Apple iPad Air – Preview

Apple iPad Air – Preview

Until recently, if you wanted to use a tablet for high end video editing and music production, the iPad Pro was the only game in town. However, despite being a formidable machine, its price tag puts it out of reach of many a starving artist/musician/filmmaker. Clearly Apple get this, because its just announced iPad Air offers almost as much power as an iPad Pro for almost as little money as an iPad, making it a no brainer for creatives, on paper at least. Although we haven’t got our hands on one yet, we hope to bring you a full review in due course. In the meantime, here’s a quick look at what the new iPad Air has to offer.

The new iPad Air is based around Apple’s custom A12 Bionic chipset, which is also found in its iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Whilst not quite as powerful as the A12X Bionic chipset found in its current iPad Pro 11 and iPad Pro 12.9, it’s certainly no slouch. Indeed it is more powerful than the A11 chipset that powered the last iteration of Apple’s iPad Pros!

Unlike the iPad Pros which offer four capacities (64GB, 256GB, 512GB & 1TB), the iPad Air offers just two – 64GB & 256GB. For general use, drawing and illustration (the iPad Air is compatible with Apple’s 1st, but not its second, generation Pencil) the $499/£479 64GB model is probably adequate. For pro video, audio and photography, we reckon that paying the extra $149/£150 for the 256GB model is likely to prove a good investment.

The most obvious difference between the iPad Air and the iPad Pro is that the former has the larger bezels and home button of the iPad. Compared to the iPad Pro 11, the iPad Air’s case is 3mm taller, 4.4mm less wide, 0.2mm deeper and has a 10.5″ instead of an 11″ screen.

The screens on both models are laminated, anti reflective & anti fingerprint-resistant coated LED-backlit 264 PPI IPS wide colour (P3) True Tone Retina displays, though the iPad Pro’s is a liquid retina display that offers ProMotion technology (which the iPad Air does not).

The other main differences are that the iPad Air has a lightening connector instead of USB-C, uses touch ID instead of face ID and has two speakers instead of 4.

There are some differences between the rear cameras on the iPad Air & iPad Pro (for example the iPad Air has an 8-megapixel f2.4 camera, whereas the iPad Pro has a 12-megapixel f1.8 camera) and video recording abilities (the iPad Pro can record 4K at up to 60FPS, 1080p at 120 fps and 720p at 240 FPS, whereas the iPad Air is restricted to 1080p HD standard and 720p 120 fps recording). However, if you are a creative, the chances are that you are shooting/editing content that was originated on a dedicated camera, so these differences are hardly likely to be a deal breaker.

Like the iPad Pro, the iPad Air is compatible with Apple’s smart keyboard (which cleverly doubles as a cover) for 2-in-1 functionality; and third party bluetooth keyboards.

All in all, at $499/£479 for the 64GB model & $649/£629 for the 256GB model, the iPad Air feels like it could be the iPad Pro for the creative masses. We look forward to testing it with apps such as Korg Gadget and Adobe Lightroom CC, in due course.

More info: https://www.apple.com/uk/ipad/

© 2019, The Technofile. All rights reserved. Moral Rights Asserted.

The 30 Best Things at NAMM 2018

1. Our friend Thomas Dolby, getting a lifetime achievement award from Roland (h/t KraftMusic):

2. Our friend Paul White getting all Men in Black with the Game Changer Audio Plasma Pedal – a stomp box that’s so bright you gotta wear shades (h/t Sound on Sound):

3. Waldorf Quantum. The most eagerly anticipated keyboard of 2017/18 is all but finished and perilously close to shipping (h/t Synth Anatomy & Bonedo Synthesizers):

4. Strymon Magneto Eurorack Tape Delay. A virtual 4 head tape delay, looper & spring reverb, in Eurorack format, with extensive CV i/o? What’s not to like?! In fact it gets our award for best Eurorack module at NAMM 2018. But shhh… don’t tell Marvel Comics (h/t Perfect Circuit Audio):

5. The Pioneer DJS-1000. We loved its forerunner – the Toriaz SP-16 and suspect that the DJS-1000 will be the new standard of DJ sampler (h/t Sonic State):

6. BOSS GT-1000. A multitude of amps & stomp boxes, including the algorithms from the fantastic DD/RV/MD-500 & MDP series, with 32-bit AD/DA and 32-bit/96 kHz internal processing? Yes please! (h/t Better Music):

7. Elektron Digitone. Proof that if you wait long enough, everything comes back into fashion…even FM…and here it is with knobs on, both figuratively & literally (h/t Synthtopia):

8. Korg Prologue. This Minilogue/Monologue influenced 8/16 voice hybrid polysynth features two analogue and one digital oscillators and looks as sleek as it sounds (h/t Sound on Sound & Loopop):

9. Rossum Electro Music Assimil8r – The final version of the long awaited 8 channel Eurorack sampler from Mr E-mu Emulator himself! (h/t Sonic State):

10. The Arturia MiniBrute 2 & MiniBrute 2S. Falling somewhere between a MiniBrute and a MatrixBrute, these Brutes feature dual oscillators and 48 point Eurorack compatible patch bay. We prefer the MiniBrute 2S, which swaps its keyboard for a BeatStep Pro style sequencer (h/t SourceDistributionTV):

11. Alesis Vortex Wireless 2 keytar controller. Simply the best Keytar we’ve ever seen (h/t Andertons):

12. SE Electronics RNT. A large-diaphragm tube condenser mic designed in collaboration with audio legend and thoroughly nice guy, Rupert Neve, that’s said to combine vintage quality with the benefits of modern advances (h/t Sound on Sound):

13. Antares Autotune Pro. Better, faster, stronger, but not harder and now with added auto tune 5 classic algorithm option. Believe (h/t Bedroom Producers Blog):

14. Behringer in original synth shocker. It’s called the Neutron and it’s redder than Lenin.

15. Roland TR-808 and TR-909 plug-ins for the Roland Cloud. Following on from the TR–08 and TR–09, Roland is bringing VST and AU versions of the venerable TR-808 & TR-909 to the Roland Cloud. Say Planet Rock, it’s the sure shot (h/t Bedroom Producers Blog):

16. Doepfer Polyphonic Eurorack Modules. They’re made by Doepfer. They’re polyphonic. As David Byrne once said “Any questions?” (Animato Audio):

17. Apple Logic Pro X 10.4. Offering far more than one would expect from a point update, Logic Pro X 10.4’s headline new features include ‘Smart Tempo’, which claims to use “advanced tempo detection technology” to enable all recorded tracks to stay in time with each other without the need for a metronome/click track; a new algorithmic reverb called ‘ChromaVerb’; a ‘Vintage EQ’ plug-in; Celemony Melodyne ARA 2 support; and, best of all, the return of two of our all time favourite plug-ins – Camel Audio’s CamelPhat and CamelSpace, in the form of ‘Phat FX’ and ‘Step FX’.

 

18. Realitone Hip Hop Creator. This grabbed our attention not only because our Publisher/Editor is the world’s greatest rapper, but also for the unintended comedic brilliance of 2:57-3:30 in this video (h/t Sonic State):

19. Teenage Engineering PO-33 K.O. One of three new Pocket Operators, the PO-33 K.O. is a sampler that looks like a lot of fun…with or without added Cuckoo…though undeniably more so with (h/t Cuckoo):

20. Sonnox VoxDoubler. This duo of plug-ins – ‘Widen’ and ‘Thicken’ aim to do what they suggest naturally, with Sonnox quality at a refreshingly economical price (h/t Sound on Sound):

21. Roland’s expanding headband. Whilst you’re waiting for Roland to re-release the Jupiter 8, why not buy a bunch of Roland SE-02s and poly chain them?. Here’s Scott Tibbs demonstrating how huge this sounds (h/t Sonic State):

22. Empress Effects Zoia. The modular pedal that’s anything you want it to be

23. Sim1 XT-1. A pedal that promises to transform your guitar into a classic Les Paul, Strat, Tele, 335, or acoustic…and what’s more it seems to work!

24. Blip Blox. A Fisher Price style synthesizer & beatbox for kids that’s guaranteed to be used almost exclusively by adults.

25. Yamaha CS-80. No, not a re-release, but an original, that was recently unearthed by Yamaha in a spot of office archaeology. What’s more, it’s in pristine condition..or, at least, it was before spending 4 days at NAMM… (h/t Synthtopia):

26. The Waldorf STVC. Contrary to rumours, this is not a case of Waldorf going all Behringer on the Roland VP-330, but an entirely different beast, based upon a re-voiced (and, in our opinion, better sounding) Streichfett. Now all Waldorf need to do is to remove the keyboard and the vocoder and stick it in a box (h/t Sonic State):

27. Keith McMillen K-Board Pro 4. Express yourself! (h/t Kraft Music):

28. Rainger FX Reverb X. Just when you think everything that can be done with reverb and overdrive in a stompbox has been done, Rainger FX’s Reverb X comes along and does something new (h/t Sonic State):

29. Yudo NEUMAN Multi-Touch Keyboard / Synthesizer Prototype. Is this the future? (h/t Synth Anatomy):

30. Ormsby DJENT2018. You can’t mention NAMM 2018 without mentioning this 18 string Tasmanian blackwood and stone (sic) 18 string guitar. It reminds us of the time that Homer Simpson designed a car… (h/t GAK):

© 2018, The Technofile. All rights reserved. Moral Rights Asserted.

The New Apple Mac Pro 2018

Apple’s recent announcement that they would make a new Mac Pro is as heartening as it is disturbing. Heartening because it confirms Apple’s commitment to creative pros. Disturbing because it reveals that Apple has only just started thinking about making a next generation Mac Pro and consequently it will not materialise until at least a year from now, whilst Apple decides exactly what a next generation Mac Pro should look like. Here’s a suggestion…

Apple Mac Pro 2018

Think Tower

Steve Jobs may have been fond of Henry Ford’s adage “If I’d done what my customers wanted, I would have built a faster horse,” but sometimes a faster, horse is exactly what’s needed. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel…cylinder, cube, or dodecahedron. The tower is a tried and tested form factor that just works!

Apple’s previous take on the tower (aka the cheese grater) was typically elegant and innovative. Built like a tank, it included a 4 bay (software) RAID array and offered a cable free, screw free, tool free design, that ensured maximum air flow, easy accessibility, and consequently minimum fuss for hardware upgrades. In fact it roundly addressed almost every shortcoming of other towers. So successful was its design, that many creative are still using 2010 and 2012 Mac Pros on a daily basis, albeit in upgraded form.

Think Inside The Box

Arguably the one shortcoming of Apple’s tower designs was an insufficient number of PCIe slots (which left some users with no option but to invest in expensive third part external expansion chassis’). Admittedly ever more powerful CPU/GPUs have allowed industry standard software such as Pro Tools and Adobe Premier Pro to do more and more without the need for proprietary PCIe cards, and Apple’s timely championing of Thunderbolt has meant that hardware which once had to be located in the box because of the need for a fast internal interface, can now be relocated outside of the box. However, external boxes need cables and in some cases PSUs, which creates multiple points of failure, and clutter than is not in keeping with the elegance that is at the heart of everything that Apple does. Added to which, as VR, AR, 8K video, and who knows what else enter the mainstream, the need for proprietary internal cards that power content creation may expand. That’s why we say give creative pros the six PCIe slots they have always wanted…which, incidentally, is the same number that is found in some PC cases.

Think Nvidia

Nvidia currently make the GPUs of choice for many visual applications and have done so for some time, so it is important that Apple and Nvidia put aside any differences in the interests of the new Mac Pro shipping with either an Nvidia GPU as standard, or as a built to order option. Going forwards, Apple, Nvidia and AMD should commit to ensuring that all GPUs are fully supported by MacOS, and that driver updates are released in parallel with PCs, so that users can upgrade their new Mac Pros with confidence.

Think RAID Array

In the future, as SSDs become bigger and cheaper, hard disk drives will become as distant a memory as 5.25″ floppies and cassette storage. However, we’re not there yet. Some current estimates suggest that SSD/HDD price/size parity will not happen until 2020. In the meantime, creatives require big fast storage for editing, grading and archiving video, storing massive sample libraries, rendering out After Effects projects, animations and VFX, and this mostly requires big, fast RAID Arrays. Apple got it very right when they incorporated a 4 bay software RAID array into their old Mac towers. At the time 4 HDDs was sufficient to edit the then emerging HD video standard and more than fast enough for audio purposes. But nothing stands still. 4K video (which is 4 times larger than HD) is arguably more pervasive now than HD video was in 2010, and 8K video (which is 4 times larger than 4K) is here and likely to become a new industry standard by 2020. That’s why we say to Apple take things one step further and build an 8 bay hardware (not software) RAID array into the front of the new Mac Pro; one that will take hot swappable 3.5″ HDDs, 2.5″ SSDs, and M.2 NVMe SSDs…and add a further two internal M.2 connectors for separate NVMe system and cache drives (for which SSDs are an absolute essential). And if a built in Raid Array is not an option, then include Mini SAS & eSATA, as those are the interfaces found on most professional RAID arrays.

Think Memory

Think of the largest amount of memory anyone could possibly ever need…then double it…then double it again…and you still won’t have anywhere near enough for creative purposes…as the history of computing demonstrates…and that’s before you even start to factor in real-time AR 8K video, massively component modelled 64bit/196KHz audio plug-ins, truly photorealistic animation, gigapixel photo stitching, and all of the other memory hungry applications on the horizon. Give us terabytes of RAM & Petabytes of fast solid state storage and we’ll still complain that we need more…and we will…so give us the latest stable RAM technology and lots of slots…at least 16 (preferably more). They might not all be filled initially, but they will all be filled eventually.

Think USB & Thunderbolt

Creatives often have setups that involve multiple control surfaces and musical keyboards. Some of these will be plugged in permanently, for which rear facing sockets are ideal, some need to be plugged in occasionally, for which front facing sockets are best, so Apple should include a healthy amount of USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 sockets on both the front and the rear.

Think Ethernet

Obviously…but now that video over IP and Ethernet audio are increasingly a thing in production circles, and a number of medium and high end control surfaces connect solely via Ethernet, more and faster Ethernet sockets/channels would be forward looking.

Think FireWire

Yes we know its retro, and we know that Apple, as a rule, like to eliminate old tech, but video editors frequently need access to archive material, a huge amount of which is on formats such as mini DV & HDV, the cameras and players for which communicate via FireWire. Furthermore, there’s a whole generation of musicians with perfectly good FireWire audio interfaces that they would be loath to dispose of for no good reason. So Apple should take it as a compliment that the adoption of the FireWire tech it played such a major part in driving forward is still in such widespread use today and ensure that the new Mac Pro contains at least two FireWire 800 ports – one on the front and one on the back…and NO, dongles are NOT the answer!

Think Optical Disc Drive

Many Millennials may think that CDs are really odd looking bits of vinyl, but creatives know better. DJs need to burn CDs as not all venues have Pioneer’s new USB stick based decks; filmmakers need to burn DVDs & Blu Ray discs as many film festivals cannot or will not accept digital files; and creatives need to master/author discs. The two optical drive bays of the 2010/2012 towers is overkill, but one is a necessity and it should be filled with a UHD Blu-ray BDXL Burner that supports 128GB Quadruple Layer (QL) and 100GB Triple Layer (TL) Blu-ray Disc authoring.

Think Card Reader

Not all filmmakers have access to a DIT to transfer card data to drives on set. Many will do so after the event, as will most photographers. A fast, built in, multi format card reader would be perfect for this.

Think Rack

Musicians love 19″ rack mountable gear. Offer a kit that allows the New Mac Pro to be mounted in a 19″ rack and they’ll buy two. Hell, add CV & Gate i/o and offer it in Eurorack format, and they’ll buy four (NB we’re not actually suggesting that it is offered in Eurorack format).

Think Silent

Anyone working with audio wants their gear to be as quiet as possible. If Apple can’t make the new Mac Pro silent (by which we mean silent, not quiet) without compromising its performance, perhaps they could include a very long monitor lead, or build in wireless video sending tech.

Think Headphone Socket

Don’t even think about removing it!

Think Touch

Apple has stated that it has experimented with touchscreen based desktop computing and feels it adds nothing to the user experience. If those experiments involved placing the screen at 90 degrees to the keyboard and running spreadsheets, we’d have to agree. However, running creative apps with a screen at 45 degrees or flat is an entirely different story. Any app that involves drawing, rotoscoping, mask creation, and retouching is ideally suited to a combination of stylus & touchscreen, whilst audio apps such as Pro Tools, Ableton Live and Apple’s own Logic Pro, are simply crying out for a multi touch interface. Microsoft’s Surface Studio is, at the very least, proof of concept…and, rather surprisingly, quite a lot more in this regard, whilst Slate Media Technology’s Raven absolutely nails multi touch audio for Macs. Offering creatives the option of a big, high resolution, colour accurate, multi touch monitor, that can be used horizontally, vertically, and at any angle, as a primary or secondary monitor, would be a giant leap for creative kind.

Think Upgradable

In a ‘fireside chat’, Apple reportedly told reporters that the new Mac Pro will be “modular.” That makes us nervous. We have Lego, we have modular synths, we don’t need either in computer form. What we need is a box, all of whose contents can be easily and readily upgraded…and by all, we mean all – not just memory, drives & GPU, but CPUs, motherboard and PSU. That means three things. Firstly, no soldered components. Secondly, a commitment from Apple to design future Mac Pro motherboards to a common form factor. Thirdly, a commitment from Apple to sell us these future motherboards (and other components) direct, at a reasonable price, and/or to make them available via third parties.

In an era of almost instant disposability, making a computer that will be as usable in a decade as it is now (albeit with upgraded components) will be true (and environmentally friendly) innovation, the sort of innovation of which Apple could deservedly be proud. And if using the same computer for a decade or more seems far fetched, it should be remembered that in mid 2017, lots of creative pros are still using (significantly upgraded) Mid 2010 Mac Pros.

One More Thing…

In the past, if you bought a base model of Apple tower, although it was upgradable to an extent, it could not be upgraded to the same spec as a top of the range model. We think that was a mistake. Not everyone who aspires to owning a Mac Pro is necessarily rich or professional. And some who are professionals, even if they are successful at what they do, may be freelancing and so have a sporadic income. Being able to buy a base model and upgrade it piecemeal, over time, to the spec of a top of the range model and beyond, would be a massive incentive for many to enter the Mac Pro sphere…especially if Apple can find a way to make that base model insanely affordable for struggling musicians, low budget filmmakers and starving artists.

© 2017, The Technofile. All rights reserved. Moral Rights Asserted.

Creative Live HD DSLR Workshop

Vincent Laforet is a highly successful and award winning photographer who, back in 2008, managed to get hold of a prototype Canon 5D MKII for a weekend. The result was a visually stunning short film entitled ‘Reverie‘, that spread across the net like wildfire, capturing viewers imaginations and giving birth to the HD DSLR ‘movement’. Last weekend Laforet lead a workshop that, in its own way, was just as unique an experiment as that first short. Why? Because all three days were broadcast live on the net. Continue reading “Creative Live HD DSLR Workshop”

© 2010, The Technofile. All rights reserved. Moral Rights Asserted.

NAB 2010

NAB 2010

A week might be a long time in politics, but 24 hours is even longer in technology, as evidenced by this year’s NAB, which, regardless of the non attendance of some high profile companies, will go down in history as one of the most significant NABs ever. Continue reading “NAB 2010”

© 2010, The Technofile. All rights reserved. Moral Rights Asserted.