Apple’s Newsstand a Huge Success for Digital Publishers

Newsstand, a new feature of iOS 5, is hitting it big with traditional media publishers thanks to its windfall delivery of new digital subscriptions.

Newsstand appears as a folder on the iOS home screen, funneling all your digital magazine and newspaper app subscriptions into a single location. It provides easy access to these apps, automatically updates them in the background when new issues are released, and — here’s the payoff — includes a built-in store for purchasing subscriptions. Purchased titles are displayed individually on Newsstand’s virtual bookshelf.

“Apple Newsstand is changing the way people buy and read magazines, similar to how people bought and listened to music through iTunes. It’s revolutionary,” says Collin Willardson, director of digital marketing at PixelMags, a digital publishing platform for a number of high-profile media brands, including Esquire, Dwell, Men’s Health UK and Cosmopolitan.

Numerous publishers are reporting subscription surges for their newspaper and magazine apps. PixelMags reported a 1,150 percent growth increase in the first week after Newsstand and iOS 5 debuted on Oct. 12. It’s now sold over four million digital magazines.

“We quickly started to realize just how big of an impact Apple Newsstand was having on our business when on the morning after launch, I received a phone call from our server company wondering if we were under attack,” said Ryan Marquis, PixelMags’ founder and COO, in a company’s press release. “I told them that we were for sure — from all the new iOS 5 users who wanted to download magazines from us.”

Conde Nast, Wired’s parent company, saw a 268 percent spike in subscriptions since the Newsstand app landed. “It’s clear that the focused attention and greater discoverability that Newsstand provides our brands has been embraced by the consumer,” said Monica Ray, Executive Vice President of Conde Nast.

Without a doubt, Newsstand increases the visibility of subscription-based magazine and newspaper apps, which often get buried under the onslaught of games, social media and photo apps that tend to dominate the App Store’s charts. But thanks to Newsstand, it seems, the National Geographic iPad app managed to reach the #18 spot in the Free Apps chart last week. The New York Times iPhone app is #27 today. And with a button that takes you directly to the magazine and newspaper section of the App Store, the Newsstand app makes it easy to snatch up subscriptions to quickly fill its own empty shelves.

Other success stories: New York Times app subscriptions absolutely soared after Newsstand launched. Its iPad app alone saw 189,000 new user downloads, seven times the number from the week before (27,000). The New York Times saw even more remarkable numbers for its iPhone app: 1.8 million downloads, or 85 times more downloads than the 21,000 of the week before. Meanwhile, Future Plc, a UK-based publisher of niche consumer-enthusiast magazines, saw a 750 percent increase in sales after Newsstand debuted.

But not everyone is happy with the addition of Newsstand to the iOS ecosystem. For some iOS users, the empty, glaring bookshelf of the Newsstand icon has been a source of irritation. Indeed, the addition of Newsstand is listed as one of very few complaints about iOS 5 across the web. Because Newsstand is a folder, rather than an app, you can’t easily remove it from your home screen, but some clever folks figured out a workaround that doesn’t require jail breaking.

These individuals, however, seem to largely be in the minority. Legions of users are filling up those bare shelves with digital subscriptions, giving a much-needed boost to magazine and newspaper app makers, and the publishing industry in general.

Christina is a Wired.com staff writer covering Apple, robotics, and everything in between. She's also written for Gizmodo and Wired magazine. Check out her Google+ profile here.
Follow @redgirlsays and @gadgetlab on Twitter.

View the original article here

iPhone 4S Adventure Video

If you spend any time watching adventure videos and films, then you know Camp 4 Collective. The powerhouse production team includes some of the world's best climber-photographers—Jimmy Chin, Renan Ozturk, and Tim Kemple—shooting in the world's most extreme, least seen places. Last week they released The Denali Experiment, featuring an all-star crew of mountaineers, skiers, and snowboarders blending their skills to climb up and shred down North America's tallest peak (definitely a must-watch). The Camp 4 guys are total pros—both at staying safe on the most grueling, exotic adventures and shooting incredible footage. 

Gillian Chase - iPhone 4s Music Video from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Recently, Camp 4 conducted another experiment: They shot a music video on a camera phone. While normally this would sound like a waste of time for filmmakers of their expertise, that was not the case. Shooting on the iPhone 4S, with its 8-megapixel camera and 1080p hi-def video, the team produced great results.

"The first digital video cameras we took with us into the mountains four years ago—to Pakistan—were shooting lower resolution and weighed significantly more," says Tim Kemple, who directed the music video featuring singer Gillian Chase. "But even bigger than that to me is the idea that you can always have this camera with you—no set up, no setting down your backpack." Pretty ideal for documenting your adventures.

Here are Kemple's tips—including how to stabilize your shooting, optimizing for iOS5 features, apps for extreme environments, tethering to send dispatches, and dealing with low light—so we all can shoot more like the pros. Just don't forget to put your iPhone in airplane mode. —Mary Anne Potts

Adventure: Why did a bunch of hardcore climbers want to shoot a music video?

Tim Kemple: It was a fun project we did in a couple afternoons after work. Everyone we knew was talking about these new fancy cameras from RED and Canon, and we were excited for them, too. But that got me thinking ... I wonder what this thing in my pocket can do? It was also a way for us to get out of the studio and come together to make something creative.

The first digital video cameras we took with us into the mountains four years ago—to Pakistan—were shooting lower resolution and weighed significantly more than the iPhone 4S. But even bigger than that, to me, is the idea that you can always have this camera with you—no set up, no setting down your backpack.

A: Shooting at the Great Salt Lake for the music video was a beautiful, fairly controlled environment. But have you have also tested the iPhone in extreme conditions?

TK: You'd be amazed at the ways that modern adventurers are using the iPhone in all sorts of conditions. It captures beautiful still images (I've had iPhone images from expeditions run editorially), and the quality of the video is excellent. But just the idea that it's always with you means you end up using it when you'd least expect. Here are a few examples I can think of personally:

1) We used the Star Walk app to show where and when the sun and moon will rise for our timelapses. On the iPhone shoot, we knew the exact position and time of the setting sun on our horizon. How cool is that?

2) Most people have seen Alone on the Wall with [free solo rock climber] Alex Honnold ... what most people don't know is that an hour before his freak out on the ledge, we were all huddled inside a cave on the side of Half Dome stuck in the middle of a scary thunderstorm. I was able to pull out my iPhone and see the satellite imagery of the storm, see the red dot on top of us, and see that it was clearing. Without that weather knowledge we would have bailed.

3) In Patagonia this past year, I had the entire Climbing Guidebook as a PDF on my iPhone. So when the clouds parted I could simply flip thru my iPhone to find the desired (dry) route, and we had all of the beta. On the summit I was able to capture a Panorama/Stitch image that ended up running as an editorial image in Rock and Ice.

4) We've tethered the iPhone in places like Namche, Newfoundland, and others to upload dispatches and trip reports in the past year. It's usually faster and always way cheaper than any sat modem!

A: What are three filming tips you can pass along?

TK: The biggest one: keep it simple—we went out to experiment with a new camera and that was it. We didn't try to overly complicate things or try new techniques.

Number two: the biggest key to a good-looking footage is stable shots. They don't all need to be super stable, but nobody likes watching non-stop shaky videos. A simple tripod goes a long ways. Attaching the camera to something heavier (like a beefy tripod) is a great way to get steady looking walking and hand held footage.

Number three: shoot a subject that you are passionate about. It's the subtle details that you capture when you are shooting something that means something to you that really makes any video (or still image) stand out.

A: The golden light in the music video is so peaceful and artistic. Is this all shot just with the standard video camera on the phone? Or with an app?

TK: All of the video footage was shot with the normal video camera. We intentionally shot in the evening hours when we knew the light would look beautiful—and as amazing as the new camera on the 4S is, the new software update (iOS5) available on any iPhone really let us play with the camera in ways we couldn't before. The new iOS lets you lock focus/exposure/and White Balance. That really let us control the look of the footage we were getting.

A: How did you keep the shots so steady? It that just because you are pros? Or did you have something else helping?

TK: We experimented with all sorts of toys to keep the footage steady. In the end we took as much equipment as we could from the studio out to the location. We used a lot of the hand held footage (the new camera has image stabilization), tripods on the ground, tripods carried in your hand (to give the camera weight). We also dusted off our 18' crane that we normally use on commercial shoots—it was ridiculous honestly ... but that was the point. Seeing a little iPhone at the end of a big crane was classic!

In order to mount the camera to the tripods, we used standard 'super clamps' and also experimented with the Joby Gorilla Pod for iphone ... there might have been some duct tape involved at certain points, too.

A: What editing program did you use? What was that process like?

TK: We treated this footage just like any other footage that comes back from a shoot. We used Final Cut Pro to transcode the footage from H.264 to ProRes. I edited the piece in Premiere Pro and used Magic Bullet Colorista to do pretty minimal color work (mostly to get the clips to match as best I could).

A: How did you handle the audio? You clearly got rid of all the ambient noise.

TK: The audio in the video was recorded at home using Garage Band by Gillian. We then put the music on an ipod and played it over speakers when we on location. She played/sang over top of the iPod. Once it came time to edit I dropped in her master and was able to sync the footage up using the recorded audio from the phone (looking at the wave forms).

A: Let's talk more about the approach with the blown out color. How did you get the effect? Post production? Why did you want it? 

TK: This look was accomplished entirely in camera. To me it looks a lot like one of the looks that's popular on Instagram right now—and I dig it. To get the footage to look how we wanted we shot Gillian backlit nearly the entire time. Then we would focus and expose on her guitar or face (which was in the shadow). Because the camera thought it had to expose for the darker area, and we were able to lock that exposure, when we recomposed to include the sun it gives it that great washed out, ephemeral look.

It was the combination of the song and the landscape that really made us decide that we really wanted to achieve the dreamy look.

A: Because you were shooting on a phone, did you have to sort through a lot of footage you couldn't use?

TK: Honestly because we had such little time in the couple days we shot, there wasn't too much footage at all. I did have to remember to put the phone in Airplane Mode though!

The timelapses were a little more involved in that we had to import all of the photos into Aperture, export them as color corrected Jpegs, and then create a movie out of them in Quicktime before we could start editing them.

A: How does the resolution hold up? What's the largest size this film can be played on?

TK: The footage from the camera is 1080p—and in the right conditions you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between it and any other camera. It's really not until you try and do heavy color work or if you shoot it in dark situations (where the small sensor shows it weakness) that the footage starts to fall apart. We chose to edit this video in 720p because it gave us the freedom to crop in on some of the shots, do zooms, as well as fix any crooked horizons. We've watched it here on our big television at the studio, and it looks fantastic.

More Stories You May Like:

View the original article here

AssistiveTouch Helps the Disabled Use a Smartphone

Plenty has been written about the new iPhone 4S, with its voice-controlled virtual assistant Siri, and about iOS 5, its software.

But in writing a book about both, I stumbled across an amazingly thoughtful feature that I haven’t seen a word about: something called AssistiveTouch.

The Times’s technology columnist, David Pogue, keeps you on top of the industry in his free, weekly e-mail newsletter.
Sign up | See Sample

Now, Apple has always gone to considerable lengths to make the iPhone usable for people with vision and hearing impairments. If you’re deaf, you can have the LED flash to get your attention when the phone rings. You can create custom vibration patterns for each person who might call you. You can convert stereo music to mono (handy if you’re deaf in one ear).

If you’re blind, you can literally turn the screen off and operate everything — do your e-mail, surf the Web, adjust settings, run apps — by tapping and letting the phone speak what you’re touching. You can also magnify the screen or reverse black for white (for better-contrast reading).

In short, iPhone was already pretty good at helping out if you’re blind or deaf. But until iOS 5 came along, it was tough rocks if you had motor-control problems. How are you supposed to shake the phone (a shortcut for “Undo”) if you can’t even hold the thing? How are you supposed to pinch-to-zoom a map or a photo if you can’t even move your fingers?

One new feature, called AssistiveTouch, is Apple’s accessibility team at its most creative. When you turn on this feature in Settings->General->Accessibility, a new, white circle appears at the bottom of the screen. It stays there all the time.

When you tap it, you get a floating on-screen palette. Its buttons trigger motions and gestures on the iPhone screen without requiring hand or multiple-finger movement. All you have to be able to do is tap with a single finger — even a stylus you’re holding in your teeth or fist.

For example, you can tap the Home on-screen button instead of pressing the physical Home button.
If you tap Device, you get a sub-palette of six functions that would otherwise require you to grasp the phone or push its tiny physical buttons. There’s Rotate Screen (tap this instead of turning the phone 90 degrees), Lock Screen (tap instead of pressing the Sleep switch), Volume Up and Volume Down (tap instead of pressing the volume keys), Shake (does the same as shaking the phone to undo typing), and Mute/Unmute (tap instead of flipping the small Mute switch on the side).

If you tap Gestures, you get a peculiar palette that depicts a hand holding up two, three, four, or five fingers. When you tap the three-finger icon, for example, you get three blue circles on the screen. They move together. Drag one of them, and the phone thinks you’re dragging three fingers on its surface. Using this technique, you can operate apps that require multiple fingers dragging on the screen.

To me, the most impressive part is that you can define your own gestures. In Settings->General->Accessibility, you can tap Create New Gesture to draw your own gesture right on the screen, using up to five fingers.

For example, suppose you’re frustrated in Google Maps because you can’t do the two-finger double-tap that means “zoom out.” On the Create New Gesture screen, get somebody to do the two-finger double-tap for you. Tap Save and give the gesture a name—say, “2 double tap.”

From now on, “2 double tap” shows up on the final AssistiveTouch panel, called Favorites, ready to trigger with a single tap by a single finger or stylus. (Apple starts you off with one predefined gesture already in Favorites: Pinch. That’s the two-finger pinch or spread gesture you use to zoom in and out of photos, maps, Web pages, PDF documents, and so on. Now you can trigger it with only one finger.)

I doubt that people with severe motor control challenges represent a financially significant number of the iPhone’s millions of customers. But somebody at Apple took them seriously enough to write a complete, elegant and thoughtful feature that takes down most of the barriers to using an app phone.
I, for one, am impressed.

And I’d also like to hear, in the Comments, from people who actually use AssistiveTouch. How well does it work?

View the original article here

Five Stars for GarageBand for iOS

CNET Editors' note: The "Download Now" link directs you to the iTunes App Store, where you must continue the download process. You must have iTunes installed in order to open the link, and you must have an active iTunes account to download the application. This download may not be available in some countries.

by: Jason Parker on November 02, 2011

GarageBand already has a long history on the Mac, letting people use intuitive controls and a huge library of instruments and prerecorded loops to create songs. But for the iOS version, Apple needed to come up with creative ways to record music using only a touch-screen interface, and we think the company did an amazing job. The iPad version was released in March 2011, but the app has now gone universal in the latest version, letting you record and create songs on your iPhone and iPod Touch as well.

As a general overview, GarageBand offers several Touch Instruments, guitar amps and effects, eight-track recording and mixing, and more than 250 loops to play with. You can export AAC files of your projects through e-mail or add them to iTunes.

Immediately upon launch, GarageBand makes it easy to get started creating a song. Simply choose an instrument and start playing around with GarageBand's many options. GarageBand offers instruments you can play in real time like their real-world counterparts, but you also have the option to play Smart Instruments that do most of the heavy lifting for you. Every instrument has its own specific theme, giving all of them their own feel as you play. Some instruments even have added controls such as effects boxes you can turn on and off to fine-tune your sound.

Using the smart keyboard, for example, lays out all your chords in the chosen key. This means that just about whatever you press will probably go together in a song. You can change the key by touching the wrench in the upper-right corner of the screen. Using a combination of bass notes on the bottom and chords at the top, it's easy to create a nice-sounding song, even if you have very little experience playing the piano.

Similarly, the smart guitar offers a different layout that lets you play chords with a swipe of your finger. You also have the ability to switch to individual notes and actually bend guitar strings for your big rock solos. All of the Smart Instruments come with a few prerecorded segments so you can just tap a key and let the app play for you. Drums can be played manually on touch-screen drum kits or drum-machine-like layouts. But as with the other instruments, you can choose smart drums to make things easier. Simply drag and place drum set pieces onto a grid to experiment, or hit the dice icon in the lower left for a random layout. It's clear that Apple spent a lot of time on how to make music creation easy even for people with no musical experience.

Once you've been inspired by some of the instruments, you can record a couple of tracks, then look at the track layout section to add or remove tracks, manage track volume, and play with effects like reverb, track panning, and echo. Tracks are laid out horizontally with controls on the left and a graphical representation of your recorded notes on the right. As you become more advanced, you can touch the settings icon in the upper right and use quantization tools to match up complex tracks to cover up your less-than-perfect rhythm.

The track screen is also where you'll find GarageBand's prerecorded loops. Once you find something you like by instrument, genre, and other descriptors, just drag and drop the loop onto your track screen to add it to your song. We were able to put together loops and create a great-sounding song without ever playing a note. The cool thing about GarageBand for iOS is that you decide how involved you want to be with the actual music creation process. You can record your real-time playing of an instrument, use a prerecorded loop, or choose to let GarageBand play the instrument while you select the keys.

With tons of uniquely designed and authentic-sounding instruments, a smart touch interface, and tools that make song creation easy, we think it's a miracle this app is only $4.99. Anyone with even a passing interest in creating music should download GarageBand for iOS. Frankly, we wish we could give it more than five stars for the virtually unlimited song possibilities, ease of use, and excellent touch-screen controls. If you have an iOS device and like music, you should definitely buy this app.

Deliver professional PDF communications securely and efficiently. window.addEvent('domready', function() { $$('div[id^="universalVideo"]').set('styles', { clear: 'none', overflow: 'hidden' }); });

GarageBand for iPad turns your iPad into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studio, so you can make music anywhere you go. Use Multi-Touch gestures to play pianos, organs, guitars, drums, and basses on your iPad. They sound and play like their counterparts, but let you do things you could never do on a real instrument. Plug an electric guitar into your iPad and play through classic amps and stompbox effects. Use the built-in microphone or a guitar to record, or capture any performance. Then mix up to eight tracks to create a song you can share.

Guards against online identity theft All versions:

4.9 stars out of 14 votes

5 star: 12 4 star: 2 3 star: 0 2 star: 0 1 star: 0 Current version:

out of 14 votes

5 star: 12 4 star: 2 3 star: 0 2 star: 0 1 star: 0 My rating:

0 stars

Write review 5.0 stars

"Must-have music creation app for both pros and novices"

December 11, 2011  |   By micklerd

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

(1) Ease of use, (2) intuitive interface (3) "smart" instruments AND the ability to hook up to real instruments (via cord for electric guitar, via mic for everything else), (4) slick integration with the desktop program. Deftly treads the line between being approachable for total novice and completely useful for pro musicians. It removes the technical aspects of music creation, and allows you to concentrate on your ideas as you're on the go. All for the price of a pint of beer? Are you kidding me?? Apple hit it out of the park with this one.

Cons

Since the release of the first iOS version of Garageband (the iPad version) Apple has fixed the ability to import work on the iOS versions into the full, desktop Garageband program, and added the ability to import Apple loops. I'm at a loss to find other things you could add that don't start to tread into the land of feature-creep. It's not the full desktop program (nor should it be), but, WOW, it sure gets pretty darn close.

Summary

There are a handful of apps that could be considered essential. This is one of them. Even if you have no musical experience, this app will bring out the musician you never knew you were. I figured out how 80% of the program worked within a couple of hours of toying around with it. The process of discovery was fun in and of itself. I had delightful glee as I discovered "ooh, it can do that?!" Yes, it can do that.

Some may question the need for phone version of Garageband. As a hobbyist musician with a demanding day job, Garageband for iOS has transformed my songcrafting. I now capture melodies as the come to me. Before I started using the desktop version of Garageband, it would take me around 10 days to complete a song. When I started using the desktop version of Garageband, that went down to 4-5 days. With the iOS version, I can hammer out a song's melody, chord progressions and rhythm section on my 40 min bus ride into work, do some tweaking and lyric writing on my lunch break and on my bus ride home, and record lyrics, re-record the synth guitar tracks I created in Garageband with my real guitar, and finish the song over a few of hours in the evening. A complete song in one day versus 10 days a few years ago. That's a 90% cut in my songwriting workflow. Literally.

The difference is mobility. The ability to create music and not be tied to a computer or a lug around a laptop--or even an iPad--is truly freeing. It means I can create whenever and wherever inspiration strikes, in a way that is as serious and as productive as when I am at my computer or at my guitar.

Musician friends of mine caution that the truly ridiculous ease with which anyone (and I do mean ANYONE) can create music using the iOS versions of Garageband means the death of "real" music. I cannot disagree more. To me, it is the democratization of music. When Apple first launched the Mac, computers were the arcane province of geeks and programmers. By adding a graphical user interface and integrating the mouse, Apple's first Mac took out the technical barrier that hindered widespread adoption of the PC. Microsoft followed suit with Windows, and the rest is history.

The same thing is happening here. Garageband and other DAWs are taking out the technical barriers that prevent most people from creating music themselves, like being able to play an instrument and knowing music theory. But no program can make a crappy song great. The elements of a great song--tight song structure, clever lyrics, hooky melodies, original musical ideas and innovative use sounds--are products of our minds. Garageband allows you to concentrate on those things, in an uniquely mobile way.

I can see the day, soon perhaps, when people will hear a song and say, "Oh, that's nothing special. I could have created that on my phone in Garageband." For musicians, the stakes to create fresh, original and innovative music have been raised. Fortunately, the thing that has raised the stakes (Garageband) is the very tool we can use to surmount the challenge.

Apple revolutionized personal computers 30 years ago with the Mac. It sea-changed music distribution 10 years ago with the iPod and iTunes, and the smart phone industry 5 years ago with the iPhone. Now, with Garageband, it is well positioned to revolutionize music production and how we think and talk about music. Garageband for iPhone is going to be a game changer, no doubt about it.

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

5.0 stars

"truly amazing!"

December 11, 2011  |   By javin_aryan97

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

has a really smooth interface, and a lot of instruments to play.
the song compilation is really easy and quick.

Cons

connecting real instruments with the iPhone is a little slow and sluggish, but works fine with the iPad.

Summary

enjoyed it on my MacBook Pro, now i can carry that experience where ever i go. truly amazing!
It is a must have app!

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

4.0 stars

"High on the WOW factor!"

December 7, 2011  |   By Rhinotherunt

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

Brilliantly designed UI. My 5 yr old cousin can navigate it quite well. Truly smart instruments! Sound of digital instruments is quite impressive. Ridiculously fun as well!

Cons

Not really a software problem, but an iPad connectivity issue. You once could connect nice microphones (Blue Yeti) into the iPad to do audio recording. Apple lowered the power to the USB connection via iPad update. Now recording in the field with such a microphone requires a powered USB hub. Not very field handy anymore. Maybe in a future update Apple developers will give End Users the choice to "power save" or not "power save" on the USB connection via camera connection kit. Till then I am back to lugging my MacBook Pro around... Grrr @ Apple. They are acting like Microsoft on this.

Summary

Overall this software is fantastic!!! It is cheap, useful and a lot of fun! Can entertain 5 yr olds and adults alike for hours!

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

5.0 stars

"Hear it programme it"

December 4, 2011  |   By misstarnia

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

Simple interface that is easy to use, it doesn't take up all the resources of your phone to use. If you can hear it in your head, you can make the sound using your Garagebank i0S5

Cons

None that I've found.

Summary

I've been telling everyone I know with an iPod or iPhone about this fantastic application. You can choose to programme your own sounds or use the applications preconfigured samples. Smooth running, great sounds. Go on plug your device into external speakers and hear for yourself.

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

5.0 stars

"seems awesome but..."

December 3, 2011  |   By singerchik

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

I have heard nothing but wonderful things about GB! I can't wait to figure it out.

Cons

But as a brand new user without much music theory I am overwhelmed. I am a singer and can sight read my vocal lines fairly well but beyond that I'm pretty illiterate. My goal was to be able to upload karaoke tracks from my itunes library to GB and then record my vocals over them, then adding harmonies and effects,etc...eliminating my need to go to a recording studio to make a demo. Thus far I cannot figure out a way to accomplish my goal and am wondering if there is a way to do this or a different app that may be more suitable.

Summary

Any feedback from ya'll would be greatly appreciated!

Reply to this review Read reply (1)

Was this review helpful? (0) (0)

5.0 stars

"Best Value of any app I've purchased."

November 22, 2011  |   By DevinL88

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

Easy to use.
Enough options to create more chords for advanced players.
Auto-play is a great feature.
Shows you hands-on the basic theory behind playing music. (This is great exposure to those who want to get into music)

Cons

I wish there were more slots to add chords. If there was a way to just put a scroll bar so i can choose more than just 8 chords.

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

5.0 stars

"Great tool for professional songwriter"

November 21, 2011  |   By WhyaDuck

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

GB for iPad is an amazing app at an amazing price. It allows me to record song ideas anywhere and then transfer them to my iMac's GarageBand program (and even to Logic. a full DAW program for professional studio work).

The app is easy to use and has a plethora of features. Various instruments.including a drum pad that alone is terrific. I'm am no longer tied to my Home Recording Studio while writing songs. I can record live via the iPad's built-in mic - vocals, piano and acoustic guitar. The app is a full multi-track recorder which basically makes the iPad a fairly complete recording studio.

I recently ordered the Alesis IO dock for the iPad which allows connections for guitars, synths, mics, midi etc. This device makes iPad with GatageBand an portable professional recoding studio and mixer.

Cons

I can't think of any cons for an app that does so much.

Summary

As a professional songwriter and musician, GarageBand for iPad is now my go to device for recording new songs. It allows me to record anywhere which means that I no longer do I have to stop and jot down ideas as I work. A truly amazing app for professional musicians and amateurs who want to mkae their own music.

Reply to this review Read reply (1)

Was this review helpful? (3) (0)

5.0 stars

"Getting everything out of the iPhone's potential"

November 20, 2011  |   By Charlietheninth

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

As always, GarageBand features Apple's great intuitive interface while providing a very complete set of instruments. There are endless possibilities for creating your own sounds using the built-in sampler, and there also are 'intelligent' instruments which make the process of creating your own song a lot easier. I love how it also supports the 4th gen iPod Touch and iPhone. Also, when you touch the screen harder, the sound gets louder and vice versa.

Cons

Even though the UI is intuitive, the iPhone or iPod Touch's screen might be a little too small for some to fully enjoy GarageBand.

Summary

Great app and surely well worth the money. For an app like this, it's quite cheap in my opinion. Handy addition to the Mac version.

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

5.0 stars

"Fantastic!Everything you could wish for in a music app!"

November 17, 2011  |   By InkRunner

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

Super easy controls. No music experience necessary. Great value (only $4.99) This is one of the best apps for music I've encountered yet! You don't need to know anything about music, and if you do, you can use that knowledge to your advantage. I didn't like the Mac version, because you had to hook up an physical instrument that you own. I don't own any instruments, but now with Garage Band for ios , i feel like i own them all! I can create my song or musical background on my Ipad and then transfer it to my mac for fine tuning! FABULOUS! And well done apple!!

Cons

Someone mentioned there are add-ons for this app. Im not sure if there are, but that would certainly be a big con. I feel if I payed $4.99 for the app , I shouldn't have to make any in app purchases. They should be included with the app. If you feel that raises the price of the app, the raise the price of the app accordingly. Second con (or first if the above isn't true) there are a limited amount of instruments. Its not a big deal, but with some future updates, I think a few more instruments should be added in! Now what I'd REALLY like to see is a feature to LEARN how to play all the included instruments step by step so you can slowly step away from the smart controls and gain more control over your music. Also , you learn something in the process. Im not asking for it to teach you to be a pro, but just some basics and a song or two. If you like the experience, go and get some music lessons!

Summary

Fantastic overall app with simple but to the point controls. For $4.99 I recommend this to anyone who likes music, whether you have experience or not. There is certainly ample room for improvements though! I look forward to the future updates!

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

5.0 stars

"Great-great-great!"

November 16, 2011  |   By sm7x7

Version: GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Pros

Simple. Effective. Solid. Easy.

Cons

Needs more instruments (i.e. strings, brass, woodwinds, etc.)

Summary

A+ and only $4.99. Instruments' packs extra. I have all of them.

Reply to this review

Was this review helpful? (1) (0)

You are logged in as . Please submit your review for GarageBand for iPad and iPhone 1.1

Please describe the problem you have with this software. This information will be sent to our editors for review.

Thank you for submitting a problem report! The Download team is committed to providing you with accurate software information.

OK

View the original article here

GarageBand Now Available for iPhone and iPod touch

Play a collection of highly expressive musical instruments designed for Multi-Touch that sound and play just like their real counterparts — but let you do things you could never do on a real instrument.

Tap out beats on three acoustic drum kits. The snare, kick, toms, hi-hat, and cymbals each produce different tones depending on where and how hard you tap them.

Play electronic drum kits by tapping “drum pads” inspired by a classic drum machine interface.

Select from several keyboards — a grand piano, an organ, a synthesizer — each with a unique sound, distinctive look, and customizable performance characteristics. Hard taps are louder and soft taps quieter, just like on a real keyboard.

Play over 70 modern and vintage synthesizer sounds — including synth strings, leads, basses, and more. And use the Arpeggiator to create sophisticated riffs and melodies.

Enjoy a full range of Smart Instruments that make you sound like an expert musician. Even if you’ve never played a note before.

Strum chords on acoustic and electric guitars, trigger fingerpicking and strumming patterns, or tap out your own riffs and melodies.

Play a range of keyboard instruments by tapping on preselected chords that sound great together, no matter what you play.

Perform bass lines and grooves simply by tapping on strings, or switch to Notes view to play individual notes on a virtual bass neck.

Drag and drop snares, kicks, and hi-hats to create your own beats, and effortlessly move them around to try out different patterns.

Play chords chosen by GarageBand for your song, or customize your own chords from an extensive library.

Arrange and mix your songs anywhere inspiration strikes using a powerful eight-track recording studio that can handle any combination of audio recordings, Touch Instruments, and loops.

Create a song by trimming and arranging musical regions exactly where you want them to play. Swipe to reveal the mixer to fine-tune each track for the perfect mix.

Just plug in a guitar to access nine classic and modern virtual guitar amps. Touch gestures let you operate tone controls and a swipe switches you from one amp to the next.

Choose from ten stompbox effects including distortion, echo, and chorus. And add and reorder stompboxes to build your own pedalboard.

Record your voice or any acoustic sound using the built-in microphone on your device. Then apply any one of eight fun sound effects like Chipmunk, Robot, Telephone, Monster, and more.

GarageBand makes it easy to share your song. Just email it from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Export and add it to your iTunes library. Or send it to your Mac and open in GarageBand to keep refining it.

All versions of GarageBand are built from the same technology developed for Logic Pro — the application used in professional recording studios around the world. So you can create great-sounding songs anywhere you go. Easily move and share projects between all your iOS devices, or open them in GarageBand for Mac and take them even further.

GarageBand for iOS works with iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), iPad, and iPad 2.

GarageBand for Mac works with any Mac running OS X v10.6.6 or later. Learn more about GarageBand for Mac

View the original article here

Life’s good with LG cellular phones

The cellular phone industry is already able to stand as a functional gadget and not merely luxurious toy. Because of this, manufacturer quickly jump into the cellular phone bandwagon, this includes the electronics companies and telephone companies. On the electronics side, LG Electronics is getting to be a figure to watch out for in the future.

LG Electronics is now focusing all its effort in making LG cellular phone an excellent and premium brand. This is a commitment made by the LG Electronics CEO during his speech at the 2004 International Consumer Electronic Show. To show how committed LG Electronics is to their promise, the company is poised on investing three hundred million dollars for the marketing activities of LG Cellular phone. LG Electronics likewise set-up a brand management team that will uphold the new LG slogan that “Life’s Good” for all its marketing efforts that will promote the premium LG cellular phone brand in the North American market.

Because of this strong commitment to develop cellular phone units as a premium and superb brand of cellular phones, consumers are sure that the company will soon introduce to the market cellular phone units that will give some major manufacturers a run for their money. This endeavor will surely benefit consumers who will find more premium brand cellular phones including LG cellular phones available in the market. The endeavor will further alleviate the company’s vision of sitting as one of the top three global firms by the year 2010. This may prove to be an easy task for the company coming from its success in achieving top brand image in India, Middle East and Africa. This endeavor of making premium brand LG cellular phones is not only a mission for it North American market but the plan includes Europe as well. I hope that in the future, for the world, this is a vision that LG Electronics is focusing on.

The campaign following the theme “life’s good” offers superior lifestyle for LG cellular phone users. The company keeps this promise by putting together a product development team that will focus on making premium LG cellular phones that will compete in the marketplace, functionality and beauty is a huge consideration.

The company is seeking to achieve an ambitious sales growth of 20% by boosting its marketing efforts for the globally competitive and premium LG cellular phone brand. To achieve all these, product development for the cellular phones units is the most important step. Organizational restructuring and improved distribution for LG cellular phone might also be a neat strategy for the company if they are serious in wanting to achieve a hefty 20% growth from its cellular phone business.

An increasing number of satisfied LG cellular phone users recognize the development as an effective way to get superior benefits from the increasing number of premium quality cellular phones with the introduction of the newly developed and innovatively designed cellular phones from LG Electronics. They foresee this development and the company’s endeavor to be beneficial and thus may work well to the mutual benefit of the company and its consumers.

LG cellular phones are poised on competing in the functional and beautifully designed cellular phone industry, their experience in the electronics industry give them the edge against competition. Await the development and the new LG cellular phone models to get the benefit from the company’s commitment to quality.

Cell phones, do you really want to be available all the time?

Do you really want to be available for anyone and everyone on a 24/7 basis? What do I mean? A famous person once said that the more available you make yourself; the more available everyone will expect you to be. People will actually be annoyed if you are not instantly and constantly available rather than being pleased when you do call. People expecting you to be available all the time may be annoying. Cell phone calls follow you everywhere you are including your bathroom. Even during nighttime when you want to rest, cell phones continue to ring and annoy you. If it is important, no problem but if it is very menial, why you need to be bothered so late.

Today in this modern society, we live in and the proliferation of cell phones we see people talking anywhere and everywhere. If used for business, this may prove to be very effective and worthy. However, for very menial issues being bothered in your sleep and even during your bathroom time may be quite annoying if not outright disgusting. However, if you make yourself available all the time, you created your own nightmare.

Cell phone etiquette is getting to be a forgotten concept. You will see people talking on the phone loudly and disturbs people nearby in restaurants and even in offices. I am sure by now, once or twice in a meeting you will notice that when a cell phone rings, almost everyone around will immediately look for their cell phones. If you were the one talking, and then the person in front of you talks on his phone, how would you feel? I am sure you will feel belittled and ignored. Rude practice, and should be changed.

It may help people who use cell phones to follow certain degree of etiquette with respect to the use of cell phones specially in places where you may seem rude if you use or even when your cell phone rings.

When you are in a place of worship, it may be necessary to leave your cell phone in the house or at least turn it off if you do not want to be away with it. This is because ringing cell phone will not just disturb you while you pray it will also disturb others. You do not need to show off your expensive gadget in a place of worship.

During meetings, please turn off your cell phone; it is rude to have your phone ringing while somebody speaks. Disruption may cause problems especially when the meeting tackles extremely important issues. However, if you are waiting for terribly important call, you may use the vibrate mode of your cell phone to alert you when a call is in-coming and leave the meeting if you need to answer the call. You may also inform the possible caller that you are in a meeting and that you cannot be disturbed.

When traveling and if you are on-board an aircraft, you will be required to turn off your phone. This is because electronics devices may interfere with the aircraft’s avionics. Thus, it is a requirement to turn of your phone for safety reasons. However, for extremely long flights, airline companies allow cell phone usage at a certain time, if you really need to make a phone call, use this time allotted if necessary.

Cell phone have become to be a necessity nowadays, that is why most people use it and cell phone manufacturers have continuously develop different usage and functions for this very small gadget. Be globally competitive, but you should understand that being rude is not part of modernity. Follow certain degree of etiquette; this will be very helpful to you and your business.