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Xbox One tests spring update with controller sharing via Mixer
The next big Xbox One software update is closing in, and as Microsoft rolled it out to Preview Update testers, the company also explained what to expect. Once the Spring update arrives, gamers can check out a new 1440p option that fits in between 1080p and 4K displays to make it just right for anyone using a quad HD monitor. It's also adding an algorithmic "What's Hot" feed for club posts that should make things more like Reddit (or Facebook), and a Top Posts option that shows which ones are the most popular of all time.
Microsoft's Mixer lets viewers buy games straight from livestreams
A few weeks ago, Microsoft outlined new plans for its Mixer streaming service, including Direct Purchases. The feature would enable viewers to buy whatever game (or DLC) they're watching direct from the company's store, which would then give streamers a cut of the revenue. Today, that goes live, making it easier for players to get content -- and ensure they're buying straight from Microsoft.
Korg Konnect: A smart amp for small audiences
For large gatherings, PA systems keep you from just yelling at a group of people to share your message. For musicians, a PA is necessary to amplify your voice and instrument to an audience. On the surface, Korg's Konnect PA speaker does pretty much what every other speaker with a few mics attached to it does, make things louder so folks can hear them. But look a little deeper, and you'll see the Konnect takes what Korg knows about sound and performances and shoves it into a four-channel speaker. One you can control via a companion app that's surprisingly robust.
Microsoft Mixer will offer more ways to fund game streamers
Microsoft is making it easier to stream on Mixer for a living. The service has outlined plans for multiple ways to reward streamers, starting with Direct Purchases. If a Mixer Partner is playing a game (including DLC), you can buy that content directly from the stream, which gives them "a percentage" of the game price. The option will initially focus on games in Microsoft's online store, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when it means you can buy an Xbox One title knowing a favorite channel will get a cut. The feature is in testing now but should be available "soon."
Korg finally has a mixer to link up those tiny Volca synths
Korg has been producing a ton of little synths in its Volca series over the last several years. Announced back in 2013, the initial Volca Beat, Bass and Keys started a run that eventually included an OK Go sample box, an '80s-style FM synth and an oscillator-driven drum sequencer, the Volca Kick. Now the company wants you to be able to chain a few of these tiny devices together for live performance with a new four channel mixer, the Volca Mix, announced at NAMM this year. According to FactMag, the Mix will run $170 and will release later this month.
Microsoft's Mixer app relaunches with more streaming features
Microsoft's revamped Mixer app is coming out of beta. Back in October the company announced it was working on redesigning the livestreaming app to make it easier to find new and relevant gaming broadcasts. Features included a reworked Trending section, a featured streams carousel and better filters, among others. The team has completely pulled apart Mixer's existing underlying framework to rebuild it on a brand new code base, which means updates and bug fixes should come faster than ever.
'Minecraft' now livestreams building sessions directly to Mixer
A large part of Minecraft's allure is showing off your work. And now, it should be relatively easy to do that in real time. Mojang has released an update that lets you livestream directly to Microsoft Mixer (its parent company's service, naturally) from within the game on Android devices, Windows 10 PCs and Xbox One consoles. If you've just finished recreating an entire country, you can take people on a live tour without starting a broadcast in a separate app or service first. And your audience doesn't have to simply watch, either.
Microsoft's redesigned Mixer mobile app helps you find new streams
Microsoft is continuing its quest to make Mixer as good a livestreaming experience on your phone as it is on your PC back home. It just launched a beta mobile app whose cornerstone is a redesigned Trending section that focuses on finding new game broadcasts. There's a carousel that flips through featured streams, and sections that highlight the hottest games and trending streams. It's now much easier to filter streams by type (such as co-op or interactive), and there's a new Following section to jump directly to the channels you already know.
Microsoft's game broadcast service Mixer now works in 21 languages
You certainly don't need to speak English to watch or broadcast games on Microsoft's Mixer, but wouldn't it be nice if you could navigate in whatever your native language happens to be? There's now a good chance you can do just that. Mixer.com now supports 21 languages, including a few variants on common languages. You can find a Cuphead stream using Chinese (Simple or Traditional), for example, or surf Playerunknown's Battlegrounds feeds in Portugese (including its Brazilian form). Major European and Scandinavian languages are also covered alongside Japanese, Korean, Russian and Turkish.
Xbox One gets third-party camera support for game streaming
If you're serious about video game streaming, you most likely have a PC with a decent capture card, microphone, camera and software like XSplit or OBS. It can be expensive and a little convoluted, which is why Sony and Microsoft are making their respective consoles better all-in-one streamers. On the Xbox side, Microsoft has added third-party USB camera support for "Insiders," or beta testers, on its "Preview Alpha Ring." It only works with Mixer, the company's Twitch rival, and strictly for broadcasting video — so you'll still need a headset or microphone to handle your vocal chords.
Microsoft's Twitch rival gives mobile streamers a new option
If Microsoft has any hope of taking on Twitch with its Mixer (formerly Beam) game streaming service, it's going to need strong mobile host software. Luckily, Mixer Create, which has been in beta for awhile, has been released to all. It lets you broadcast mobile games and yourself from a phone, with no extra software or equipment needed. You can also do something called Co-Streaming, which lets you combine up to four streams "into a single viewing experience," Microsoft says.
Xbox One is getting a completely new customizable interface
Microsoft just updated its suite of products for online gamers a month ago, adding a few quality-of-life features to Xbox Live and its streaming service Mixer (previously Beam). But today, they've announced an even bigger overhaul, revamping the user interfaces Xbox One and Windows 10 users.
Xbox Live update makes co-op live streams a reality
Xbox Live keeps adding and updating features in response to its multiplayer community. Last year, the service added support for "clubs" along with improved friend-finding options. According to Xbox Live's Major Nelson, Live users will get a host of new tweaks today as Microsoft's gaming division adds quite a few new features to its console and mobile apps, including custom Gamerpics, the ability to stream your games with up to three friends and a way to tie a single controller to your login to make it easier to sign in and play. The Xbox mobile apps get a few additions as well, including new ways to look for groups and to browse the titles in your Game Pass subscription, and users can now create their own Killer Instinct tournaments.
Microsoft’s Twitch competitor gets a new name and co-op streaming
While Twitch has been busy expanding the breadth of what you can watch on its platform, Microsoft has been quietly improving how you watch and broadcast with its Beam service. Just to get it out of the way, Beam will henceforth be known as "Mixer." There's a PR-speak reason for the change in nomenclature, but it doesn't really matter. What does is how the service is improving. Specifically, Mixer now offers co-operative streaming and broadcasts in 4K UHD.
Roland's compact mixer improves audio for your phone videos
The audio that your phone captures while you're recording videos for Facebook Live, Snapchat Stories and more isn't too good on its own. You'll need another accessory for situations in which sound is paramount. Roland is looking to lend a hand with its $99 GO:MIXER, a compact mobile mixer that allows you to track two instruments and vocals at the same time. In fact, it can handle up to five audio sources at once. That includes a microphone, guitar/bass, keyboard and two stereo line instruments (e.g., a drum machine or personal music player.)
Thud Rumble's Intel-powered DJ mixer has a PC inside
Roughly four years ago, Thud Rumble -- a company that's the brainchild of legendary DJ QBert (Richard Quitevis) and Yogafrog (Ritche Desuasido) -- was having an open house. Developer and DJ Rich Johnson (aka DJ Hard Rich) wandered in to talk to the co-founders. During a conversation with Quitevis, Johnson said, "I want to make a mixer for you guys." Quitevis had long wanted a mixer with an embedded computer so he wouldn't have to drag a laptop and mixer to gigs. "Can you make something like this?" he asked. Johnson said he could. Finally they're showing it off.
Famed techno DJ Richie Hawtin reveals his first mixer
The DJ mixer controls and contours all sounds. The slightest twist of a knob or the slide of a fader can change the structure of one sound to make room for another. The instrument, which is at the core of all electronic music performances, has seen a number of iterations in the past decade but has stayed limited in range and functionality. Richie Hawtin, one of the most recognizable DJs on the techno circuit, wants to change the status quo with PLAYdifferently.
iPad app lets you create DJ mixes from Spotify playlists (update: pulled from App Store)
If you're a Spotify Premium subscriber, you can now move beyond simple crossfades thanks to the DJ Mixer for Spotify iPad app. In order to use it, you have to download songs from your existing playlists, which also lets you use it offline. As with other such apps, you get two virtual decks and can set loops, add cue points, and change the tempo for your mixes, among other features. We gave it a spin ourselves and found it to be easy to use in relation to other DJ apps, despite any lack of talent. You can grab it for free at the iTunes link below, since Spotify prohibits apps that use its API to charge money. With 20 million songs to choose from, there's no excuse for a lame mix. Update: The app has been removed from the App Store at Spotify's request, which apparently felt it violated its terms of service. A representative from the publisher, Musicsoft Arts, made the following statement: The App was removed from the App Store due to Spotify's request. Spotify claims that some features breach their API terms of service. We have designed the App to fully conform with their T&Cs. We are talking with Spotify and hope to be able to put the App back in the App Store once this issue is resolved. There's clearly a demand for the App and I believe it can deliver a great experience for Spotify users while complying with Spotify terms of service for 3rd party mobile Apps.
Pioneer announces DDJ-WeGO2 entry level DJ console with iOS support, onboard sound (video)
Pioneer's original DDJ-WeGO was an effort to secure some of the entry-level DJ-dollars (it does pretty well at the other end already). This time around, there's more of a focus on iOS, with a grip along the back that doubles as a stand for your iPhone or iPad (a lightning cable is included, too). This also means that as well as support for PC and Mac DJ software (Virtual DJ LE is bundled,) you can ride the fader with the fancy new Djay too. The rest of the hardware is pretty familiar ground, with two jog-wheels, effects and a tiny mixing console crammed-in to the small footprint. Learner DJs can improve their skills thanks to visual prompts provided by the LEDs (that flash with the beat etc.,) and USB power means one less cable to worry about. Importantly there's onboard audio, so you get the full DJ / headphone monitoring experience, and a decent audio line out. Prospective spinners will have to wait until October to get one, at a cost of $429. A shade more than the predecessor, but you do get three spiffy full-body colors (red, white and black) to choose from.
Native Instruments outs Kontrol Z1: an iOS DJ mixer with audio interface
It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that Native Instruments was going to release some hardware to cozy up to that shiny new iOS version of Traktor DJ. And here it is -- the Kontrol Z1 -- a two-channel mixer with a built-in audio interface specifically for iPad and iPhone. Plug this into your iDevice, and Traktor DJ gets full pre-cue functionality, plus some proper (club-level, 24-bit) audio output, not to mention dedicated faders and 3-band EQ controls. The hardware (which is similar in size to the Kontrol F1) means you can break out the mixer section, leaving the touchscreen display dedicated to transport and performance. The Z1 will keep your iDevice charged up, too (it needs to be plugged in), so you're good for that epic Balearic chill-out set. Likewise, it also works with Traktor Pro 2, if you're looking to integrate something a little smaller into your laptop setup. It'll need a lightning adapter to work with the latest devices, and costs $199 / €199 from your favorite DJ outlet. The app won't support the hardware until a June 24th update, but in the meantime, roll past the break for the demo video.
