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algoriddim's djay now on iPhone / iPod touch, iPad version updated
Algoriddim, maker of the djay app, has gotten in touch to let us know that it has updated djay for iPad to version 1.1 -- introducing some exciting new features -- and to announce an all-new version of djay for the iPhone and iPod touch. djay is a virtual, touch screen DJ setup with a realistic turntable and mixer interface that lets you mix, spin, cue and scratch your tracks straight from your iPod music library. We took a closer look at djay for the iPad and the Mac late last year and were very impressed with the results. According to the specs, it looks like those results will transition nicely over to the iPhone version of the app. Algoriddim has also updated the iPad version of the app with stability fixes and some new features, including looping, multiple cue points and BPM library browsing. There's also added compatibility for Bluetooth audio devices and extended support for AIFF and WAV files, but this requires iOS 4.3 For the full list of improvements and features click here, or if you already own the app, head on over to the Updates section of the iOS App Store on your iPad -- the new version will be waiting for you to download. djay is available now on the iOS App Store at US$9.99 for the iPhone version and US$19.99 for the iPad version. Click past the break for a promo video of djay for the iPhone.
Minimalist Turnstyle spins your vinyl with zero excess
Turntables? We've seen a few: big and small, professional and decidedly amateur, but nothing quite like the Turnstyle. The idea here is to be "as simple as it gets," the bare minimum elements required to spin and read the record and play back the audio. This is what designer R.D. Silva came up with: motor in the middle, pivoting arm on the right, and controls and speaker on the bottom. We're thinking it won't be replacing your Goldmund for delivering the hi-fi tonality you crave, but it certainly is easy on the eyes.
Pioneer DJM-2000 DJ mixer review
You know that feeling you get when you hop into a car you'll never be rich enough to own? It's full of fascinating technology, everything works great, it's solidly built, it definitely won't fit into the "compact" spots at 7-11 -- and it just doesn't care. If you're a DJ, entering the world of Pioneer's DJM-2000 is a little bit like that. Read on for our impressions of the multitouch-laced behemoth to see if it'll have you raving all the way to 2012. %Gallery-112385%
Be a turntable hero with djay for iPad
An iPad app might not be enough to convince a seasoned DJ to go iPad-only, but then, a medium-sized, multi-touch surface can only come so close to replicating a turntable, right? With djay for iPad (US$19.99 on the App Store), algoriddim has not only impressively mimicked traditional decks, they've added features that your average DJ setup doesn't have. Plus, they made it easy enough for even the most inexperienced music-lover to rock their next party. Our own Victor Agreda recently gave us a great rundown of djay for iPad's predecessors, djay for Mac and djay Remote for iPhone. A quick recap: djay on the Mac gives you two turntables and a crossfader, BPM analysis and automatic syncing, an "Automix" feature for effortless and seamless playback and plenty of extra goodies. djay Remote on the iPhone lets you control a significant number of those features, but not all of them. The combination is really fun, but the iPhone app doesn't do anything without a locally-networked Mac running djay. Enter djay for iPad.
DJ Hero 2 now available for purchase, Beck still wondering about royalty checks
You seriously can't make this stuff up -- in what can only be assumed is a nod to the one and only Beck, Activision actually is shipping two turntables and a microphone with DJ Hero 2. And that bundle is finally on sale starting today. We'd heard earlier in the year that the company was aiming for a fall release, and sure enough, consumers can get their holiday shopping started early by heading to Best Buy (where they'll receive a hard-shell turntable carrying case), Walmart (where the original DJ Hero will be thrown in gratis when buying the DJ Hero 2 Party Bundle on Wii or Xbox 360) or Amazon (where Linkin Park's A Thousand Suns will be oh-so-graciously tossed in for no charge). Check it right now for $59.99 (software only) to $149.99 (the full monty).
Crosley goes way back, way forward with battery-powered USB turntable
Still wondering what to get the guy that just so happens to have everything, including (but not limited to) a 1920's style Bluetooth headset? Found. Crosley Radio has just introduced what's possibly the most awesome nugget of retro goodness in the year 2010 AD, the Revolution CR6002. Believe it or not, the object you're gawking at there on the right is actually a battery-powered, USB-enabled turntable. It's quite obviously designed for travel, but it's purportedly capable of spinning the 33 1/3 and 45 RPM records that your pop is so fond of. Furthermore, it's capable of tuning into your fav FM radio station, and the USB interface enables analog-to-digital transfers for keeping those vinyls in a much safer place. Hit the source link if you're ready to wave goodbye to $149.95, or hit that Vimeo vid if you still need convincing.
DJ Hero 2 brings two turntables and a microphone this Fall (update: now available to pre-order)
Prefer a turntable to a keytar? Then it looks like Activision has you covered -- it's just officially announced DJ Hero 2, which will be available sometime this Fall, and presumably be on hand at E3 next week. Unfortunately, it's not yet clear if there will actually be a new version of the turntable controller or not, but Activison has added a microphone to the equation, and it'll also be releasing the game in a bundle that has (you guessed it) two turntables and a microphone. Of course, the game itself will also see quite a few changes, including new multiplayer modes, a new career mode and, most notably, a new freestyle mode that promises a "heightened level of creative input." Head on past the break for the complete press release, and keep an eye on this post -- Activision is still promising to reveal a bit more today. Update: As promised, Activision has now delivered a few more details, and some pictures. As you can see, the turntable controller appears to be mostly unchanged, but you will get a white model if you opt for the bundle with two decks, and the microphone is, well, a microphone. What's more, it looks like pre-orders are starting immediately -- the two-deck "party bundle" runs $149.99, while the game with a single turntable will set you back $99.99 (the standalone game itself is $59.99).
iPad apps: defining experiences from the first wave
There are now over 1,348 approved apps for the iPad. That's on top of the 150,000 iPad-compatible iPhone programs already available in the App Store. When Apple's tablet PC launches, just hours from now, it will have a software library greater than that of any handheld in history -- not counting the occasional UMPC. That said, the vast majority of even those 1,348 iPad apps are not original. They were designed for the iPhone, a device with a comparatively pokey processor and a tiny screen, and most have just been tweaked slightly, upped in price and given an "HD" suffix -- as if that somehow justified the increased cost. Besides, we've seen the amazing potential programs have on iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile and webOS when given access to a touchscreen, always-on data connection, GPS, cloud storage and WiFi -- but where are the apps that truly define iPad? What will take advantage of its extra headroom, new UI paradigms and multitouch real estate? Caught between netbook and smartphone, what does the iPad do that the iPhone cannot? After spending hours digging through the web and new iPad section of the App Store, we believe we have a number of reasonably compelling answers. Update: Now includes Wormhole Remote, TweetDeck, SkyGrid, Touchgrind HD, GoToMeeting, SplitBrowser, iDisplay, Geometry Wars and Drawing Pad.
Hercules supports diminutive scratchers with two-deck DJ Console Mk4 controller
We've certainly heard this "world's smallest" claim before in the world of DJ controllers, but as components shrink and plastics get thinner, we aren't shocked to see one company leap-frogging another. According to Hercules, its new DJ Console Mk4 is "the most portable and most compact 2-deck DJ controller with built-in audio for PC and Mac," checking in at 10.4- x 7.3-inches and weighing just 3.3 pounds. Making its musical debut at Musikmesse 2010, this controller boasts a pair of stereo outputs (one for mixing, one for previewing tracks), a duo of analog inputs, the ability to hum along on USB power alone and a bevy of knobs / faders for those who actually know what they're doing with a pair of platters spinning in front of them. It's slated to ship this June in the UK for £179.99 ($268), though no US availability seems planned at the moment. Update: Good news! Hercules pinged us to say that the unit will be out in America this June with an MSRP of $199. %Gallery-89119%
Rain Design's iMac turntable sends the iMac for a spin
iMacs are great, except when you have one sitting with its back to a wall and you need to plug something into the back of it. Particularly with the larger models, you end up having to pick up the iMac and swing it around to get to those ports on the back. Wouldn't it be a lot easier if you could just spin it? That's the idea behind the Rain Design i360, a turntable that encloses the base of an iMac or Apple Cinema Display, and then allows easy movement of the display. Want to show a co-worker on the "back" side of your iMac something? Just spin the entire computer around. Need to plug or unplug something? No problem -- just swing the iMac or Cinema Display around and do it. I've had an i360 on my first-generation Intel iMac since just after I bought it, and I can't count the number of times that it has saved me from having to pick up the computer and slide it around to plug something in. I've recommended the i360 to many of my Mac consulting customers who have iMacs or Cinema Displays, and many of them end up buying the device.
Scratching the surface: DJ'ing with your Mac
It's Saturday night and you're out and about painting the town red, or whatever color it is that towns are painted these days. Whether you end up at a night club, a lounge or a bar, there's a good chance there's going to be a DJ spinning up some tunes at the venue. And there's a good chance that you'll see a glowing Apple in front of the DJ, as said DJ may be accompanied by a MacBook or MacBook Pro. If you've ever looked into doubling your Mac as a virtual turntable, then this post may help you scratch the surface -- err, vinyl.
Touchtable mixer takes conventional PMP design for a wiki-wiki-twist
Not that we haven't seen turntable capabilities shoved into production and concept devices alike before, but there's something curiously seductive about this one. Dreamed up by Sir Thomas Mascall, the Touchtable is a pocket-sized PMP that boasts a digit-friendly surface meant for scratching, mixing and all manners of interacting. Aside from playing back your favorite MP3s, this bugger can (in theory, anyway) also mix jams on the fly, cue outputs and even connect with a second Touchtable wirelessly in order to establish a more traditional DJ setup (at 1:8 scale). Plug it into a PC, and now you've got a MIDI controller. Pop that source link if you're looking for a few more images and details, and feel free to contact your local VC if interested in seeing this fast-tracked to the commercial realm.
DJ Hero controller goes rogue, now available separately
If early sales reports are anything to go by, Activision's DJ Hero franchise won't be hosting too many impromptu Christmas tree raves this holiday season. Many gamers have been shunning the idea of yet another plasticy peripheral cluttering up their otherwise fastidiously neat abodes, but, for those with storage space to spare and would-be turntablist friends, the controller is now available separately for $70. That's just $40 less than the package with the game and still a bit of an ask if it wants to match the popularity of its faux-stringed predecessors. The best things in music never go mainstream, yeah?
Amidio's Touch DJ app stuffs a turntable into your iPhone (video)
Not kosher with getting a handset tailor made for DJing? How's about transforming your existing iPhone into that very device when the mood strikes you? Hailed as the first true DJ MP3 iPhone / iPod touch app in the world, Amidio's $19.99 Touch DJ program (available now) enables users to independently manipulate two MP3 or M4A files, including scratching, looping, positioning, equalization, effects and pitching. The "visual mixing" requires all sorts of tapping and sliding, but the on-screen UI seems pretty elegant from what we've seen. The only real knock on this is that there's currently no way to get music from the iTunes library into the program; instead, you'll be forced to reload tracks into the app's own MP3 library. Still, for those looking to ditch the hard case and waltz in with a pocketful of boogie, this ain't a half bad option. Check the demonstration vid after the break.
Scratch: The Ultimate DJ deck ain't no half-steppin'
"These aren't some made up tricks," scoffs our friendly narrator. "They're authentic scratches heard every night in the hottest clubs in the world." But authenticity -- the act of keeping it real -- doesn't end there for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ's Numark-designed peripheral, the Scratch Deck. Check these street credentials: "the first legitimate DJ controller for video gamers" (oh snap!) "Numark have been at the forefront of turntable production since the 1970s" (before you were even born, son!) "utilizes technology that locks your scratches in the sweet spot of any sample" (bust that scientifical) "build skills that will transfer over to any DJ setup" (who said anything about mad skillz?) "you need beats" (just sayin') "Dr. Dre, Just Blaze and Pete Rock" ( ... just sayin') "The controller," authenticates Mix Master Mike, "very authentic." With that our narrator concludes, "So, now you're up on everything related to Scratch: The Ultimate DJ." But wait, isn't there, like, a video game somehow related to this peripheral? What up with that?Update: So what's up with the game? "The game is coming along quite nicely under the direction of the Commotion Interactive team, and we will be releasing some new assets in a few weeks," a Scratch spokesperson tells Joystiq. And adds, "As of now, the release date is still spring 2010."%Gallery-64266%
DJ Hero now rolling out around the world, around the world
It's been a long haul since it was first announced way back in May, but Activision's DJ Hero is now finally available in North America, and will be making the trip across the pond on October 30th. That includes both the standard $120 version, and the "premium" Renegade Edition, which runs a full $200 and includes an upgraded turntable, a hardshell carrying case that converts to a DJ stand, and a Jay-Z and Eminem two-CD set -- and the game, of course. Anyone have any brief first impressions? Let us know in comments. Update: Looks like Eminem is doing more than just slapping his name on the Renegade Edition. Check out the video after the break in which he sits down to talk about the game and issues a challenge to none other than DJ Jazzy Jeff.
DJ Hero turntables won't be compatible with any other game
Due to the obvious differences between the respective turntable peripherals for DJ Hero and Scratch: The Ultimate DJ, this may not come as much of a shock to you: In a recent interview with Destructoid, FreeStyleGames' Jaime Jackson shot down the idea of Hero's peripheral being compatible with other DJ titles. "If someone needed to use our controller, then they would basically have to rip our game off," Jackson noted. In other words, if you're looking to tap into all the DJ-centric rhythm offerings available in the future, you're going to be adding a few more feet to that ever-growing mound of fake instruments in your den. At least there will be a bit of variation towards the peak, eh? %Gallery-64266%
Hands-on: DJ Hero
As anyone who's ever seen me tickle the colorful neck of a Guitar Hero guitar or keep impeccable time upon a Rock Band drum kit will attest, I've got a knack for rhythm games. I've never placed my hands on a peripheral that I wasn't immediately able to mentally deconstruct and use to its fullest rockin' potential [I'm only allowing this catastrophic failure of modesty because it's true. - Ed]. My first few minutes with the Xbox 360 version of DJ Hero, however, initially left me flummoxed. That's not to say the turntable peripheral therein is poorly designed or difficult to use. No, my inability to pick up and expertly play Activision's newest bundle of musical joy is due to the fact that for the average rhythm genre veteran, DJ Hero is a horse of an entirely different color. %Gallery-64592%
DJ Hero gets sized up by Mixmaster FCC
Activision's DJ Hero controller hasn't exactly been making itself scare since its debut way back in May, but those looking for their closest look at it yet need look no further than the FCC, which recently got its hands on the device for the usual tests and dissection. Of course, there's not a whole lot of surprises to be found, but we do also get a look at a somewhat sparse but straightforward user manual, and a couple of the usual dark and dreary test setup photos, which unfortunately don't feature the FCC folks showing off their skills. Hit up the link below to check out the whole lot for yourself.[Via Joystiq]
FCC exposes, dissects DJ Hero turntable peripheral
This has been a big week for pieces of gaming hardware getting explodified -- this time around, the subject of dissection is the turntable peripheral for Activision's upcoming Mix Master Mike sim, DJ Hero. However, the disassembly wasn't committed by a tech-savvy hacker, or even a DIY site. Instead, the operation was performed by the Federal Communications Commission. Yes, your tax dollars are being applied to the destruction of video game peripherals.Though most of the depictions of the turntable controller have been glamorous but somewhat non-revealing, the FCC completely exposes the controller in it's most vulnerable state. We'd say the FCC is kind of like the Hustler of gaming hardware snapshots -- but we would never actually say that because that would be an awfully creepy thing to say on a video game blog.[Thanks, Caleb]
