Posted by Tattletech on May 18, 2012 in
Clutch,
Cool stuff,
Innovation 
I always see people on Segway tours around Boston, riding and pointing at all the historic monuments, and I secretly want to join in. Even mall cops have segways while patrolling the perimeter. I admit, I thought the whole idea of these segways was a bit silly, aimed toward the lazy, and don’t really see the point in riding one, but hey, that’s just me.
However, when I saw this type of segway, it just made me want to race someone around a building and be a kid again! Honda stated this week they are in the midst of creating a rear (a/k/a butt-steered) segway, called “Uni-Cub.” Seems legit. It looks like a stool, but has a place for your feet to rest. Simply turn this fun little engine on and let your glute do the work. Although it’s made to go about as fast as an average speed of walking and at a height where you are still eye-level with people who are using their feet, my brain just automatically thinks of an office race using these. I think I’ll just stick to walking though, unless I break my ankle (knock on wood), then this better be in my Christmas stocking waiting for me.
-KB
Tags: butt segway, honda, segway, weird transportation
Posted by Tattletech on May 14, 2012 in
Monday Jumpstart “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.”
- Socrates
Posted by Tattletech on May 12, 2012 in
Go Bag This week’s odds and ends.
Convenience is one word to describe 2012. Consumers are constantly looking for the next best thing and companies are constantly updating to fulfill those needs. Whether you are young or old, it’s gotten to the point that if you don’t own a cell phone, people will look at you like you are crazy. It’s a technology driven world, and we rely on it to get through our days.
But despite all the advances, one thing that has changed is that no one wears watches anymore, simply because people just look at their phone to see what time it is. And if you do wear a watch, it’s most likely an accessory to match your outfit (that’s certainly why I wear watches). Well, let’s just combine those two devices. I give you: the smart watch.
Brought to you at a price similar to designer watches, and about the same price as a phone, this is able to give you everything you need at a glance down to your own wrist. You can read emails, texts, and social updates from twitter and facebook. You are even able to use Bluetooth and call someone on your contact list on your cell phone.
Looks like a nano iPod too, but can do much more. Let’s just hope they come out with different colored straps so I can change them according to my outfits.
-KB
Tags: android watch, smart watch
Although (unfortunately) I do not own an iPhone, I couldn’t resist talking about this new app I found, created by the music production and composition company Propellerhead.
Founded in Stockholm in 1994, Propellerhead is one of the leading makers in music production software, boasting the very successful digital audio workstation (DAW) “Reason” and their famous audio editor “Recycle.” Their products are used be musicians like Adrock, Mix Master Mike (Beastie boys), DJ Khalil (producer for both Eminem and Dr Dre) and Printz Board (Black Eyed Peas musical director), so I can’t help but feel that the company is doing something right.
Although they are a very respectable music production software creators, Propellerhead are always looking to push boundaries. Their newest product announcement — Propellerhead Figure.
Figure, designed for iPhone is created for those “stuck on a bus or train” moments. It lets you make and get very creative music simply on your phone. Sounds cool, right?
I know you guys are thinking, “yeah Sean, sounds cool. ubt what can I do with this?”
Well, at first glace I can tell by its simple layout that Figure is made for beginners or music geeks looking for a great way to kill time. The app provides you with three basic virtual instruments: drums (which is actually the “Kong Drum Designer” from Reason), bass and lead (which are both actually “ThoR,” also exported from Reason”). You can mess about with all these instruments and adjust filters and effects to find a sound that you like and then record and create small two-bar loops. Unfortunately, there are no chords and no ambient layers, just the core of music production. Figure is clearly designed for ease of use and goofing around, rather than series composition.
The app also has a few other restrictions, such as not being able to save and export a track, which could cause users to decide not to buy. And also, as I said earlier, there are no chords and no ambient layers. But then again, this was created to kill time and for an easy way to get dirty with music without any training required and to that end, it is successful.
I highly doubt that you can make the next hit with Figure, but I think it could be a major eye-opener for the future of music production. I’m totally diggin’ it!
-SE
Tags: DJ app, iphone dj, iphone music, iphone music app, music app, music technology, propellerhead
Posted by Tattletech on May 7, 2012 in
Monday Jumpstart “A conference is a gathering of people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done.”
- Fred Allen
Posted by Tattletech on May 4, 2012 in
Go Bag This week’s odds and ends.
Posted by Tattletech on May 3, 2012 in
Clutch So I’m going on vacation this week and frankly my mind is not thinking about tech, it’s thinking about sun. But summertime is fast approaching, which can only mean one thing … the beach (or pool)!!! It’s time to show off in a brand new bikini and catch some rays. But what if you’re just not comfortable wearing a bikini this season? Have no fear, one pieces are here!
One piece bathing suits are totally back in action and better than ever. No matter the age, it’s the new trend for summer 2012. Swim suits tend to be inspired by what’s on the runway and this season is no different. Although anything you put on a model looks amazing, it’s hard to find the right suit that accentuates your body type.
Luckily for this summer, one piece suits (especially with cut outs and fringe), vintage inspired looks such as high waist bottoms and one shoulder suits are all trending. This gives us some options to find what is best for you. Goodbye bikinis!
Tags: bathing suit season, one piece, one piece bathing suit, summer fashion
It began as many blogs do. A way to indulge in a personal interest and share with friends and family. ink Communication’s own master of content Jason Oberholtzer, along with Cody Westphal, created I Love Charts (ilovecharts.tumblr.com) in September 2009 with just seven followers. Today, it has grown into one of the most popular blogs with more than 100,000 followers on Tumblr and 20,000 on Twitter.
And now the next logical step is “I Love Charts: The Book!” You may ask, why would I buy the book when I can just look up the charts online?
Because this is not just any blog turned book. It is storytelling with charts. Jason and Cody have taken storytelling that is done in a rapid and current way with charts online and expanded it to real life. From the digital back to the traditional. “I Love Charts: The Book” looks at charts from a human level. It’s less about data and more about the stories they are telling.
David Karp, founder of Tumblr, puts it best in the foreword:
“Charts present information succinctly. But they do more than that. In the right hands, they can just as quickly make you laugh or lament. The charts in the following chapters do everything from parody life on earth to share heartfelt moments of love and loss. Jason and Cody prove that with their distinct editorial voice, charts can become something even more illuminating and personal that I had imagined possible.”
In “I Love Charts: The Book” you’ll definitely find 200 of the best charts, but in some places you’ll go for 2,000 words without encountering a single chart. That space is perfectly filled with essays and insight on topics that range from life and love to darkness and suicide. Because charts can do that. They can help people express themselves.
“The book largely came about trying to express what we knew about our audience, about our blog and about ourselves…using charts,” says Jason. “The benefit of being a submissions-heavy blog is that you learn a lot about the people who participate. They share their stories with you when they submit – their aspirations, frustrations and what they find silly or unjust about the world.”
So it’s not a proper book release until you throw a book release party. Tumblr is sponsoring the I Love Charts: The Book release party Tuesday, May 1 from 6 to 11 p.m. downstairs at Hotel Americano in NYC. There’ll be a DJ. There’ll be a Tumblr meetup, including founder David Karp. There’ll be drinks. And of course, there’ll be charts! Will you be there?
Tags: charts book, charts party, charts tumblr, I Love Charts, i love charts book, I Love Charts: The Book, tumblr book
Posted by Tattletech on Apr 30, 2012 in
Monday Jumpstart “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
- Mahatma Gandhi
