Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1-Mk2

 Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1-Mk2

On the page DJ Headphones we find great article about some great DJ Controler, and it's new Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol X1-Mk2. Below you can read full article, and if you wanna know more about this product, on the end of this article you can find some interesting links. 

 

TRAKTOR KONTROL X1 is the compact add-on controller engineered for seamless TRAKTOR integration.

    - Control two track decks and two TRAKTOR FX units
    - Touch strip controls track position, pitchbend, loops and FX
    - RGB backlit triggers identify cue points from loops or markers

The NI Traktor Kontrol X1 MK2 is a compact and modular Digital DJ controller that was built specifically for the full Traktor Pro 2 software that allows DJ’s to control file navigation, effects, loops, hotcues, Flux Mode, and other playback properties. The Traktor Kontrol X1 MK2 is the second iteration of the original X1 with some minor layout changes and the addition of a touch strip and loop counter readout that allows DJ’s to take even more control of their mixing than ever before. Watch our full review video for the complete rundown.

QUALITY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Built for maximum precision and flexibility in DJ performance, TRAKTOR KONTROL X1 boasts professional quality workmanship that offers both portability and a familiar layout.

Now redesigned, the new KONTROL X1 offers a new multi-purpose touch strip and intuitive touch-sensitive encoders for a powerful and portable DJ solution fit for any situation. The optional transport bag allows for safe transport and puts X1 at exactly the same height as standard mixers and other DJ hardware.

Acer tips quad-core low-cost tablets for 2013

Acer Iconia B1 Tablet

 Acer tips quad-core low-cost tablets for 2013

Acer has already received some positive attention for its Iconia B1 tablet, which is a 7-incher that’s aimed at the budget crowd. Looking to take a slice of Google’s Nexus 7 pie isn’t easy, but it seems that Acer wants to push forward by offering new budget-friendly tablets in 2013. Specifically, it appears that Acer CEO Linxian Lang told the China Times that it will have low-cost 8 and 10-inch tablets coming up later this year.

These tablets are said to have a price point ranging from 150 to 175 Euros, which puts them at about $202 to $236. That certainly isn’t bad considering how expensive some tablets can get, but of course, pricing hasn’t been set in stone yet, so that could change. These tablets will also come packed with quad-core processors, which will make them all the more attractive to those looking for a deal.

So, in 2013, we may see Acer try to corner the entry-level market. That isn’t a bad idea, because while others like Apple and Samsung duke it out over the high-end tablet crowd, Acer can make its tablets appeal to more mainstream users. That could potentially result in quite a few sales, so provided Acer can offer these quad-core tablets on the cheap, it might just have a winning strategy on its hands.

Lang discussed the tablet market when talking to the China Times, saying that the company expects 200 million tablets to be sold this year. Of those 200 million, 80 million will be expensive high-end devices, leaving 120 million sales to the mainsteam crowd. If those projections are accurate, then there should be plenty of market share to capture when it comes to entry-level and mid-range tablets. We’ll have to wait and see if Acer makes any formal announcements for these tablets, so stay tuned.

Apple's Next iPhone Could Use New Touch Technology

According to a report in The China Times (Translated by computing.co.uk), sources in the Apple supply chain claim that, “Apple intends to switch to alternative touch technology for its next generation of mobile phones iPHONE 6, stating that a ‘Touch On Display’ panel is being developed by Taiwanese Apple supplier Innolux.”

In November, game developers at CMA Megacorp in London identified a glitch with rapid diagonal scrolling on the iPhone 5. They tweeted that if you “slide [your] finger back and forth diagonally on screen, input events drop out or stop altogether.” The video above demonstrates the glitch by testing this kind of action on two iPhone 4 units, one running iOS 5 and the other iOS 6 against two iPhone 5 units with the same two versions of iOS. In both of the iPhone 5s, the screen froze up after a bunch of touch events piled up, but not on the iPhone 4s.

Consumer Reports Is No Fan Of iPhone 5 Nigam Arora Nigam Arora Contributor
Bring On The iPhone 6! First Fantasy Prototype Anthony Wing Kosner Anthony Wing Kosner Contributor

User comments I have read suggest that not all of the new iPhones are equally sensitive, and then only for users, like Fruit Ninja or Infinity Blade players, who routinely make this kind of diagonal swiping action on their phones.

Cult of Mac reported in September that the iPhone 5′s thin “in cell” combination of touch screen and LCD display in one, was ”causing ‘significant production constraints’ that mean Apple cannot produce the device fast enough.” It may be that quality control has been a significant issue.

According to the China Times report, the new Innolux “Touch On Display” panel will have “a thickness of only 0.5mm, [and] better sensitivity than previous iPhones with a ’10 point full featured multi-touch’ function.” This would suggest that the next iPhone will be a “5s” instead of a “6,” and that Apple will use this transitional model to work out some of the kinks with the iPhone 5. In general, these second models have been better bets than the splashy premieres, with higher user satisfaction ratings. Consumer Reports, for one, is not a big fan of the iPhone 5.

Australian tycon plans to create real Jurassic Park

Clive Palmer, a tycoon from Australia, wants to make Jurassic Park on his property in southern Queensland. He plans to clone dinosaurs, and make a real Jurassic Park, just like in a movie "Jurassic Park".

Clive Palmer has already been in contact with the man who cloned the sheep Dolly, and talked with him about this idea.

In the past, Clive had a few interesting ideas, like the idea of building a replica of the Titanic that if all goes to plan should 2016th sail from London to New York.

Nvidia hand-held video-games console

Nvidia plans to produce own hand-held video-games console.

Project Shield is Android-based and marries a 5in (12.7cm) touch-screen with joysticks, buttons and other controls, in a clam-shell design.

It is also designed to link to PCs offering access to more powerful games such as those on the Steam library.

The announcement was a surprise, as the US company has previously focused on selling chips and graphics cards to other manufacturers.

Intel, another chip manufacturer, is also reportedly working on its own device - a television set-top box.
Android apps

Nvidia's announcement came at the first major press conference of this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The company's chief executive, Jen-Hsun Huang, did not reveal a release date or price for the device, but he did show off a working prototype and outline its specifications.
Nvidia chief executive Jen-Hsun Huang Nvidia's chief executive said the console had taken five years to develop

The console is bigger than an Xbox controller but smaller than the Wii U's game-pad.

Its screen resolution is 720p, but the machine is capable of playing out games and video in the 4k standard - which offers eight times the detail - on compatible TVs via an HDMI cable.

At its heart is the firm's new quad-core Tegra 4 chip - which Mr Huang described as the fastest mobile processor on the market.

As well as keys representing the standard Android commands, the console also sports a "shield" button that takes users to a curated games store featuring titles selected from the Google Play marketplace. However, it can also be used to run other types of apps - Mr Huang gave music players and Facebook as two examples.

Using wi-fi it can also be paired with a computer containing one of Nvidia's GeForce video cards to run PC games. In this case the desktop computer's processors power the software, offering higher quality graphics than could be rendered by the mobile processor.

Mr Huang boasted that "latency was so short it was as if you are connected to the PC" - playing down potential concerns that this kind of set-up might involve a delay between a user pressing a button on the console and the connected PC registering the command.

A demonstration involving titles from Valve's Steam PC platform appeared to bear this out.

However, to avoid such latency issues, users will only be able to connect the console to a PC on the same home network - although Mr Huang said it was an ambition to allow them to go "beyond the house" with future devices.

Nvidia's move takes advantage of the growing number of games being released for the Android and Windows operating systems without it having to develop its own ecosystem - as is the case with the PlayStation, Wii and Xbox families.

However, it will have to convince consumers that they need a dedicated portable gaming console in addition to their other computing devices.

Earlier this year Sony had to cut sales forecasts for its PlayStation Vita hand-held - analysts linked the news to the growth of gaming on smartphones and tablets.

In addition, one industry watcher suggested Nvidia's move would prove controversial with hardware makers that currently use its chips.

"It is a bit of a reach for Nvidia as it does not typically involve itself much with the end-user," said Josh Walrath from the PC Perspective tech site.

"They normally have partners in between. So by doing such a thing you do have to wonder if they're going to alienate any of their really close partners, and if they have the ability to get consumers to buy into it."

Self-driving car from Toyota

Toyota has given a taste of self-drive car safety technology ahead of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week.

The car maker revealed a video clip of a Lexus fitted with safety features designed to minimise car crashes.

The technology includes on-board radar and video cameras to monitor the road, the surroundings, and the driver.

The car can also communicate with other vehicles, according to a Toyota spokesman.

"We're looking at a car that would eliminate crashes," said the spokesman. "Zero-collisions is our ultimate aim."

The "advanced active safety research vehicle" prototype uses ITS and existing Toyota technology to monitor whether the driver is awake, to keep the car on the road, and to stop at traffic signals. The technology is designed to be used in conjunction with a driver, but the car can control itself, said the spokesman.

A series of optical beacons on the roadside can detect the positions of pedestrians and obstacles, and relay information to the prototype about whether a traffic light is red or green, as part of ITS. The car can also independently monitor pedestrians' positions.

"Not the Jetsons yet, but our advanced active safety research car is leading the industry into a new automated era," Toyota said in a Tweet on Thursday.

Toyota has also developed technology that lets a car communicate with a driver's smartphone to offer augmented reality features. This would let the car know about places by the road letting it, for example. recommend an upcoming restaurant, said the spokesman.

Toyota is one of several heavy-weight car manufacturers and technology companies researching autonomous vehicles.

Ferrari F430 in leather outfit

Ferrari F430

Dartz is a French company engaged in tuning the cars, and they showed Ferrari F430 in the leather outfit. This is a unique car on French roads.

Top 30 Android apps this week

With the number of impressive Android smartphones and tablets increasing steadily – see this week's Nexus 4 review for the latest example – it's good to see that the flow of interesting Android apps is also continuing in early 2013.

Here's our pick of the 30 most notable new apps on the Google Play store, with a slightly extended focus to reflect the fact that the last weekly roundup was on 21 December. This week's 30 Best iPhone and iPad apps roundup is now also live.

Antiques Roadshow Play-along (Free)
The BBC has launched this "play-along" app for its Antiques Roadshow TV programme, taking the form of a valuation game that tests whether you can guess how much items are worth before they're valued on-screen by the show's experts. The app is designed to play along live with the show, whether you're watching live or on catchup.

Zombies, Run! 5k Training (L0.69)

The excellent Zombies, Run! was a fitness app with a twist: virtual zombies chasing you along your running paths. Now it's got a spin-off based on an eight-week training programme for people to work up to 5km runs. As before, it comes with a zombified storyline from author Naomi Alderman.

Pitfall! (Free)

Atari reinvented its classic Pitfall game as a freemium Temple Run-style game for iOS last year. Now it's available on Android too, as Pitfall Harry runs through jungles, caves and villages leaping over obstacles and whipping beasties. Power-ups add spice, with in-app purchases prominent in the gameplay mix.

Facebook Pages Manager (Free)

This app went live quietly on Google Play on 3 January with no official announcement at the time of writing, and it also appears to be US-only – something that may change by the time you read this. It's an Android version of Facebook's iPhone app for Page admins, helping them post updates, read and respond to comments, and analyse traffic to their Facebook Pages.

Sing! Karaoke (Free)

Developer Smule has made its name with a series of quirky-but-creative music apps, with Sing! Karaoke being its latest – initially for the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 tablets, with more device support to follow. It gets people singing into their microphone to a selection of current hits, sharing their performances with the world and (hopefully) getting praise in return. In-app purchases are used to get premium songs to sing along with.

MailOnline Tablet

With website traffic continuing to rocket, MailOnline is also ramping up its tablet publishing with this new Android app. Designed for larger-screened devices, it offers the latest stories on all things Kardashian (plus other topics, of course) through themed channels, with social features and photo galleries thrown in.

Zime (BETA) | To-do + Calendar (Free)

Looking for a whizzy personal productivity app? Zime's schtick is its 3D timeline of upcoming tasks and meetings, which scrolls off into the distance on-screen. It syncs with various calendars, with the promise that it'll soon go beyond pure diary dates to "become your personal time coach". It's currently in public beta, so may be a bit crashy.

Tapatalk HD Beta (Free)

Another beta here to test out, this time for Android tablets. Based on the existing smartphone version, it's an app for visiting tens of thousands of online forums, making them play nicer with the touchscreen. Version 1.0 is set to launch as a paid app at the end of January, with a discount promised for beta users of this version.

Final Fantasy II (L6)

Games publisher Square Enix has been working hard on bumping up its Android efforts, particularly around its classic RPG franchise Final Fantasy. This is the second game in the series, originally released in 1988. Expect plenty of retro dungeoneering, although some device owners are reporting crashes while playing, so it's worth reading the Google Play comments before buying.

Final Fantasy Dimensions for Android Final Fantasy Dimensions for Android
Final Fantasy Dimensions (L13.99)

More expensive, but arguably more appealing to fans who've already played FFII a couple of times, is Final Fantasy Dimensions. The basic ingredients are similar: battles, character growth and a suitably epic storyline – plus chiptune background music as an additional in-app purchase, which feels a bit rich considering the basic price.

GymPact - Reward your workout (Free)

It truly is the time of year for new fitness apps to launch, promising to help smartphone owners shift their festive bellies'n'bottoms. GymPact has been available on iPhone for a while, but now it's on Android too: a US-based app to track your workouts, and reward you with actual cash if you stick to your plan – funded by payments from those who don't. An intriguing idea.

Sonic Jump (L1.46)

More famous old gaming characters leaping onto Android – literally in the case of Sonic the Hedgehog in this game. It sees Sonic leaping upwards through a series of 48 platform levels, including boss battles with arch-foe Dr Eggmanm with online leaderboards and challenges adding a social spin.

BBC News Widget by Feedly (Free)

Feedly is a simple but effective Android homescreen widget for the BBC News website, joining several others for rival sites in its roster. Available for free, it's a quick way to keep abreast of popular news stories on the Beeb's news site.

Demons' Score THD (L13.99)

And one more game from Square Enix, albeit this time not based on Final Fantasy. Instead, this is a music rhythm game with umpteen demons, talking teddy bears and a college heroine called Serenity who has to make sense of it all. It sounds strange, but plays very well.

Dueling Blades (Free)

Social game publisher 6waves is also committed to Android releases, with Dueling Blades its latest. It's a 3D fantasy action strategy game that sees you battling against bandit, pirate and undead enemies, as well as your friends over the network.

Kii Keyboard (Free)

And still the alternative Android keyboard apps keep coming, despite SwiftKey, Swype and Google's own revamped keyboard seeming to have the market sewn up. Kii Keyboard is another beta, too, aiming to combine SwiftKey-style prediction with Swype-style, er, swiping.

Mrs. Brown's Boys (L0.99)

Love it or hate it – and there are plenty of people in both camps – TV sitcom Mrs. Brown's Boys has been a huge hit in the UK and Ireland. Its official app is more of a marketing tool, with soundboards, a translator and bundled ringtones.

Space Ace (L3.99)

Here's a blast from the past for gamers of a certain age: Don Bluth's Space Ace, which back in 1984 came from the same laserdisc studio that made Dragon's Lair. Running on smartphones and tablets, this Android version sees you guiding space-hero Ace through a series of perils.

Kasabian (Free)

Kasabian are the latest band to get their own Android app, serving up social media posts, backstage photos and video clips, and fresh tunes when they're posted online. The app also promises competitions, ticket access and "the facillity to interact with the band at live shows in real time".

Ant Raid (L0.60)

HeroCraft's Ant Raid has been getting some storming reviews on iOS and Android alike, putting you in charge of an ant colony trying to fend off swarms of monsters. It's real-time strategy meets Plants vs. Zombies, with lots of legs. Well worth a look.

It's a Small World (L0.61)

Here's an interesting idea from Disney: an Android live wallpaper based on a musical boat ride from its theme parks. The wallpaper features a number of Disney characters, with bright colours and a characterful visual style.

Metal Slug (L1.49)

More retro gaming here, courtesy of SNK Playmore's update of its Metal Slug 2D action-shooter. This is a port of the original NeoGeo version of the game, as you blast your way through a series of levels rescuing prisoners-of-war and upgrading your weapons. There's also a Bluetooth co-op mode for local multiplayer.

Zoo Train for Android Zoo Train for Android
Zoo Train (L1.22)
As more Android devices make their way (via parents) into the hands of children, there's going to be a big market for kids' apps on Google Play in 2013. Zoo Train is a good-looking example from developer Busy Bee Studios: a collection of five mini-games with light educational elements: letters, music, patterns and shapes.

Our Solar System - Kids Book (Free)

There's also an appetite for free children's apps on Android, meaning Our Solar System may prove popular in the weeks to come. It focuses on the planets of the solar system, with facts, memory quizzes and an asteroid-blasting mini-game.

Fitsby (Free)

Fitsby is another app aiming to help people stay motivated in the gym, with this one also focused on encouraging competitive support within groups of friends. The idea: you check in when starting a gym session, and bet real or virtual money against friends to see who works out most. I'm a bit uneasy about gambling as the mechanism to spur keeping fit, but it'll be interesting to see if others disagree.

ExZeus 2 (L2.57)

Another Android game that's good for showing off the capabilities of Tegra-powered devices, ExZeus 2 is a 3D shoot 'em up with robots battling in the air and on the ground, with an experience-point system to upgrade your own robo-fighter as you play through the game.

Killer Escape (Free)

One more game to cover this week: the spooky Killer Escape, which sees you waking up "in a cold and dirty cell confronted by a twisted serial killer". Those Christmas party comedowns can be tough... The Google Play description is terse, to say the least, but its demo video makes Killer Escape look like an interesting touchscreen take on point'n'click adventures.

GMD Smart Rotate (Free)

A simple, one-use app for Android devices that uses the front-facing camera to rotate the screen based on your face's orientation, as well as using it to keep the screen turned on when you're gazing at it.

MoodPanda - Mood Diary (Free)

This mood-tracking app has picked up some impressive reviews for its iPhone version. Now it's available on Android. It aims to get you tracking your moods day-to-day, then looking back at them over a period of weeks and months, for more awareness of what's been affecting your happiness.

SleepyTime: Bedtime Calculator (Free)

If it's lack of sleep that's making you grumpy, SleepyTime may help. It's one of a number of apps aiming to wake you up in a better mood by timing it between sleep cycles, so you're less "groggy and exhausted". If your morning routine allows you to be this flexible, it could be just the thing.

These are the brands of cars that is the cheapest for repair

A new survey conducted by CarMD, is ranked the cars based on the type of necessary repairs and how often they occur. In this study, they investigated 136 million of car models, produced from 2002 to 2012 year.

They singled out the 100 vehicles that represent the top 5 percent of the most reliable vehicles on the road.

For the second year in a row, at the top table is Toyota, then goes Hyundai, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen.

Google sells Motorola cable box unit for $2.4 billion

Google is selling its Motorola Mobility Home division, which includes cable set-top boxes and modems, to Arris Group for $2.35 billion.

Under the terms of the deal, which Google and Arris announced late Wednesday, Google will receive $2.05 billion in cash and $300 million in newly issued Arris shares. That will give Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) about a 16% ownership stake in Arris (ARRS), a communications technology company, when the deal closes sometime during the second quarter of 2013,Rumors that Google would unload the struggling cable-box division have been swirling since March, before the company's purchase of Motorola Mobility was even finalized.

Google first revealed its plan to buy Motorola Mobility in August 2011, but the $12.5 billion deal didn't clear regulatory procedures until May 2012. The deal was largely made so that Google could get access to Motorola Mobility's portfolio of patents and it was always thought that Motorola Mobility's set-top box business was not a great fit for Google.

Since the Motorola deal closed, Google has been quick to make moves aimed at turning the business around. In August, Google announced it would cut 4,000 Motorola employees, or 20% of the total workforce. At that point, Motorola Mobility had been unprofitable in 14 of the past 16 quarters.

Google and Arris noted in their press release that Motorola Home generated $3.4 billion in revenue for the four quarters ended September 30. Arris' purchase of the unit is expected to save $100-125 million in annual operating costs.

Shares of Arris were slightly higher in pre-market trading Thursday. Google investors might respond favorably as well. Jefferies analyst Brian Pitz wrote in a report Thursday that Wall Street was expecting Google would only raise between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for Motorola Home.