Roland’s System-8 keyboard is all the synths you want in one case
There’s a reason professional keyboards and synths are filled with dials, buttons and levers. When a musician is getting ready for the next song, it’s quicker to turn a knob then sift through multiple sub-menus via the onboard computer. Roland’s System-8 synth has such a display, but nearly everything you need is at your fingertips, and that’s great.
The System-8 continues the company’s reputation for aggressively priced drum machines and keyboards modeled after vintage instruments. It even has the same design aesthetic as the Aira family of products that kicked off this nostalgia trend. But don’t let those cartoonish glowing green lights distract you from the fact that this is a synth with a ton of features at a great value.
The main draw of the $1,500 System-8 is Roland’s “Plug-Out” feature. With it, musicians can add the patches and sounds of old-school synths to the keyboard on the fly. And not just one instrument either — three additional Plug-Out synths can be added at a time for quick access via onboard buttons. The sequencer, which on other instruments is difficult to use, can be ready to record with just a tap. Sequencing a keyboard run is simple. Even when you have to use the onboard display to adjust features like the length of a sequence, it doesn’t require a 45-minute dive into the owner’s manual.
The synthesizer’s push-button “Performance” mode (aka keyboard split where the high and low-end of the keyboard are split between two different patches) is also just a button press away. Plus, it can have sounds from two separate Plug-Out synths on it. As a bonus, you can create a sequence for each of those patches. You can even throw in an arpeggiator for good measure, all with a few taps.
In fact, that’s the wonderful thing about the eight-voice polyphonic System-8: All the major features are just a tap, twist or slide away. No need to delve into menus and submenus. Touchscreens transformed computing. Without them we’d still be carrying music players with scroll wheels. But, in many instances, they’re not a good substitute for physical buttons. (I’m looking at you, automakers.)
Of course having all those features placed on the top of an instrument could be confusing mess. Yet Roland has been able to tame the forest of inputs with labeling and placement that make it a snap to change the wave of oscillator one while reducing the volume of oscillator two.
The layout is straightforward, with the arpeggiator on the far left; the oscillators, LFO and associated controls in the middle; and the sequencer and filters on the right. After about five minutes of playing I knew exactly where to place my hands to adjust the sounds. And if you’re worried about those noises, don’t be. While analog purists might be turned off by the digital System-8, they’ll be hard-pressed to detect the difference between the plug-out Jupiter 8 and the real thing without them playing side by side.
So with a clean, knob-and-button-friendly layout and audio that’ll impress even hard-core analog purists, the System-8 is a winner. But, it won’t be ideal for everyone. First off, the green-glowing lights are likely to be a turnoff for some. I own the Roland Aira TR8 so I’ve gotten used to it. Fortunately, during my tests I found that those jade-colored illuminations won’t blind you when the lights are down. The last thing you want on stage is something so bright, you can’t even see it. That is, if you feel comfortable dragging the System-8 to gigs.
Some might be wary of playing live with the System-8 because of its plastic case. If you plan on using this in your home or practice space it shouldn’t be an issue. But if you want to use it on stage and you play a lot of shows, it could be a problem. You can get a hard case for transportation, but Roland could have gone the extra mile to make the keyboard more robust if it was going to pack it full of features. I would gladly throw the company an extra $150 for a metal or wood case and I’m sure others would as well.
That’s not to say that a plastic case is a recipe for disaster, though. My band has been using a synth onstage with a plastic case for nearly six years without issue. Then again, when it was new it cost about a third of the price of the System-8.
Still, the System-8 is an incredible value at $1,500 — and it should remind other keyboard makers that it’s not just professional-grade products that could use some good old-fashioned knobs to make their instruments easier to use. If you’re looking to step up your at-home productions or you’re willing to be extra careful while gigging, it’ll be a great addition to your synth arsenal.
Source: Roland
Xbox Insider Program opens its previews to everyone
The Xbox Preview Program has been helpful for gamers who want to see the future of Microsoft’s console software before it’s finished, but Microsoft thinks it can do better. It’s renaming the offering to the Xbox Insider Program, and instituting key changes both to the software as well as availability. For most people, the biggest change is simply who can access the program — it’ll “soon” be open to anyone with an Xbox. Access to system updates is still limited to those already participating, but that won’t preclude you from getting sneak peeks for apps and games so long as you meet qualifications (such as your region or tenure in the program).
You should notice more than a few changes in the Preview Dashboard, too. There’s a new user interface (based on the current Xbox One UI) that helps you find info and provide more detailed feedback. Also, it’s much more personalized: you should see more relevant news and chances at early access. There’s an Insider profile card that highlights your efforts, and multiple users can finally offer feedback from one console. Finally, your roommate won’t be left out of the loop.
The Insider Program software changes start arriving today, although you’ll have to be one of the most active contributors to be part of the first wave. Everyone enrolled in the program should see the updates within the next few weeks.
Source: Xbox Wire
Apple starts selling refurb iPhones through its online store
If you’ve ever wanted to buy an iPhone straight from Apple but thought that brand new unlocked models were out of your reach, you’re in luck. Apple has started selling refurbished iPhones in its US online store, with hefty discounts depending on what you want to buy. An unlocked 16GB iPhone 6s is selling for $449, or $80 off the usual price; splurge on a 64GB iPhone 6s Plus and you’ll shell out $589, or $110 less than usual. The iPhone SE and iPhone 7 are absent, but that’s not surprising given that owners have only had them for several months at best.
This won’t be as big a bargain as you’d get by purchasing an iPhone through a used goods site, an auction or a friend. However, you’ll get both a year-long warranty and the knowledge that there won’t be any rude surprises when you open the box. In short: if the thought of shopping on eBay or Swappa makes you nervous, this is your best bet.
Via: MacRumors
Source: Apple
Snapchat adds animations for things that aren’t your face
One of the most fun things you can do with Snapchat is apply a wacky filter to your face and turn yourself into a licking pup or flower princess. But those effects have only worked for the front-facing camera and on faces it detects. The company’s latest update for both its iOS and Android apps brings a handful of these cool graphics to the rear-facing cam so those who don’t want to take selfies can enjoy adding weird stuff to the world around them.
The new feature, called World Lenses, are activated when you tap anywhere on the screen with the rear camera running. Right now, only seven new options are available, including three Election Day skins and a rainbow-puking clouds one.
You can also use existing face filters with the rear cam. That means you can now turn your buddy into a golden flower princess or a cute deer.
These AR-esque effects could potentially work great on the company’s upcoming Spectacles glasses, which let you record round video clips to share on the app. You could turn your head around and discover quirky characters in your environment, such as a cute seal we found by moving a phone around with the new snowflakes lens on. Want to start trying World Lenses out for yourself? Make sure you’ve got version 9.43.0.0 of the app, and you’re good to go.
Via: The Verge
Source: Snapchat on iOS, Snapchat on Google Play
Android’s latest update doesn’t patch major security flaw
The November Android security update is live and it fixes 15 critical vulnerabilities, but it doesn’t patch a major Linux kernel exploit that can give hackers quick and complete access to devices running on Google’s OS. Researcher Phil Oester discovered the flaw (CVE-2016-5195) in October, though he believes it’s existed since 2007. The exploit is known as “Dirty COW” because of its basis in copy-on-write systems (and maybe because that name is adorable).
With this month’s security update, Google did roll out a “supplemental” firmware fix for Dirty COW across Nexus and Pixel devices. Plus, Samsung released a patch for its devices this month, according to Threatpost. An official Android patch for the Dirty COW issue is expected to land in December.
Oester, the researcher who discovered the flaw, told V3 that it’s “trivial to execute, never fails and has probably been around for years.” Dirty COW is sophisticated, and Oester said he was only able to catch it because he had been “capturing all inbound HTTP traffic and was able to extract the exploit and test it out in a sandbox.”
“I would recommend this extra security measure to all admins,” Oester said.
Via: Threatpost, Ars Technica
Source: Android Security Bulletin
PlayStation Vue drops all Viacom channels
If you’re a subscriber to Sony’s PlayStation Vue streaming service, here’s some bad news: it’s discontinuing all Viacom content starting November 11th. That means that channels like Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and Spike will no longer be available on Vue. In a blog post, the company stated that the decision was “the best way for us to continue to offer the most compelling value to our fans,” which suggests that cost could’ve been an issue.
This is a pretty surprising blow, considering the improvements Sony has made with PS Vue. It’s expanded its service to be on Roku, Android TV and is coming to the Mac and PC. It’s also carrying more channels than ever, which includes ESPN, ABC, Disney, NFL Network, HBO and Cinemax. Indeed, Sony even announced that it’ll start carrying BBC America and NBA TV, while VICE, CBS and Fox are on their way. That’s a pretty solid content trove already, so this loss will only be of importance to you if you’re a fan of those specific Viacom channels. And if you are, well, you could opt for Sling TV instead.
Source: PlayStation
Browser add-on caught selling identifiable web histories
When you include the word “trust” in your internet company’s name, you’re under more pressure than most to respect the privacy of your customers… and one firm is learning that lesson the hard way. Web of Trust Services’ browser add-on has left the extension libraries for Chrome, Firefox and Opera after a German broadcaster’s investigation revealed that Web of Trust was collecting and selling users’ web histories to third parties. While the company said that it was anonymizing data, that didn’t hold up under scrutiny. The broadcaster managed to identify over 50 people from sample data, and uncovered everything from active police investigations to the implied sexual orientation of a judge.
Also, a German data protection commissioner chastised WoT for not doing enough to get the consent of its users (and there are many of them, with 140 million downloads) before gathering and selling info. Moreover, there’s evidence that the software can run the code it wants on any web page. There aren’t any known in-the-wild exploits, but that’s not exactly reassuring.
To its credit, WoT is taking steps to mend its ways. It’s reexamining its privacy policy, offering an opt-out for the data you share and revamping the way it ‘cleans’ data to get rid of potentially identifying info. Its previous approach “may not have been sufficient” to fully anonymize your data, a spokesperson tells The Register. The company is quick to add that only Mozilla pulled the add-on — WoT says it voluntarily yanked the add-on from the Google and Opera portals to “make appropriate changes.”
You should see an improved version of the add-on in the weeks ahead. However, questions remain: why sell histories without explicitly warning users, and making absolutely sure there wasn’t identifying data? And why not make data sharing opt-in? No matter what the answers, the findings are a reminder that promises of anonymized data by themselves aren’t enough. A company has to make sure that your sensitive content remains a secret in practice, not just in theory.
Via: The Register
Source: NDR.de (translated), Web of Trust, GitHub
Apple Launches ‘Apple Support’ iOS App in Netherlands
Apple today released a specialized Apple Support app in the Netherlands, which is designed to give iOS users another way to get support for their Apple devices.
The app closely mimics the design of Apple’s dedicated support website, providing a list of the products owned by each user along with options for scheduling repairs in an Apple Store or chatting with Apple’s support staff. It also has a section for recent repair requests and other information related to Apple product maintenance.
Need help? Apple Support app is your personalized guide to the best options from Apple. Find answers with articles tailored to your products and questions. Call, chat or email with an expert right away, or schedule a callback when it’s convenient. Get a repair at an Apple Store or a nearby Apple Authorized Service Provider. Apple Support is here to help.
Apple Support appears to be limited to the Netherlands at this time, but Apple may be testing it in a single market before opting to roll it out to other countries. Rumors late last year suggested a support app was in the works, but it wasn’t clear at the time if it would be a standalone app or something built into an existing app.
Tag: Apple Support
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Apple’s Refurbished Store Now Offering iPhones
Apple recently updated its online refurbished store to include a range of different iPhone models, giving customers a way to purchase a certified refurbished device at a lower cost directly from Apple.
Apple is currently offering refurbished iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus models in a variety of colors and capacities. Prices for an entry-level 16GB iPhone 6s start at $449, while a 16GB iPhone 6s Plus can be purchased for $529.
Those prices are $100 to $120 less than brand new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus devices, which are priced at $549 and $649 for 32GB of storage space. All refurbished iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models are unlocked and SIM-free, meaning they are compatible with all U.S. carriers.
While Apple has long offered iPads and Macs in its refurbished store, it has never before allowed customers to purchase refurbished iPhones. Customers who wanted lower prices on iPhones had to wait for third-party deals or purchase refurbished/used devices from a third-party retailer.
All of Apple’s refurbished products, iPhone included, are tested, certified, cleaned, and guaranteed with a one-year warranty. iPhones also feature a brand new battery and a fresh outer shell, ensuring there are no scratches or other cosmetic damage.
Related Roundup: iPhone 6s
Buyer’s Guide: iPhone (Buy Now)
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