iPhone App - Guitar Toolkit

As a guitar player the Guitar Toolkit iPhone App looks very useful. It's a paid for piece of software, but even at £5.99 ($9.99) it seems like excellent value. Especially when you compare the cost of buying a real tuner, let alone a metronome, pitch pipes and chord dictionary.

Guitar Tuner

I really like the user interface for this app. Great visual display, which reminds me of high-end pro gear and a useful "L.E.D" to show you when you've got it right. Featuring a chromatic tuner, the iPhone's built in microphone will easily pickup an acoustic guitar. An un-amplified electric may be a little too quiet to be heard though. Possibly holding the iPhone on the body of the guitar might work though. In use, this tuner is one of the best I have ever tried. The tuner works in three different modes: all notes, standard tuning (EADGBE) and alternate tunings, from which you can select from an array of really useful tunings, such as Eb (Hendrix) or Double Drop D. Fantastic, and very easy to use. Excellent.

Tones

Another useful and well implemented utility. Tones shows the six strings of a guitar (EADGBE), which when you pluck them emit a useful ear tuning reference. A useful and easy way to tune an electric by ear. You can even strum the strings together which is cool. Tones - Like pitch pipes but without the spit.

Metronome

This is a really useful metronome, perfect for practising with. Nice varied sounds, adjustable tempo and also a tap tempo mode which will analysis any beat you tap into it. You can also set "No Time Signature", 2/4, 3/4 or 4/4" time signatures, and also enable "Flash on ticks" if you like your beats in a visual way.

Chords

The Chords section includes over 260 chord diagrams for helping you find useful chords and shows the fingerings.

Guitar Toolkit Conclusion

A very useful toolkit for any guitarist. . The Guitar Toolkit somehow transcends any other tuner, metronome, pitch pipes and chord dictionary that I have ever owned. It's also more environmentally friendly, creating less clutter than a case of dusty old gizmos which are often misplaced. Fantastic.

Like Shazam it shows the potential that the iPhone holds for iPhone App developers and is a great example of a well designed iPhone App.

Learn more from the Guitar Toolkit Official Site.

iPhone App - Shazam names that tune

Like many others, I have been waiting for the Apple iPhone 2.0 software upgrade. No, it didn't bring copy and paste functionality to my phone, but it turned it into a computer. Sure, technically it has always been a computer, but now with the introduction of the Apple App Store, mere mortal iPhone users can actually browse, search and download apps straight to their iPhone. Like all good cheapskates I tried a few of the free apps first, and many are just a complete waste of time, but some, drum roll, Shazam, just completely blew me away.

Meet Shazam

The idea is that you play music at your iPhone from any source: computer, radio or anything else that produce an audible sound. Shazam will listen for 30 seconds, then send it to the Shazam HQ, where it will return with a neat listing of the song.

From there you can tag the song, with images, or even take a picture of the location of where you first heard the song. You can even email it to a friend, to share the experience.

Shazam is not an app, it's magic for your iPhone.

What is really great is that this app even works when you try and show it to someone. Unless the song is from an underground radio station, and playing at a different tempo than originally - Shazam will find it.

Conclusion: Shazam, a free but essential music app for your iPhone.

iPhone in the UK

Steve Jobs announced a new product on the 9th January 2007, the Apple iPhone. Not just a phone, it was an emailer, an iPod music, image and video player, it could log into the internet using Wi-Fi and over the phone network, can take pictures, hold your addresses, get youtube, Google Maps and runs on Mac OS X.

Clarkson likes it.

Jeremy Clarkson already owns one. Mind you, he also owns a Lamborghini. He loves his iPhone, it's apparently as good as Sky+. I, and my fellow citizens of the UK (apart from Jeremy Clarkson) will have to wait till 02 minutes past 18 hours on Friday 9th of November 2007 to see if we are smitten too.

I will probably be waiting outside my local Apple Store at least several minutes before lift off. Just in case Santa, misses my note as he is playing with his iLapland edition of the iPhone.

Merry Christmas

(well it will be if 02 are as good as Vodafone...)

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Elgato - EyeTV Diversity

My wife recently got a 24inch Apple iMac, so we thought it was time to ditch the old TV from our bedroom, and use the lovely iMac as a TV. We first tried the Elgato 250, but I was rather disapointed with that. So I sent it back, and brought Elgato's newest TV device - the EyeTV Diversity.

This is an extremely compact USB device, complete with 2 cool mini antennas, and a rather clunky remote. Picture quality is good, using the two antennas. These can be used separately with the Diversity's dual tuners, or combined together in areas of weak signal strength. I use the Diversity in the second way, with them both about a foot apart, where they sit, magnetically clamped to the top of the iMac. I live in an area of poor reception, and the picture with FreeView is pretty good, although a couple of channels arn't too good. Overall, I am very pleased with how it works. It integrates with FrontRow, so when you press your Apple Remote and hold it down the EyeTV software comes to the front in full screen mode (and with EyeTV running in the background.)

I think it is interesting that Apple have recently intoduced the Apple TV, which will wirelessly stream iTunes content to your Widescreen TV. The Elgato Diversity works the other way round, and turns your Mac into a television.

Capable of receiving DTT or DVB-T on either of it's dual tuners. Picture quality is good, and while at the recent MacExpo one of the Elgato demonstration team, told me that HD signals would be possible at a later date, when Elgato had finished the codec.

Rewind

One of the great things about having a TV in your Mac, is of course the Mac! So with it you can rewind your TV, even if you haven't recorded the programme.

Record

You can also record and schedule recordings straight to your Mac's hardrive.

TV Guide

The Built in TV guide, is actualy a free year's account with a TV schedule provider. There is a slight problem with this on my setup, some of the programmes are acually labelled in German, some, not all.

Works with the Apple Remote

The included remote is functional, but really does not look right next to a recent Apple computer. More like a cheap TV/DVD player remote. So instead you can use your existing Apple Remote and holding the "Menu" button depressed for a little while, brings up the EyeTV, and you can flick through channels, record and view the TV schedule. All good.

One problem I have found is that late at night, I have finished watching TV, and I want to put the computer to sleep, I have to get up out of bed. I haven't found a way of doing this with the Apple Remote. So this is an Apple Remote issue, not specific to EyeTV.

Edit: This is simply not true, see below for instructions.

How to put your Mac to sleep with Apple Remote

"Simply hold down the Play button for a few seconds and the screen will dim an show you the icon. The snoring Apple Remote Control icon lets you know that your Mac is about to go to sleep. Keep on pressing the play button if you want this to happen, or release it if you want your Mac to stay awake. "
See here for more info.

Elgato EyeTV Diversity Conclusion

Overall I really love this product. It works well, and is nicely designed (apart from the remote) and I like the two little magnetic antennas. I have now only a Mac in my bedroom, and can now say goodbye to my old TV. Great stuff.

Elgato EyeTV Diversity Homepage

Apple TV - iTunes on your TV

Apple, Inc, as they are now known, introduced another new product besides the Apple iPhone at MacWorld on the 9th of January 2007. The Apple TV will display your iTunes content from your Mac or PC on your Widescreen TV.

Which of course now means movies, as well as your music, photos and podcasts. This cute little box, will sit alongside or instead of your DVD player, and instantly brings your iLife into your living room, wirelessly.

How the Apple TV works

According to Apple:

1. Download music videos, video podcasts and more from iTunes.
2. Sync wirelessly from your Mac or PC.
3. Watch everything on your widescreen TV.

Seems pretty easy.

Apple TV Specifications

Apple TV Processor and storage

• Intel processor
• 40GB hard drive for storing content locally
• Up to 50 hours of movies and TV shows
• Up to 9,000 songs
• Up to 25,000 pictures

Apple TV System requirements

• Mac or PC
• iTunes 7
• Mac: Mac OS X v10.3.9 or later
• PC: Windows XP Home/Professional (SP2)
• AirPort Extreme, Wi-Fi 802.11b, 802.11g, or 802.11n wireless network6 (wireless video streaming requires 802.11g or 802.11n), or 10/100BASE-T Ethernet network

Apple TV Ports and interfaces

• HDMI (video and audio)
• Component video
• Optical audio
• Analog RCA stereo audio
• 10/100BASE-T Ethernet
• USB 2.0 (for service and diagnostics)
• 802.11n wireless networking
• Built-in IR receiver (works with included Apple Remote)

What's in the box?

• Apple TV
• Apple Remote
• 10 iPod Universal Dock Adapters
• Power cord
• Quick Start guide

Looks very promising, and unlike the iPhone, is available to buy now for 299 USD or £199.

Apple TV Press Release

"Apple TV is like a DVD player for the 21st century - you connect it to your entertainment system just like a DVD player, but it plays digital content you get from the Internet rather than DVDs you get from a physical store. Apple TV plays the same iTunes content that users enjoy on their computers and iPods, so now they can even watch part of a movie in their living room, and watch the rest later on their iPod."
Apple CEO - Steve Jobs

Apple TV has a 40GB hard drive to store up to 50 hours of video, 9,000 songs, 25,000 photos or a combination of each and is capable of delivering high-definition 720p output. Apple TV is easy to connect to a broad range of widescreen TVs and home theater systems and comes standard with HDMI, component video, analog and optical audio ports. Using high-speed AirPort 802.11 wireless networking, Apple TV can auto-sync content from one computer or stream content from up to five additional computers right to your TV without any wires.

Apple TV Links

• Apple TV Home
• Apple TV Press Release
• Apple iPhone

Apple iPhone - Have Apple reinvented the phone?

Apple Computer Incorporated's CEO Steve Jobs announced a new product on Tuesday 9th January 2007 at MacWorld, that could be as revolutionary as the Apple Macintosh or the Apple iPod. 1984's Macintosh certainly changed personal computing, but the new Apple iPhone could revolutionise your whole life.

The Apple iPhone is not just a phone. It is the world's first wide-screen iPod; it runs Mac OSX, it switches views from landscape to portrait automatically when you swivel it; it displays your photos; it takes photos, it is a contact manager. It is the natural convergence of everything digital, the ultimate smartphone.

Smartphone

It does proper push email like the Blackberry but instead of tiny plastic keys, Apple have created their take on the touch screen. It seemed to work well with Steve Job's keynote and I like the way it works with the iPod too. This is the point Apple have created a device, pointed to by David Siegel in 1999. This new iPod, is first and foremost a great communicator. It can send and receive emails, host conference calls, dial and receive telephone calls, when the phone rings, your music stops, when you end the call, it starts again.

Safari built in

If it is as good as a phone as a Nokia, then Apple surely have created a winner. A really fantastic, portable device. Available in 4 or 8GB versions, this looks like being the must-have gadget for 2007, especially at Christmas, and Santa, I know what's on my list. Do you want it now?

Apple might just have reinvented the phone

If it works, as well as it looks, I believe Apple Computer International may have just, as they claim, reinvented the phone. We will know come June in the USA, Europe in Q3, and Asia in 2008 for ourselves if Apple have cracked it. I think it is significant that Apple have reinvented their name too. From Apple Computer International to Apple, Inc. I like to think this will allow them new possibilities.

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