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You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Dan Deacon's mobile ambitions
Dan Deacon's on the phone, slightly frantic, as we wander the grounds of the Los Angeles Natural History Museum with his manager, in search of a place to shoot. We only get snippets of the conversation as he paces around, though he's doling out what sounds like tech support when we finally settle on a spot next to a big, grandiose fountain in the middle of a large rose garden. It would be easy to forget that you were in Los Angeles, were it not in the shadow of the nearby USC football stadium. He finishes his conversation and explains, apologetically, that there was some last-minute emergency with his app, which he had recently begun licensing out. Some big-name artist is having some last-minute issues, so, naturally, it was necessary to get the musician himself on the phone, with the sun rapidly setting over the museum's dome. As we ready the shot, Deacon leans against a park bench, hands in the pockets of a green hoodie worn over a brighter green T-shirt, bearing a smiling woman's headshot. He wears wire-rim glasses and a wild beard on his rosy face. "My name's Dan Deacon," he says, by way of introduction, as we start the interview, "and I guess I write music and perform it." He's a successful touring musician with a devoted fan base, sure, but Dan Deacon is no rock star.
Dan Deacon takes over your smartphone with clever app
Now this is terrific. Dan Deacon, a musician currently on tour, has an app for iPhone (and Android) that allows him to take over the screens in an audience and display colors or make sounds. The audience becomes more of a part of the show, even part of the instrumentation. What a lovely idea! I hope to see more of this at future live shows where appropriate. Here's a demo video of the app:
