drag2share: Moog Just Crammed an Incredible Analog Synth Into an App [IPad Apps]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5850625/moog-just-crammed-an-incredible-analog-synth-into-an-app

Everyone recognizes the haunting space sounds of Moog synthesizers even if they don't know it. It's as pervasive on Sci-Fi soundtracks as on classic pop records. Now Moog has packed that legendary sound into the seriously fun Animoog iPad app.

The Moog's new Animoog app jams all of its analog cousin's wizardry into an iPad synth that's as intuitive and satisfying to play as the original. The layout is configured much how you'd imagine it—the piano keys are laid out along the bottom on the iPad's screen. Two of the synth's modules—a delay module for example—are visible at any given time. You can adjust settings like speed and frequency. There's also a big X-Y display on the screen which shows you a jittery, graphical representation of what your sound wave is doing. Sliding the wave form around on this pad modulates the sound. There's other screens that allow you to adjust keyboard's configuration and key settings, as well as a screen for which allows you to add some more advanced modulations and processing to the sound. Basically, there's enough in here to get completely lost in a swirling mess of sound within minutes. The UI is really smart and everything in the app slides, expands and contracts exactly how you expect it to. Settings are savable in case you find some awesome sound, and you can even record your opus once you've got it down.

As you might imagine, playing keyboard on a touch screen isn't the same as playing the real thing. Luckily, the app supports an external MIDI keyboard. Once you get going, you end up doing a lot of jumping around from screen to screen because, obviously, you can't cram all of the modules and controls onto one display. Resetting all of the modules should be easier.

The Animoog's sound is all taken directly from the waveforms of Moog analog keyboards so it sounds pretty awesome. But what's really exciting about the app, is that it inspires a creative process as a real-life Moog. You don't study these instruments, you explore them. The Animoog's been given an amazingly low introductory $.99 price tag—in a month it jumps up to $30. Go to the App Store and buy this before the price goes up. Go right now. [iTunes and Moog via Wired]

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drag2share: Use a Cheap IKEA Lamp to Build an Affordable Desktop Camera Jig [Ikea Hacks]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5850388/use-a-cheap-ikea-lamp-to-build-an-affordable-desktop-camera-jig

If you spend any time on video at your desk, either video chatting with friends or recording work you may be doing so you can show other people, you know it can be difficult to get a camera in position while you work with your hands. This hack gives you a jig perfect for a web cam or a phone to keep it still and in one place while you're recording.

Granted, most webcams come with stands that let them rest on top of your monitor, which is great in most cases, but if your monitor is at an angle, or you want to record something you're working on on your desk surface, those mounts are generally no good. Chris, over at The New Hobbyist, picked up an $8.99 TERTIAL work lamp from IKEA, and managed to turn it into a camera jig with the help of a 3D printed mount.

The mount is the tricky part; Chris had his printed, but once you have one you can use it to attach multiple different cameras, remove them, and attach others. He's even included the Google Sketchup file at Thingverse for his mount so others can use it. I imagine something more common, like a clamp or some Velcro may serve the same purpose if 3D printing isn't up your alley. What do you think? Share your thoughts on the setup in the comments below.

$9 Webcam Jig | The New Hobbyist via MAKE

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You can reach Alan Henry, the author of this post, at alan@lifehacker.com, or better yet, follow him on Twitter or Google+.

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drag2share: Hack a Flip HD for Better Video [DIY]

Source: http://lifehacker.com/5850409/hack-a-flip-hd-for-better-video

Cisco might have discontinued the Flip series of camcorders, but if you have one sitting around and want to use it for more than just quick video takes, Instructables user FlipVans1966 has a guide to getting more out of the camera.

Using nothing more than a bunch of tape, a few well placed spacers, and a few different types of cheap lenses, he outlines how to add macro, a telephoto, and kaleidoscope lenses to the Flip. The results won't make the Flip win any design awards, but if you're looking to extend the functionality of the otherwise barebones but cheap camcorder, these will do the trick. Check out the Instructable for a full guide.

Flip HD Camera Mods and Tips

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drag2share: Rumor: Galaxy Nexus Coming to Verizon November 10th for an Ouchie $300 [Android]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5850411/rumor-galaxy-nexus-coming-to-verizon-november-10th-for-an-ouchie-300

You ready with your grains of salt? Good, because a supposedly leaked document from Verizon has pegged the much-anticipated Galaxy Nexus to launch on November 10th. That's the good news. The bad news is that it'll run you 300 bones.

The Galaxy Nexus has been the most eagerly await phone next to the iPhone 4S. Rumored to have a ginormo 4.6 inch screen with 1280 x 720 pixels, a 1.2GHz dual-core (hopefully Exynos) processor, and of course, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, this is something we really want to get our hands on. The $300 price tag stings, but if it's as good as we hope it will be, I'm sure it'll do just fine. We've already seen some video leak (though it's likely that that's an early build), and we know that the official announcement is coming from Google/Samsung via a streamed event in South Korea tomorrow at 10pm.

Bundled into this like is the HTC Rezound (which we've previously heard called the HTC Vigor). The story here is that it's got a 4.3 inch screen at 1280x720 pixels, which gives it a higher pixel density than the iPhone 4S's retina display (341ppi vs 326ppi). It's also rumored to have a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and audio from Beats by Dre. This thing has Android 2.3.5 (Gingerbread) with HTC Sense 3.5, though, which next to the new hotness of Ice Cream Sandwich, just isn't that exciting. Couple that with the same $300 sticker price, and they're going to have trouble selling this thing next to the Nexus. [Engadget]

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You can keep up with Brent Rose, the author of this post, on Google+ or Twitter.

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drag2share: Opera with Turbo Will Be a Faster, Smarter Android Browser [Genius]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5850506/opera-with-turbo-will-be-a-faster-smarter-android-browser

Like Amazon, Opera wants to build a more efficient web browser for Android than what is offered by Google. According to Cnet, they're calling it Opera with Turbo. Inelegant as the name may sound, the idea behind it is anything but.

Referred to as a hybrid browser, It is the marriage of Opera's Mobile and Mini browsers. When you're on wi-fi, or when your mobile connection is blazing, it will render pages directly on the device. But when the connection is crap, Turbo mode will automatically kick in and will render pages on its own servers and spit out a more static page free of HTML, CSS and Javascript, which Cnet says vastly cuts down on file sizes.

Here's a comparison I ran using the new data-tallying feature of Opera Mobile and Opera Mini. The BBC's home page is 1.7MB, a size you can check using Opera running its default state with Turbo turned off. Turning Turbo on shrinks the page size to 519KB. With Opera Mini, the page size shrinks even more, to just 304KB.

Not only does this allow for quicker page load times, but will also cut down on battery consumption since your cellular radio won't be frying itself trying to load a massive page through a weak signal. Amazon's Silk browser also revolves a similar concept, rendering parts of webpages and caching them on its own server, in an effort to improve speed, user experience and ostensibly, battery life.

Opera hasn't said exactly when the Opera with Turbo browser will become available for Android devices except that it will be here in "early 2012." [Cnet]

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