched on smartphone luminaries such as the iPhone 4S and the pocket-stretching Galaxy Note, but we're very happy to hear that the extra functionality will arrive on older Xperia handsets. According to the developer's own testing, the GLONASS assistance often improved accuracy by as much as 50 percent and should similarly reduce the chances of us being outed as map illiterates. You can grab more info on all the GLONASS goodness at the source below.
Verizon's Voice over LTE (VoLTE) platform has been in the works for a while now, and according to industry insiders, it's about ready to hit the big time. Catharine Trebnick, an analyst at Northland Capital Markets, told Light Reading Mobile this week that the service has already launched on a trial basis in two cities, and that Big Red plans to roll it out on a nationwide level in 2013. According to Light Reading Mobile, Trebnick's claims were later corroborated by a second, anonymous source. Verizon, as you may recall, had previously pegged 2012 for the commercial launch of its new platform, and could still achieve that goal with launches in select markets, before going live on a nationwide basis next year, as rumored. The company, however, is playing its cards close to the chest, saying in a statement that it's "continuing to work on VoLTE and the services it brings, and will share any launch or availability plans in due course."
No, it's not a Philippe Starck-designed hearing aid, although we kind of wish it were. What you're actually looking at is an over-the-ear sensor, dubbed the e-AR, made to mimic the human vestibular system. In layman's terms, this 3D accelerometer-equipped device, crafted by Sensixa, is capable of recording real-time information related to posture and orientation, much like the inner ear does, which is then relayed via an embedded low power radio to a remote receiver. The tech, which we spied passing through the FCC's gates, has already undergone several trials for sports and is now being eyed for use in geriatric care. (Take that, Life Alert pendants.) Interest piqued? Then feel free to peruse the rest of the filing and provided user's manual at the source below.
Notion Ink partners with Texas Instruments
Notion Ink has partnered with Texas Instruments (TI) Incorporated for its next generation Adam II Tablets. Adam II will be using OMAP44xx processor along with other TI components like Wi-Link 7.0 and Phoenix Audio Power Amplifiers. Adam II will also leverage the power optimizations achieved using mature combination of TI's integrated power-management IC.
Designed specifically for best Power Performance and Multi-tasking Experience, Adam II will be based on Google's IceCream Sandwich Operating System.
The OMAP44xx platform's smart multicore architecture pairs its main CPUs with several differentiated features including programmable accelerators, hardware composition engines and a dedicated ISP. Imagination Technologies' super-fast PowerVR SGX5xx GPU and enhanced memory architecture add still more functionality while an OMAP-specific distributed composition architecture enables advanced image and video layering for crisp, HD visuals. These elements and more are the force behind the OMAP44xx processor's ability to enable fast and fluid multitasking while maintaining ultra-low power consumption.
Adam II will release the world's first Modular Based Software Architecture which will further expand the scope of application development and use nearly every single hardware feature in a "user customizable" application. Drag and drop features will enable easy application modification and Open Source Module will further expand the use cases and tablet deployment. Node operations like in Blender, and "Application Authoring Tools" are primarily aimed at non-programmers for composing applications, games and use-case flows in a drag-and-drop fashion, utilizing visual editors and behavior-based logic system.
This System will help consumers, professionals and students become productive as they will be able to use the tablet as a logic analyzer, medical imaging device, signal acquisition and processing, 3D modeling and multi-media.
For more information about TI OMAP processors, visit www.ti.com and follow this blog for Adam II.
Well that didn't take long. Shortly after getting our grubby mitts on the AT&T variant of Samsung's Galaxy Note at CES, the jumbo phone has made its way into the loving arms of Uncle Sam at the FCC. Naturally, it's not advertised as such, but test documents reveal that a model SGH-i717 handset packing UMTS/HSPA+ (21Mbps) and GSM/EDGE world radios, plus Ma Bell-friendly bands 4 and 17 LTE has passed the FCC's emissions tests with flying colors. So, now that it's got the governmental stamp of approval, all that's left is to find out when we can make with the S Pen action on AT&T's newly minted high speed network. Don't keep us waiting, guys.
Hey kids, it's that time again! We're kicking off the year right with an action-packed edition of the Engadget Show. The first episode of 2012 is going to be a doozy. We're going to take you through the coolest gadgets of CES and Apple's bid to transform the textbook industry. We'll also be taking a close up look at the latest camera from Red and the new MakerBot Replicator. Plus we've music from Brooklyn's Ducky and all kinds of surprises. We'll be live tonight at 6PM ET, and you can join us at this very URL -- so keep your browser locked to this spot. *** You can also stream the show live on your iPhone or iPad by clicking here.
As part of its ongoing effort to keep New York City safe, the NYPD has begun testing a new scanning device capable of detecting concealed firearms from a distance of about 16 feet. Developed in conjunction with the Department of Defense, the technology uses terahertz imaging detection to measure the radiation that humans naturally emit, and determine whether the flow of this radiation is impeded by a foreign object -- in this case, a gun. During a speech Tuesday, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the device shows "a great deal of promise as a way of detecting weapons without a physical search." Kelly went on to say that the technology would only be deployed under "reasonably suspicious circumstances," though some civil liberties activists are already expressing concerns. "We find this proposal both intriguing and worrisome," New York Civil Liberties Union executive director Donna Lieberman said in a statement, adding that the scanner could all too easily infringe upon civilian privacy. "If the NYPD is moving forward with this, the public needs more information about this technology, how it works and the dangers it presents." For now, the NYPD is only testing the device at a shooting range in the Bronx, and has yet to offer a timeline for its potential deployment.
When you think of Super Bowl Sunday, many images likely come to mind: malty beverages, nachos, high-budget commercials and -- oh, yeah -- football. Even amongst us mobile fanatics, however, cellular coverage rarely crosses the mind. Fortunately, that's not how Big Red rolls. The company has brought three of its LTE cell-on-wheels rigs to Indianapolis in anticipation of the Big Game, which is expected to draw 85,000 attendees. Amongst other things, Lucas Oil Stadium is now wired to the teeth with $69 million in Verizon gear to ensure that all subscribers will be able to tweet along with each touchdown, fumble and botched call -- like the Giants / Packers game, for instance. In addition to the COWs, the equipment includes 400 mobile antennas inside the stadium to carry voice and data, along with 600 WiFi stations to support a total of 28,000 simultaneous connections. The folks at GottaBeMobile have an excellent spread of how all this came together, but if you're more of the visual type, you'll find a quick video after the break.
