Roland’s new take on the iconic TR-909 delivers nostalgia aplenty

Roland’s Boutique line of synthesizers broke from cover last fall and today the company announced three more members of the series. Appropriately enough for 909 Day, the highlight of the trio is a revival of the iconic TR-909 drum machine. The new version, officially called the TR-09, “recreates the influential hybrid sound of its predecessor” thanks to ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) technology according to Roland.

The new 909 includes a 16-step sequencer and TR-REC programming with both step and tap writing modes. The company also says that the TR-09 offers more flexibility than the original thanks to improved controls that allow for adjustments without stopping the beat. It also offers MIDI and USB connections for getting sounds out from the instrument to use elsewhere. The best part? It’s set to retail for $399.

This isn’t the first time Roland has paid homage to the TR-909. In 2014, the company announced the AIRA line with a range of devices that brought the sounds of the 808, 909 and 303 to synth and drum machine fans decades later. Speaking of the 303, the second of today’s announcements is a fresh take on that bass synth. The new TB-03 also makes use of ACB tech to harness “authentic sound and character of the original.” Besides the pitch and time write modes from the TB-303, the TB-03 adds a step write option and the ability to switch between modes while a loop is playing. It also packs an LED display and those handy MIDI and USB connections in the $349 package.

Last but not least, there’s a new version of the VP-330 Vocoder Plus. The new gear is labeled the VP-03 and like the other two members of the group, it too uses ACB technology to offer the sounds of the original instrument with a mix of synth and human voice. Vocoder, voice and string sources remain and there are inputs for an XLR microphone and optional keyboard as well. Other new features include 16-chord memory setups for one-finger playback, voice step sequencer for even more rhythmic effects and both MIDI and micro USB connectivity. The VP-03 will also set you back $349.

Unfortunately, Roland didn’t announce when you’ll be able to nab one or more members of the group. It’s also not the only company reviving old classics as Korg brought back a number of instruments including the ARP Odyssey and MS-20. Moog has also put some of its older synths back in production, most recently reviving the the Minimoog Model D.

Source: Roland (1), (2), (3)

Roland’s System-8 synthesizer does almost everything

As Roland’s product-packed 909 day comes to a close, one of the more impressive announcements is the new System-8 synthesizer. Taking a design cue from the Aira line, the new keyboard is packed full of features including the ability to add and control multiple synth profiles at once.

Using Roland’s Analog Circuit Behavior modeling, the System-8 recreates the sounds found on vintage and current synthesizers. Roland calls them “plug-outs” when in reality they’re more like plug ins. In addition to the built in sound, users can add the sounds from the company’s library of instruments. It ships with the Jupiter-8 and Juno-106 plug-outs that can be played without any additional hardware.

Roland offers additional synth plug-outs (including the SH-2, SH-101 and PROMARS) for purchase. What sets the System-8 apart from the Aira System-1 that also supports plug-outs is the ability to load and control up to three additional virtual synths at the same time. You can do things like patch sounds for deep patches and create custom keyboard splits.

The System-8 also has a 64-step sequencer, arpeggio with quick access buttons, three oscillators, chord memory, CV/GATE outputs and a vocoder. Plus it’s polyphonic and supports eight voices via the velocity enabled keys. It also has the usual MIDI and audio in and out ports. Priced at $1,499 it’s a bit pricier than anything else in the Aira or Boutique line, but you’re getting a lot of synth in a single package.

Source: Roland

Apple ‘Reboots’ Self-Driving Car Initiative Amid Project Layoffs and Closures

Apple has closed parts of its self-driving car project and laid off dozens of employees attached to it as it reboots its plan for self-driving vehicles, according to The New York Times. The move comes just over a month after the company reportedly began shifting its car project to autonomous driving systems rather than vehicles under Bob Mansfield.

Mansfield, a longtime Apple executive who was previously Vice President of Technologies, was appointed to oversee the car project in late July, adjusting the project to focus on the “underlying technology” for autonomous vehicles rather than actually building an automobile. The layoffs, according to The New York Times, are part of the strategic shift of the project.

Apple employees were told that the layoffs were part of a “reboot” of the car project, the people briefed on it said. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.

Apple had made some progress in the development of Project Titan, the codename for its car project, having a number of self-driving vehicles in testing. The cars were tested with simple, limited operating routes in closed environments, but the technology was far from ready for primetime, reports The New York Times.

The Cupertino company had recruited hundreds of engineers from Tesla, Ford, GM, other car companies and employees in other divisions of Apple to work on its car project, growing the Apple Car team to nearly 1,000 members.

Earlier this year, Steve Zadesky, former Ford engineer and VP of Product Design, left the company for personal reasons. He had been in charge of the project and reported to Dan Riccio, Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering. Rumors have suggested that the departure of Zadesky resulted in delays of the project and internal strife due to challenges like unattainable timelines and organizational changes. The original launch target for the Apple Car was said to be in 2020, but changes and delays to the project had caused it to slip into 2021.

Related Roundup: Apple Car
Tag: nytimes.com
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Transport Canada advises airline passengers not to place Note 7 in checked baggage

Transport Canada has issued a statement about taking the Galaxy Note 7 on planes following a global recall and subsequent statement from the FAA.

In the statement, the airline regulator recommends Canadians traveling with the beleaguered device “be carried in the cabin, where an incident can be immediately mitigated,” and to avoid keeping the phone in checked luggage where a fire “could easily overwhelm the fire suppression system of an aircraft.”

The move mirrors a similar statement by the FAA, which “strongly advises passengers not to turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft and not to stow them in any checked baggage.”

The full statement from Transport Canada is below:

The purpose of this safety advisory is to advise air operators, passengers and crew of the risks involved in transporting the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone in checked baggage or inside the cabin of an aircraft. In light of recent incidents and concerns involving the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, Samsung announced on September 2nd, a global recall and replacement program for millions of these devices because of batteries exploding or catching fire.

Lithium-ion batteries that typically power these devices have the potential to overheat or short-circuit if they are defective, mishandled, or not packed properly. In turn, this can lead to a fire and cause a chain reaction with other lithium-ion batteries nearby. This type of fire could easily overwhelm the fire suppression system of an aircraft.

For this reason, Transport Canada is advising air operators, passengers and crew of this safety risk and recommends that Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices be carried in the cabin, where an incident can be immediately mitigated, and not in checked baggage. Transport Canada also strongly recommends against using or charging these devices in the cabin of an aircraft.

Earlier today, Samsung Canada told Android Central that new stock of the Note 7 would be arriving as early as next week for those who have turned their phones in to their carriers or directly to Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

• Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
• Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
• The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
• Here are all four Note 7 colors
• Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
• Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!

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Google Chromecast 4K: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know

Google’s Chromecast is going 4K.

It’s been a year since Google updated Chromecast by releasing Chromecast 2 with a new design, improved internals, and a refreshed app. The Mountain View, CA-based company has likely been developing a third-generation model since then, and according to a recent report, that new device should debut this autumn, and it’ll bring support for 4K streams. Here’s everything we know about Google’s upcoming dongle.

Google Chromecast: What is it?

Google launched the first Chromecast in 2013. It’s an affordable HDMI dongle that lets you wirelessly “cast” content to a television. It basically makes most TVs smart. Then, in 2015, Google launched Chromecast 2. It’s faster, more responsive, and just as affordable. And it arrived with an updated Chromecast app that serves as a one-stop shop for finding compatible apps and specific content across those apps.

For more information on Chromecast, see Pocket-lint’s review of Chromecast 2.

• Chromecast 2 review: Make any TV smart, effortlessly
• What is Google Cast for Audio?
• Chromecast now has a guest mode: Here’s how to turn on the feature
• What is Google Chromecast and why should you care?
• Roku Streaming Stick vs Google Chromecast
• Amazon Fire TV Stick vs Google Chromecast vs Roku Streaming Stick

Google Chromecast 4K: What is it?

Android Police has claimed that Google will soon invited the media to a hardware launch event. At this event, Google will announce two new Pixel smartphones, an updated 4K-capable Chromecast, a Daydream virtual reality device, and more details on its Amazon Echo-like Google Home speaker. Google might call its new Chromecast 4K the “Chromecast Plus” or “Chromecast Ultra”.

Google was reportedly going to launch a 4K version of the Chromecast in autumn 2015, but it instead released Chromecast 2 with a new disc-shaped design. It also released a Chromecast Audio device, which basically makes most speakers smart by allowing you to wirelessly “cast” audio content from a Chromecast-enabled app to a speaker connected to Chromecast Audio.

Google Chromecast 4K: What will it feature?

Chromecast 4K should support 4K Ultra HD content for the benefit of consumers that have upgraded to TV sets that support 4K content. If Google adds support for 4K to its HDMI dongle, it would beat both Amazon Fire TV Stick and Roku Stick, both of which are similar HDMI dongles, but they don’t yet support 4K content. Apple’s fourth-generation Apple TV box doesn’t even support 4K.

We don’t yet know what else Chromecast 4K might feature. Keep in mind Chromecast 2 was updated to be compatible with 5GHz Wi-Fi networks, and it comes with three radios rather than a single-band Wi-Fi antenna, so you experience less interference than you do with the original Chromecast on a 2.4GHz network. It’ll therefore be interesting to see how else Chromecast 4K can be improved over Chromecast 2.

Google Chromecast 4K: What will it look like?

We don’t yet know what Chromecast 4K might look like, but Google just drastically switched up the design last year with the release of Chromecast 2. While the first Chromecast looks like a basic USB stick, Chromecast 2 has an all-new look, with the purpose of making it easier to squeeze between ports behind your TV. It’s a small, plastic, hockey-puck-shaped device with a glossy and colourful front and matte bottom.

Google Chromecast 4K: When will it be available?

Google will supposedly announce the updated 4K-capable Chromecast at a hardware-focused event on 4 October. If that’s true, we expect the device to be available for purchase either immediately or shortly after.

Google Chromecast 4K: How much will it cost?

Google currently sells the current-generation of Chromecast and Chromecast Audio for £30 ($35) each. It is unknown whether the 4K version of Chromecast will cost more.

Want to know more?

Browse Pocket-lint’s Chromecast hub for the latest and breaking news.

Master the latest iOS update with the Complete iOS 10 Developer Course (98 per cent off)

iOS 10 is nearly here, and time is running out to get a head start on mastering it.

With app developers eager to learn its newest features, iOS 10 is going to make a splash in the tech industry. So, knowing the update’s ins and outs is a great way to get their attention. WIth the Complete iOS 10 Developer Course, you can start mastering iOS 10 the minute it launches.

For a limited time, the Complete iOS 10 Developer Course is on sale to Pocket-lint readers for only £21.83 ($29).

Packed with more than 80 hours of training, this course will teach you how to build apps with iOS 10. You’ll explore coding with Swift, Apple’s very own programming language, and you’ll learn how to integrate iOS 10’s newest features like facial recognition into your own apps. On top of mastering Swift, you’ll also get exposed to SiriKit and use it to improve app functionality with Siri.

You’ll also immerse yourself in game design and use SpriteKit Games to build your own titles. Whether they’re for TVOS, iPad, or even Apple watch, you’ll learn how to design games and apps for several platforms.

As an added bonus, the Complete iOS 10 Developer Course comes with the Complete iOS 9 Hacker Training course bundled in for free. Featuring over 90 hours of iOS 9 training, this course will provide you with even more app-building practice as you build over 100 apps from scratch with Xcode 7 and Swift.

Bundled together, these two courses retail for £1127.80, but Pocket-lint readers can get the Complete iOS 10 Developer Course on sale for only £21.83.

Enter to win an iPhone 7 in our limited-time giveaway

Dying to get your hands on Apple’s next big smartphone?

Save yourself the £600 expense, and sign up for the iPhone 7 Giveaway instead. 100 per cent free to enter, this giveaway gives you a shot at winning Apple’s newest and most innovative smartphone yet. What better way to upgrade your smartphone than by winning the most anticipated one for free.

Simply sign up for the iPhone 7 Giveaway, and you’ll be a step closer to owning this year’s most talked about smartphone.

While details on its features are still speculative, the iPhone 7 is rumored to bring the latest in camera, battery, and waterproofing technology. With Android phones already building hype around their own waterproof phones, it’s clear that Apple is intent on matching the excitement with their own devices.

What’s more, many suspect the iPhone 7 will usher in a new wave of design changes. From repurposing the home button to removing the headphone jack, sources speculate that Apple is intent on dramatically changing the image of its beloved smartphone.

Whether you’re in dire need of an upgrade or just want the latest Apple technology in the palm of your hands, the iPhone 7 Giveaway gives you the chance to win a milestone in smartphone engineering.

Enter to win yours today, and you’ll have a shot at beating the rush when iPhone 7 finally hits store shelves. Totally free to enter, the iPhone 7 Giveaway can save you £600 on your next smartphone upgrade.

Researchers can find your deepest secrets by scanning your brain

Verifying your identity with brainwave scans sounds pretty awesome on the surface, but new research from from Texas Tech University shows that EEG identification could be the start of a whole new world of privacy concerns. It’s not so much that brainwaves are susceptible to forgery, like fingerprints — it’s that EEG scanning applications can glean a lot more from your grey matter than you might want. Like, for instance, if you’re secretly an alcoholic.

Security researchers Abdul Serwadda and Richard Matovu recently tested a pair of EEG authentication systems to see if it was possible to identify personal information from anonymous brainwave scans. The pair created a machine learning system that compared the new brainwaves scans to EEG scans from a group of known alcoholics — and the machine successfully identified 25-percent of persons who identified themselves as alcoholics in the new sample. “We weren’t surprised,” Serwadda said of the experiment. “We know the brain signal is so rich in information.”

These markers can probably be used to the benefit of medical science, but with brainwave scanners edging closer to the mainstream, it’s also possible that the data could be used to identify traits in users. If you’re uncomfortable with social networks selling your third-party information now, just think about what it’ll be like when they’re selling data based on your brainwaves.

Source: IEEE Spectrum

TiVo’s next-gen interface plays nice with all your TV content

With TiVo’s Series 1 DVRs going extinct at the end of the month and new parent company Rovi taking over, the TiVo brand is getting an interface refresh to bring it up to day with people’s current viewing habits. (As well as the FCC’s proposed set-top box rules.) The next-generation user interface is designed to allow for even better TV content discovery and predictions, a customizable viewing experience and overall less time spent fiddling with the remote.

“We are transforming TV viewing into an easy, personalized experience,” TiVo’s Chief Design Officer Margret Schmidt said in a statement. “The new UX brings the content the viewer wants right up front faster through expanded discovery and predictions from their own cable subscription and the best online video sources. In short, we designed this UX so the viewer spends less time searching channel guides and opening apps and more time enjoying their favorite shows.”

In addition to a new look, the interface now includes TiVo’s innovative new Prediction technology, which goes a step further than basic recommendations to predict which shows you want to watch right at that moment. And, because no one watches content from just one source anymore, the new TiVo UX is designed to pull in everything from cable or broadcast TV to On Demand and streaming options.

On the down side, there’s no word yet when exactly this update will come to TiVo’s hardware — and Rovi has a history of showing off next-gen guides that don’t ever get a real release — but now that the two companies have joined forces it’s much more likely to see the light of day. For now, however, TiVo will be showing off the interface at the IBC Conference on media and entertainment.

Source: TiVo