T2 is not a cyborg, is the new more colorful Traktor

Native Instruments Announces the next TRAKTOR
Generation

Revised DJ software and digital vinyl systems offer enhanced creative
versatility and usability, include new range of DJ audio interfaces

Berlin, February 10th, 2011 – Native Instruments today announced the
new TRAKTOR generation, which establishes the next level of power and
ease-of-use with its TRAKTOR PRO 2 software and TRAKTOR SCRATCH
PRO 2 digital vinyl system. Based on versatile new software features and
a revised audio interface line, the new product generation expands the
lead of Native Instruments' TRAKTOR range and gives DJs even more
creative possibilities.

The new TRAKTOR generation is based on a revised high-visibility GUI
for intuitive operation under all conditions, and now offers up to four
powerful Sample Decks as well as the unique Loop Recorder. While each
Sample Deck can add up to four simultaneous samples or loops to the
mix, the Loop Recorder allows DJs to capture audio from various sources
on the fly and drop it back into the mix at any time, opening up creative
techniques far beyond conventional DJing.

A further major innovation of the new TRAKTOR generation is the new
"TruWave" technology. By displaying tracks and samples in all four decks
with high-resolution multi-colored waveforms, it gives deep insight into
the spectral properties of the music, visualizing both individual rhythmic
elements as well as general sonic characteristics. With four selectable
color schemes, an extra-wide zoom range and subpixel-accuracy
waveform rendering, TruWave allows DJs to read their tracks visually for
even more intuitive mixing.

The leading synchronization features in TRAKTOR have been further
expanded with a new "SoftSync" function that provides a unique
combination of convenient automatic beat-matching and hands-on
control. By keeping the tempo of multiple tracks in sync without
manipulating the phase, SoftSync accommodates the widest possible
range of mixing techniques both in TRAKTOR PRO 2 and in TRAKTOR
SCRATCH PRO 2. The effect selection of TRAKTOR has also been
expanded with four additional types that offer unique ways to create
dramatic breakdowns and other typical performance effects, including a
tape delay emulation and the new "Bouncer", increasing the arsenal to
an unparalleled assortment of over 30 algorithms.

The timecode-controlled TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 2 combines the new
software generation with the new TRAKTOR AUDIO 10 interface, which
offers additional I/O, improved signal chain monitoring and a versatile
new bypass functionality over the previous AUDIO 8 model. With its true
analog "Direct Thru" functionality that can be controlled directly from
the TRAKTOR 2 software, TRAKTOR AUDIO 10 allows for easier
switchovers between DJ sets and is ideally suited for club installation.

Most features of the new TRAKTOR generation can also be found in the
new TRAKTOR DUO 2 versions, which offer a classic two-deck
configuration with additional dual sample decks and a compact effect
selection at an especially affordable price, with TRAKTOR SCRATCH
DUO 2 including the new TRAKTOR AUDIO 6 interface.

For the TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 system, the new TRAKTOR PRO 2 will
replace the originally included TRAKTOR PRO S4 software. All KONTROL
S4 owners will receive a download upgrade free of charge.

Pricing and availability

All products within the new TRAKTOR PRO 2 generation will be available
in stores in April 2011. Suggested retail pricing:

TRAKTOR PRO 2 - $229 / 199 €

TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO 2 - $669 / 599 €

TRAKTOR DUO 2 - $119 / 99 €

TRAKTOR SCRATCH DUO 2 - $399 / 349 €

Update and upgrade pricing is available on the NI website.

Further product information and press material

Additional information on the TRAKTOR 2 generation is available at

www.native-instruments.de/traktor

A digital press kit including picture material is available at

www.native-instruments.com/press.info

International Press Contact

Constantin Köhncke
Public Relations Manager
E-Mail: constantin.koehncke@native-instruments.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 - 61 10 35 – 1600

About Native Instruments

Native Instruments is a leading manufacturer of software and hardware
for computer-based music production and DJing. The company's mission
is to develop innovative, fully integrated solutions for all professions,
styles and genres. The resulting products regularly push technological
boundaries and open up new creative horizons for professionals and
amateurs alike.

Native Instruments opened up the fascinating world of real-time sound
synthesis on standard computers in 1996, and today offers an extensive
product range for musicians, producers and DJs. The company currently
employs around 250 people in its two offices in Berlin and Los Angeles,
and works closely with more than 40 international distribution partners to
ensure its future growth and success.

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Starbucks CEO Invests in Groupon, Joins Board of Directors

Starbucks Chairman, President and CEO Howard Schultz is joining Groupon‘s board of directors Thursday.

This news is predicated on Schultz’ venture capital firm’s investment in Groupon. Maveron LLC, a firm with offices in Seattle and San Francisco, has given Groupon an undisclosed amount of funding.

Groupon recently closed a colossal $950 million Series D from Andreessen Horowitz, Battery Ventures, DST, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Maverick Capital, Silver Lake and Technology Crossover Ventures.

Considering Starbucks’s focus on social media marketing and Groupon’s focus on large, national brands, the relationship makes sense.

In fact, we recently named Starbucks one of the top five brands that use social media particularly well. The company’s Foursquare experiments in consumer rewards have yielded interesting case studies in a still-young space, and the brand’s participation in social media has shown unquestionable return on investment.

Groupon founder and CEO Andrew Mason said in a release, “As CEO of one of the world’s most iconic brands, Howard is an invaluable addition to the Groupon board. His experience in building the culture and business of Starbucks and his relentless focus on innovation to improve customer experiences brings a unique combination of skills to our Board of Directors.”

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The Engadget Show returns next Thursday, February 17th

By Chad Mumm posted Feb 10th 2011 5:13PM Gentlemen and ladies, it's that time again -- that's right, the Engadget Show is back next Thursday, February 17th! We'll have more details for you on Monday, but clear your schedules, cancel your hot dates, put down Dead Space 2, and get yourself to New York City next Thursday. As usual, we'll be streaming live right here on Engadget, but you'll have to trust us when we say you're gonna want to be at this one in person. Stay tuned!

If you're a member of the media who wishes to attend, please contact us at: engadgetshowmedia [at] engadget [dot] com, and we'll try to accommodate you. All other non-media questions can be sent to: engadgetshow [at] engadget [dot] com.

Subscribe to the Show:

[iTunes] Subscribe to the Show directly in iTunes (M4V).
[Zune] Subscribe to the Show directly in the Zune Marketplace (M4V).
[RSS M4V] Add the Engadget Show feed (M4V) to your RSS aggregator and have it delivered automatically.

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Buzz Editor: Immersion Releases MOTIV Haptics Platform

You rarely notice haptics, but when it comes to human-computer interaction, they can make or break a device. That’s why Immersion (the leader in haptic feedback – basically little high-speed motors in phones and other devices that add a vibrational component to on-screen interaction) just announced a way to create amazing haptics for almost all Android phones.

Their MOTIV platform offers programmers and carriers a new way to add vibrational feedback to phones. For example, instead of a curt buzz when something explodes on screen, you can add special “macro” vibrations that turn the motor on and off at various frequencies, recreating the vibrations associated with an explosion. It’s a bit hard to describe, but think of an audio editor for buzzing motors.

Read the rest of this entry »

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The iPhone Nano Rumor Reborn: 1/3rd Smaller, Older Components, $200 With No Contract

Just in case you haven’t had enough Apple rumors in the past 24 hours…

Hot off the heels of the talk that Apple is planning to release the iPad 2 in a few weeks — and then another new version of the iPad in the fall (something which we’ve heard from a very good source), here comes another one. Today, Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is working on a smaller, cheaper version of the iPhone. And here’s the thing. Once again, we’ve heard this as well.

Not to play second fiddle to Bloomberg’s story, but we’d previously heard from a source (different from the iPad one) that Apple was definitely at work on a device that could be thought of as an “iPhone nano”. We’d been trying to dig for more, but had yet to come up with anything substantial. But it looks as if Bloomberg has, in a similar vein.

So here are the details: Apple has been working on a way to sell a secondary, smaller version of the iPhone at a cheaper price. While they already offer a version of the iPhone that is cheaper than the standard $199 and $299 rates for new models, it has always been last-year’s model simply marked down more steeply, to $99 — and more recently, to $49 as a new iPhone model nears. So does Apple really want to go below $99 or even $49? Well, perhaps not.

The key is that the $99 price point is still carrier subsidized. What Apple apparently wants to do is release a version of the iPhone that is cheap without any subsidization. In other words: they want to sell an iPhone for under $200 without a contract.

The ramifications of such a move would be potentially huge. With the launch of the initial iPhone in 2007, Apple was able to take a dominant carrier-controlled U.S. market and turn it on its head. A year later, the App Store pushed this new order even further. But the truth is that the carriers still have way too much power in the U.S., where customers are slaves to the subsidies. And in some ways, Apple is too. Most of their money comes from what AT&T (and now Verizon) pay them upfront for each device.

Remember that when Apple first started selling the iPhone, it was at an un-subsidized price. And when wasn’t working so well, just a few months after launch, Apple had to drop the price by a couple hundred dollars. By the time the second iPhone came around, Apple happily took AT&T subsidy offer instead of getting a piece of every contract. The price of the iPhone dropped to $199, and sales caught fire.

But if Apple could make a different version of the iPhone that is significantly cheaper to manufacturer, they could potential move it on their own without the carriers. And the key to this may be a carrier-crippling SIM that would allow customers to buy the phone and hop from network to network as they saw fit.

Of course, the carriers would likely put up roadblocks in an attempt to stop Apple from doing this, in the same way they put up roadblocks to stop Google from doing something similar: a super cheap phone paid for by search revenue. But Apple has more control than Google did at the time when they chickened out. And they have one very important thing that Google does not: retail stores.

Google tried to sell their own phones through a website. It didn’t work. Apple has hundreds of the most highly-trafficked stores in the world that will allow them to do it.

But that obviously doesn’t mean they will. It’s perfectly possible that Apple is just toying around with this idea for now (as they do with many ideas). Bloomberg says that Apple had hoped to unveil such a device “near mid-year”, but they also say that may be “delayed or scrapped”. We had heard about a fall timeframe for such a device as well. But as always, again, this is Apple. It may not come at all.

All of the above makes varying degrees of sense, but the one thing that I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around is just how Apple will make the device smaller. We hadn’t heard any specifics on size, just that it could be thought of like an iPod nano to the iPod. But Bloomberg says it could be one-third smaller than the iPhone 4. I suppose that could mean “thinner”, but it more likely means the screen would be smaller. How that would work given Apple’s so-far strict adherence to certain resolutions isn’t clear.

Another interesting bit is that it’s believed Apple could make the device cheaper by using components previously made for older iPhone models. That makes sense, time moves on and costs for old parts drop. But again, it would likely have to be a new screen. Though, Apple is very clearly investing heavily in those.

And some people thought this may be a relatively dull year for Apple rumors…

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Thermaltake Level 10 GT case polishes up a classic, available now for $280

Thermaltake Announces Immediate Availability of Highly Anticipated Level 10 GT - Performance Gaming Computer Case

City of Industry, California - February 9, 2011 - Thermaltake, the market's most trusted brand in D.I.Y. computer cases and max-performance power supplies, announced today the immediate availability of the highly anticipated Level 10 GT super gaming full-tower computer case. The Level 10 GT case was introduced during 2011 Consumer Electronic Show (CES) held at Las Vegas, Nevada. Level 10 GT is the successor to the original Level 10, the design collaboration between Thermaltake and BMW Group DesignworksUSA.

The case's announcement during 2010 CES attracted high-volume of media coverage and quickly trickled down to the PC enthusiasts and gaming communities with approvals of the Level 10 GT's breakthrough in design and innovative features.

Commenting on the Level 10 GT during the CES launch, Overclockersclub, an independent news media had this to say," This year Thermaltake upped the ante in its chassis line up with the introduction of the Level 10 GT chassis at CES. The level 10 was a piece of art in the form of a computer chassis and the level 10 GT takes all of these styling cues and puts them in a chassis that comes with improvements to the airflow through the chassis with the use of 200mm fans in addition to the 140mm rear fan. You get the latest technologies with the addition of USB 3.0 connectivity, hot swap drive bays and a fan speed control built into the switch panel. Like the original Level 10 it's the small things that are not obvious that really make this case, things like the removable fan filters, large directional airflow from the side panel fan and room for the biggest video cards out right now up to 37cm in length. The Level 10 GT is an improvement in form and function for the gamer all at a more appetizing price point."

"[Level 10 GT] is a revision of the [Level 10] that is meant to be more affordable ($269 MSRP), but still keep the same styling as the original Level 10. This case has a ton of great features. The first is that there are 5 internal hot-swappable bays, each of these bays can fit 3.5-inch or 2.5-inch drives. These bays are easily removed by pressing in a button on the side and sliding them out. This case is designed to be a gaming case so there is a pull out headphone holder, which is perfect for LAN parties." Commented Bob Buskirk, owner of Thinkcomputers.org.

Feature Highlights

Unmatched Cable Management - While many cases on the market claim to have cable management, it simply means those cases have enough room on the opposite side of the case to "hide" the excess cables. With Level 10 GT, users will be amazed at how well the cable management system works. Instead of hiding the cables, users can properly separate cables and channel them through the grooves strategically placed on the back of the case. When adding graphic card or hard drives, users will no longer need to untangle the power cables that had been "hidden" away. All hard drives' power connectors are pre-wired eliminating the need for rerouting. Not only does a properly cable managed computer perform better through improved airflow, but also makes the system neater.

Convertible Top-Vent 240mm Water-Cooling Design - With the popularity of performance water-cooling solution for PC, Level 10 GT features a removable top meshed panel with included true 200mm exhaust fan. Should the user wish to integrate 120mm or even 240mm water-cooling, the fan can be easily removed and the water-cooling radiator can be quickly installed. The removable top also enables easy cleaning of the dust build-up on the fan or mesh.

Hinged Side-Panel Door with Plug&Play Fan Power - For power users who frequently upgrades graphic cards, memories or simply performing maintenances, the hinged side-panel door design eliminates the hassle of having to awkwardly sliding the side-panel off. In addition, the side-mounted oversized 200mm intake fan's power connector automatically disconnects itself without any user intervention.

Hot-swappable Hard Drive Caddies - Want to add additional hard drive to boost your overall storage capacity? Need to take the hard drive out to move large amount of data? With Level 10 GT's true hot-swappable hard drive caddies, user is able to quickly remove the hard drive without having to open up the computer systems and unscrewing it from the hard drive cage. And thanks to Level 10 GT's embedded hot-swap backplane, user can remove the storage hard drive without having to shut-down the system. The hard drive caddies also provide native support for all 3.5" and 2.5" SSD. The hot-swappable hard drive caddy design opens up a whole new world of possibilities where power user can enjoy running multiple operating systems simply by swapping the system hard drive to cloning numerous hard drives at any given time.

Massive Airflow & Quiet by Design - Building a high-performance gaming rig is not simply putting together the best graphic card(s), CPU, memories or hard drives / SSDs. What's more important is ensuring all the critical components are properly cooled. Being the industry-leading brand in PC thermal management, Thermaltake incorporated not one or two, but rather three true 200mm fans into the Level 10 GT. An additional 140mm TurboFan is also embedded into the back of the case. Each of the 200mm fans can be controlled via the ColorShift control on the top of chassis. ColorShift enables user to take full control over the color LEDs on each fans to match the gaming or working environment. Fan speed control acts as a turbo boost control which users may increase the fan speed to properly exhaust heat build-up during gaming session or to lower the fan speed while working or simply browsing the web.

In addition to the features highlighted, Level 10 GT comes standard with every premium features a PC enthusiast or hardcore gamer would want. High-speed data transfer can be achieved with two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports on top as well as an eSATA port. Four additional USB 2.0 ports are located on the front bezel. Each intake fans comes with dedicated filter system and can be easily removed for cleaning without having to open the system. Locking systems for both hinged side-panel door and hot-swappable hard drive caddies are embedded to prevent theft when the system is brought to LAN events or public areas. Eight PCI slots to support NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFireX multi-graphic card setups. Fully black-powdered interior is perfect for anyone wishing to showcase the impressive components.

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