Entertainment

Muzik’s Smart Headphones Claim to be Google Glass For Your Ears

2013-07-30

Muzik’s Smart Headphones claim to be “Google Glass For Your Ears”. Wearable technology is certainly quite the buzz-phrase these days and QTOOTH is certainly all about cool products that both enable us with technology and liberate us from that same technology at the same time. A company called Muzik has created a pair of “smart” headphones CEO Jason Hardi describes as “Google Glass for your ears.” Do they live up to that claim?

The headphones will be available for a retail price of $299 in October. Although Hardi mentioned Spotify, he didn’t confirm any specific partners but states that it will work with best-of-breed music software services. The headphones feature four built-in hotkeys that control different social sharing options, so that you can post the tracks you’re listening to on Facebook or Twitter, or sharing a song directly with a friend. The headphones also include an accelerometer which is a motion sensitive switch that cues the headphones to stop playing music when you take them off.

These wireless headphones seek to be a solution to what Muzik sees as the current problem with discovering music through social sharing on current popular services such as Spotify, RDio, SoundTracking, etc… Listeners often feel inundated with too much material and lack direction.

“A lot of people don’t know where to find good music, and the many options available make it increasingly difficult for content to be served up to you, because it’s in so many different places,” Hardi says.

After Muzik launches in the fall they will release its API to third-party developers. This will allow them to take advantage of the headphones’ proximity sensors and even re-purpose hotkey functionality. Because they are at the same price as the new Beats by Dre Studio headphones ($299) Muzik will need to deliver both device quality and a rich selection of third-party apps to be successful and find its place among its rivals.

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NuForce Introduces the BTR-100, a High-Fidelity Bluetooth Digital Receiver

2013-07-10

With the NuForce BTR-100, users can stream CD quality digital audio directly to their high performance digital home stereo system.

NuForce, Inc., a leader in professional and consumer audio gear, introduces the BTR-100, a high-fidelity Bluetooth digital receiver that enables users to stream CD-quality audio directly to their home stereo systems. With their mass-market DACs and analog output stages, the majority of Bluetooth receivers achieve no more than mediocre audio performance. The BTR-100 delivers audiophile-grade fidelity via state-of-the-art aptX-enabled Bluetooth technology and direct optical connectivity, features that permit CD-quality audio to be streamed wirelessly to your NuForce digital integrated amplifier or other digital-input DAC/amp devices.

In those instances where the user prefers to connect directly to an analog amplifier or powered speakers, the BTR-100 also offers stereo analog outputs. Whatever connection you choose, with the BTR-100, you can be sure that your system will perform to the limits of its ability.

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Based in Fremont, California, NuForce first gained acclaim for its patented audiophile-grade Class-D power amplifiers, earning numerous awards from audio publications in the U.S. and Japan. Building upon its reputation as a company that develops state-of-the-art audio products, NuForce has worked diligently to expand its product line with digital-to-analog converters, in-ear and over-the-ear headphones, speakers and subwoofers, cables, additional home and headphone amplifiers, and other quality audio accessories. In every product and in every way, the NuForce brand offers superior engineering in designs of simple elegance.

Sold internationally, NuForce remains firmly committed to value and integrity in the production of high-performance consumer electronics adhering to stringent quality standards.

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Wireless Fun with the Sphero iOS and Android App Controlled Robotic Ball

2013-07-09

And now for a little bit of fun! Check out the Orbotix Sphero, the first robotic ball gaming device that you control with a tilt, touch, or swing from your smartphone or tablet. You can even use Sphero as a controller for on-screen gameplay. Sphero interacts seamlessly with mobile apps, giving you new ways to test your skills, play games with friends, or get inventive and co-op this for your own nefarious purposes. A Bluetooth connection makes Sphero ready to play as fast as you can launch an app. And with single- or multi-player games, there will be plenty of surprises.

Acclaimed by Popular Science, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, and MSNBC and featured as one of the year’s hottest gadgets by TechCrunch, Wired, Gizmodo, Engadget, and Make magazine, Sphero offers a new type of game play for the smartphone generation.

A durable, impact-resistant polycarbonate shell allows for lasting gameplay. Easily operate the Sphero robotic ball from your smartphone or tablet’s touchscreen. Controlling from your mobile device is easy and intuitive–just tilt, gesture, or swing, and it responds. Because your experience changes with every new app you download, the entertainment never stops.

Sphero’s Bluetooth connection ensures control is always responsive and fluid, even at long ranges. You will be able to steer through homemade obstacle courses, weave it between feet, and even out-maneuver your family pet.

Sphero immerses you in a new type of gameplay called mixed-reality, in which real and virtual elements are seamlessly merged together. Several free apps are available for download (and more continuously being developed), providing you with plenty of gaming thrills.

Standout apps include Sphero Drive, where you can choose from touchscreen interfaces like joystick, old-school RC control, and tilt mode to give you a variety of ways to test your skills and challenge friends. In a mixed-reality version of golf, you create a hole, then swing your phone to putt towards the hole. Think Sphero just rolls? Think again. Hold it in your hand, start up Chromo, and move Sphero to match colors and patterns as they appear on your screen.

Roughly the size of a baseball, Sphero is compact enough to slip into a bag or jacket pocket. The durable, impact-resistant polycarbonate shell allows for lasting gameplay. And with customizable colored LEDs, you can change color to suit your mood, play in the dark, or create a team color.

Sphero is extremely efficient. A single battery charge delivers over an hour of full-throttle play, thanks to cable-free induction charging. Sphero is compatible with a variety of mobile platforms, including iOS 4.0 or greater, Android 2.2, Android 2.3.3+, and Android 3.0+. Sphero also has an Open API (application program interface) for developers, which allows virtually anyone to program new games and apps for Sphero. The API is intuitive, so you will be able to use it whether you are a seasoned developer or a novice app programmer.

What’s in the Box? Sphero robotic ball, inductive charging base, quick-start card, and user’s manual.

Free Apps Available via Download Include:

Sphero

Familiarize yourself with Sphero’s personality, give commands, and gain access to basic driving functions. See where you stand on leaderboards and achievements. Even discover new apps as they roll in.

Drive

Drive Sphero with joystick, tilt, or old-school remote controls. Create challenging courses, race against friends and family, or turn out the lights for a little night racing.

Golf

Sphero is the ball and your phone is the club. Create a “hole” then swing your phone or swipe a finger to hit. Challenge friends to a round of office golf, create your own course at home, or venture out and make your own course practically anywhere.

SpheroCam

Have fun with Sphero and never miss a funny moment. Use the built-in camera on your device to record video or take snapshots while you simultaneously drive it. Will your SpheroCam video go viral? Record, upload, and find out!

Draw N’ Drive

Use your finger to trace a shape or path on the screen and it will follow it before your eyes. Just give your smartphone or tablet a shake to clear the slate. Even make Sphero change colors as it rolls by using the integrated color wheel.

Chromo

Get ready to challenge your coordination and memory with the first app that lets you use it as a controller. Move Sphero to match the colors on your screen for an entirely new way to challenge yourself. You can choose from six different game modes.

MacroLab

Create easy, repeatable programs and macros. Arrange simple commands and settings in any combination you choose to let Sphero drive autonomously, follow unique patterns, and more, all while learning basic programming. Play your commands, save favorites, and even share them with friends. MacroLab makes programming easy and fun.

So we at QTOOTH say give it a whirl, it looks like fun!

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Zynga CEO Steps Down, Microsoft Exec to Take Post

2013-06-30

Zynga’s CEO switch comes five months after Groupon fired its co-foundNEW YORK (AP) — He’s not heading out to pasture, but the CEO of “FarmVille” maker Zynga Inc. is stepping aside as the troubled online game company looks to revive itself and lift its stalled stock price.

Mark Pincus will be replaced on Monday, July 8, by Don Mattrick, who was most recently head of Microsoft’s Xbox division. Zynga said Monday that Pincus, who founded Zynga Inc. and named it after his American bulldog in 2007, will stay on as chairman and chief product officer.

Mattrick, 49, had served as the president of Microsoft’s entertainment business, which includes the Xbox, since 2010. He had been with Microsoft for six years, helping to launch the Kinect motion controller. He also helped grow the Xbox Live online service from 6 million members to 48 million in roughly six years.

“Zynga is a great business that has yet to realize its full potential. I’m really proud to partner with a product focused founder like Mark and work with the executive team to grow the DNA of the company and lead this transition,” Mattrick wrote in an email to Zynga staff that was posted on the company’s website.

In a note to Zynga employees, Pincus said he’s always told the company’s board “that if I could find someone who could do a better job as our CEO I’d do all I could to recruit and bring that person in. I’m confident that Don is that leader.”

Mattrick faces a difficult task. Zynga’s stock is down almost 70 percent since the company’s 2011 initial public offering at $10 per share. Its games have waned in popularity and in June, the company announced that it was cutting 520 jobs, or about 18 percent of its workforce to save money. It shuttered OMGPop, a mobile game company it paid $183 million to acquire last year. OMGPop made a mobile game called “Draw Something.” It was popular for a brief period in early 2012, and then it tanked.

Zynga’s own games have also fallen out of favor, too. “FarmVille” became a household name in 2009 as millions of Facebook users spent hours clicking on virtual cows and crops — and spent real money to get ahead in the game. Other “ville” games followed, with varying degrees of success, but Zynga has since been unseated as the maker of the No. 1 Facebook game by King.com, the company behind “Candy Crush Saga.”

Besides rival Facebook diversions, Zynga also faces stiff competition from games played on mobile devices. Zynga has mobile games such as “Words With Friends” and various offshoots of the Scrabble-like game. But its mobile offerings haven’t been enough to keep the company growing. In the first three months of this year, Zynga reported an 18 percent revenue decline to $263.6 million, from $321 million.

And the number of people who play Zynga games at least once a month fell 13 percent to 253 million, from 292 million a year earlier. The number of daily players dropped 21 percent to 52 million, from 65 million.

Pincus believes his successor is up to the job. In a statement, he praised Mattrick as “one of the top executives in the overall entertainment business.”

“He turned Xbox into the world’s largest console-gaming network, growing its installed base from 10 (million) to 80 million and transformed that business from deep losses to substantial profits. And he has grown the Xbox Live player network from 6 (million) to 50 million active members in 41 countries,” Pincus said.

Before Microsoft, Mattrick was president of worldwide studios at Electronic Arts Inc. He joined EA after it bought Distinctive Software, the company he created at age 17.

Microsoft did not name a replacement for Mattrick, whose departure comes as the company prepares to launch a new gaming console, the Xbox One, later this year. In an email to staff, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer called Mattrick’s move a “great opportunity for Don.” The executives who’d been reporting to Mattrick will now report to Ballmer he added, “and will continue to drive the day-to-day business as a team, particularly focused on shipping Xbox One this holiday (season).”

Zynga, along with online deals site Groupon Inc., was among the crop of promising Internet companies that went public in 2011 and 2012. The stocks of some of those companies, including Facebook, have so far disappointed investors.

er and CEO, Andrew Mason. Unlike Mason, however, Pincus will stay involved with Zynga, reporting to its board of directors together with Mattrick in a newly formed executive committee.

San Francisco-based Zynga’s stock jumped during Monday’s session as rumors of Mattrick’s appointment spread. The company’s stock jumped 29 cents, or 10.4 percent, to close at $3.07. The stock added 16 cents in after-hours trading to hit $3.23.

by Barbara Ortutay, AP Technology Writer

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The PIP: A Biosensor that Helps You Relax Through Play

2013-06-18

Here’s a little bit of wireless fun that QTOOTH spotted on Kickstarter. Nothing like some play that’s designed to channel our stress into more healthy channels. Check it out:

The PIP wireless biosensor, combined with a suite of apps, allows you to master the art of relaxation through gaming.

What if you could not only measure your stress but learn to control it?

The PIP is a revolutionary biosensor that helps you really learn to relax, improve your performance in any aspect of your life and combat stress. Available for both iOS and Android, the PIP detects whether you are stressing or relaxing in real time.

We’ve made the PIP super-easy to use. Just hold it between your fingertips and it will communicate your stress level wirelessly to a game or app running on your smartphone or tablet. An ever-expanding suite of gaming and entertainment apps will be available, allowing you to visualize your relaxation and master your stress in a fun and engaging way.

In today’s fast-paced world, the PIP is designed to suit your lifestyle – highly portable, easy to use and above all, fun. The PIP is a unique product that empowers you to beat stress, when and where you want to.

How does it work?

When you are in a stressful situation your body’s flight or fight response is activated. As a result, blood is rushed to the periphery of the body which causes your sweat glands to activate. This activation changes the conductivity of your skin and is referred to as the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR).

Held between your finger and thumb, the PIP captures those changes and transmits them, via Bluetooth, to your mobile device.

Algorithm for Deducing Stress

Merely measuring the GSR is not enough. We have developed our own complex GSR analysis systems to give accurate feedback for all users of the PIP regardless of skin type and environmental conditions.

Biofeedback

The PIP has emerged from research and development in the exciting “Quantified Self” space, and empowers the user to develop relaxation skills using a technique called biofeedback. One of the most valuable aids in any learning process is performance feedback. Biofeedback is a process where the user learns to gain conscious control over an aspect of their psycho-physiological state, by providing continuous information on whether or not they are “doing the right thing”. With repeated practice, the user gradually evolves a personal strategy that produces the desired result. This offers all sorts of opportunities for people to “manage the moment” – from general well-being, to any area of life where being calm improves performance.

The PIP and Games

Any activity that requires repetition is in danger of becoming boring. That’s why the PIP puts the fun into relaxation. The feedback mechanism is provided through a game running on a smartphone or tablet. Users’ stress levels, as measured by the PIP, are used to determine their performance in the game: the more relaxed they are, the better they do. The counter-intuitive way the PIP works is a powerful learning mechanism. One of the great strengths of video games is that they allow the player to have fun, while performing the same task over and over again. By using games as the context for biofeedback, the user learns how to relax quickly, while having fun at the same time.

Compatibility

The PIP will work with the iPhone 4S and above, the iPad 3 and above and most Android smart devices.

Limited Edition PIPs

For Kickstarter we’re offering a special choice of colors. We’ve included the image below for illustrative purposes to give people an idea of what these PIPs will look like.

Our Games

Relax & Race

Relax & Race is the racing game where victory is achieved only by “out-relaxing” your opponent. Competitive games normally predispose the player to a state of increased tension, but in Relax & Race, you must discover how to override this tendency, and learn not only to relax, but to relax in a stressful environment.

The game takes the form of a race between two characters. Your stress level is used to determine your speed in the race: the more you relax, the faster you go. The winner is the player who manages to relax the most during the course of the game.

Relax & Race provides a fun and constructive way of learning how to manage stress – a valuable skill in today’s increasingly hectic world.

The Loom

Use your powers of relaxation to turn winter into summer. As you relax, the landscape responds to reflect your inner calmness – snow and ice thaw, leaves begin to shoot and flowers bloom. The music adapts too – starting out as a single instrument, hidden layers are revealed as your stress melts away.

Relax long enough and the scene is bathed in glorious summer sunshine accompanied by a rich orchestral score. In the Loom, soothing imagery and music combine to dissolve tension, leaving you calm, relaxed and ready to tackle whatever lies ahead.

Lie Detective

How will your friends and family react to a grilling from the Lie Detective? Less-than-truthful answers to probing questions manifest as increased stress levels. Lie detective displays this response through a classic film noir look. This application provides incredible entertainment and an extra layer of fun for your social events. Let the interrogation begin!

The Plan

A successful Kickstarter campaign will help us finalise our manufacturing arrangements, get our apps ready for release and deliver the PIP to your doorstep. With the support of the Kickstarter Community, we can make stress history!

PIP Components & Assembly

So far, we have designed and manufactured a limited number of prototype PIPs which we have used to develop, test and demonstrate our games. We have recently completed a hardware revision to update our bluetooth technology and accommodate a smaller micro USB connector for charging. We finally have all the pieces in-place to move to full scale manufacturing. We have engaged a world leading manufacturing partner capable of meeting our Kickstarter demand and far beyond.

via The PIP: A Biosensor that Helps You Relax Through Play. by Galvanic — Kickstarter.

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Pioneer XDJ-R1 Wireless All-In-One DJ System

2013-06-08

Pioneer XDJ-R1 Wireless All-In-One DJ System - QTOOTH

Pioneer introduces a really fun Wireless All-In-One DJ System. Check out the specs and the video demo below:

Industry-first operation of various functions with iPad/iPhone/iPod touch

By connecting this device via a wireless LAN connection to an iPad/iPhone/iPod touch with the special “remotebox”*² mobile application installed, it is possible to select songs stored inside USB storage devices connected to the XDJ-R1 via the screens of these devices. In addition, it is possible to apply an “AUTO BEAT LOOP”*³ function, which automatically loops music at a specified tempo, as well as intuitively controlling various effects using the X-Y pads of devices. The back of the XDJ-R1 also features a stand for installation of iPhone/iPod touch devices at an angle conducive to easy song selection.

Support for diverse media and music formats

DJ play can be performed using a diverse range of media and music formats, including music CDs and file formats such as MP3, AAC, WAV and AIFF stored inside USB storage devices or recorded onto CD-R/RW.
The XDJ-R1 also provides MIDI support and can be used to operate various pieces of DJ software.

“BEAT SYNC” function*⁵ for one-touch beat synchronization of two songs

The “BEAT SYNC” function automatically synchronizes the beats of songs that have been analyzed by the “rekordbox™” music management software played on each player, simply by pressing the “SYNC” button.

Unified structure containing two players and a mixer

The unified structure of two players and a mixer means users can DJ with this device alone. The mixer part is equipped with ports for the connection of external hardware such as CDJ players and turntables, etc., so it can also be used as an independent 2-channel mixer.

Functions for enjoyment of wide range of music arranging and mixing

A combination of all kinds of effects enables simple performance of a wide range of music arrangements and mixes.

1. HOT CUE: The “HOT CUE” function enables instant playback from a previously specified point, simply by pressing a button. Each player can set “HOT CUES” at three points.
2. 4 BEAT SAMPLER: The “4-BEAT SAMPLER” function makes it possible to play recorded sampling sound sources simply by pressing a button. Sound sources can be recorded from songs on USB storage devices and CDs.
3. BEAT FX*³: Diverse forms of DJ play can be enjoyed by selecting from 4 effects (TRANS, FLANGER, ECHO, and ROLL) for each song played on each player and changing BPM and effects levels.
4. SOUND COLOR FX: Diverse forms of DJ play can be enjoyed by selecting from 4 effects (FILTER, CRUSH, PITCH, and NOISE) for each song played in each channel.

High sound quality design for clear and powerful DJ sound

Noise has been reduced by separating analog and digital circuits, and performing digital conversion of analog input signals by the shortest distance possible. All signal processing is conducted with a high-performance CPU to ensure that DJ mixes have a clear sound.

Additional Features

● “AUTO BEAT LOOP”*³ function enables songs to be looped automatically at a specified BPM
● “QUANTIZE”*⁵ function automatically corrections divergence from specified BPM when using “AUTO BEAT LOOP” or “BEAT FX”
● Equipped with independent 3-band isolator
● Internal sound card (Audio Interface)
● Complete with MASTER OUT (XLR), BOOTH OUT, AUX and MIC ports
● Environmentally-friendly “Auto Standby Function” that switches the power to standby mode when there is no operation or input for a certain period of time.

Main specifications

Playable media	USB storage devices, music CD,CD-R/RW
Playable file formats	MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF (only MP3, WAV and AIFF can be played from CD)
USB storage formats supported	FAT32、FAT16
No. of channels	2
Wireless communications format	IEEE 802.11b/g (2.4GHz band)
Sampling rate	44.1kHz
A/D, D/A converter	24bit
Frequency response	20Hz～20kHz
S/N ratio	98dB or above (USB)
Total harmonic distortion	Max. 0.006 % (USB)
Head room	19dB
USB ports	A port × 1, B port × 1
Inputs	PHONO/LINE × 2 (RCA)　MIC × 1 (1/4inch PHONE)　AUX × 1 (RCA)
Outputs	MASTER OUT × 2 (XLR × 1, RCA × 1) HEADPHONE MONITOR OUT × 2 (front 1/4inch PHONE, MiniPin) BOOTH OUT × 1 (RCA)
Maximum external dimensions (W×D×H)	623mm × 308.4mm × 107.7mm
Body weight	6.8kg

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Entertainment

How does it work?

Our Games

The Plan

Industry-first operation of various functions with iPad/iPhone/iPod touch

Support for diverse media and music formats

“BEAT SYNC” function*5 for one-touch beat synchronization of two songs

Unified structure containing two players and a mixer

Functions for enjoyment of wide range of music arranging and mixing

High sound quality design for clear and powerful DJ sound

Additional Features

Main specifications

“BEAT SYNC” function*⁵ for one-touch beat synchronization of two songs