Category Archives: Tech

Screen shot 2012-03-25 at 18.22.04
May 17 2012

Tech Dilemma #1 – iMac or Mac Mini?

As someone who loves the idea of being able to pack a tech powerhouse into a rucksack and operate on the move, I chose the Mac mini. Sure I won’t have the isight camera to do the Skype/Facetime/iChat thing but I hardly do it anyway, and I’ve already got a MacBook and an iPhone for such things. To me the Mac Mini is something that’s been around for quite awhile but it took me near enough four years to work out why it even existed. I’d love to have the iMac on my desk but what draws me towards the Mac mini is its portability factor and the power it packs. In comparison to the iMac, the Mac Mini has less power but it will go undetected in a working environment making it versatile, it moves when and wherever you move; in a rucksack, suitcase, overseas, external recording studio, from the home office to the boardroom meeting.

What’s this Mac mini that you speaketh?

The Mac mini is a machine that I can only describe as containing the core elements of a Mac, the fundamental mechanics packed neatly inside a Pandora’s box of possibility, main features being it’s ports; Gigabit Ethernet, Firewire 800, Thunderbolt I/O allowing you to connect up to six Thunderbolt devices including the new Apple Thunderbolt display. You can also connect third party displays by using the HDMI port and HDMI to DVI adapter that comes with the Mac mini to connect it. Apple generously included FOUR USB 2.0 ports to connect all manner of gadgetry from your keyboard, mouse, midi controller, iPad, iPhone, Audio Interface, external hard drive and the many etceteras one may own as well as an SDXC card slot, which makes grabbing photos and video from digital cameras MEGA simple. Audio in/Audio out ports, built in power supply. It’s gets even better to know that it has bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in, the latest 802.11n wireless technology in fact, so you can get straight to surfing the web, printing and streaming your music wirelessly. Bluetooth wireless technology also allows you to connect accessories such as a wireless keyboard and mouse.

The possibilities are endless with the Mac mini, it’s able to connect to the biggest TV available via the HDMI port, eliminating the need for a monitor, if like me you’ve got a Home (Bedroom Boardroom) Office/Studio, it packs a mahoooosive 500GB of storage or an optional 750GB hard drive at 7200rpm. There’s a 2.5GHz Intel Core i7 processor -Turbo Boost 2.0 increases the clock speed up to 3.4GHz, configurable memory up to 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3. It ships with OS X Lion and iLife -iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie, GarageBand, FaceTime etc and for £66 you can even add a super drive for all your disk burning and installation requirements.

If the Mac Mini comes with a HDMI Port won’t it be better to pin my flatscreen to the wall via VESA wall bracket and use it as the monitor rather than to get the iMac?

As idealistic as it sounds, it’s pretty naive because when you add the extras such as wireless keyboard and mouse, Thunderbolt cable, Apple Care protection plan external superdrive as the Mac mini has no dvd/r drive of it’s own, configured to a 750GB 7200rpm hard drive, 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM memory and 2.7GHz Dual-Core Intel i7 processor, the cost is a jaw dropping £1,409.00 inc. VAT.

The 21.5-inch iMac proves that the beauty is not only screen deep, it has the brains to match with LED backlit 1920×1080 resolution at 16:9 aspect ratio, a 1000:1 contrast ratio gives you much more vibrant colours and ‘blacker’ blacks. It’s basically the same as your HDTV. Invest in an iMac because although it may not be as portable as a Mac mini, the display has a 178 degree IPS (in-plane switch) premium display technology giving you a bright picture with excellent colour, even if you’re viewing from the side. You can even FaceTime in HD, yes you can have someone’s big ol facey in your screen and scrutinise every crater in their face, 720p resolution to be exact. Unlike the Mac mini the Magic Mouse or Trackpad and wireless keyboard come included, the magic mouse allows you to do everything you’re used to doing with a trackpad on the Macbook. The connections and expansions on the 21.5 are exactly that of the Mac mini, minus the HDMI port but if you already own a Mini DP to HDMI cable you’ll have no grievances.

£138.99 is an extremely fine line between the price of portability and versatility.

For £1,547.99 inc. VAT [optional extras were to boost memory to 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM (2x4GB) and Apple Care] you’ll get more than a desktop computer, you’ll get a versatile powerhouse. If portability is your main concern and you already have a powerhouse in the form of a Macbook Pro, I’d suggest to grab a Mac mini if you have the resources. I myself am all about making investments and as much as I love portability and my beloved 13″ Macbook, I really miss working on a desktop computer. The capabilities of the iMac are far greater, not to mention the extras; the storage, the power, the processing power, the iSight, the resolution of the screen. I almost feel like the iMac would make my creative life far more productive as I won’t have to squint and at times cram my ideas into a tiny screen.

Ghost. 

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Nov 8 2011

Tech #3 – Beat Kangs Beat Thang

Rightio!!! I’ve had my eye on this piece of machinery for a very very very long time. I watched all of the prototype videos and I also loved and respected the fact that the hardware was designed by someone from our culture.

This is tailor made for the culture in every single way, it’s ergonomic in the sense that the pads are laid out in an octave and unique in the sense that every button has a purpose, unlike other hardware manufacturers who overcomplicate the layout and functionality. I haven’t played with the product, just taken a look at the video demos, but the pads seem much more responsive and less likely to cause arthritis later in life from hitting them too hard.

This is fucking excellent!!! It can bus power your USB midi keyboard controller!!! Something you can’t do with NI Maschine, MPC etc and you’re also able to assign controls to parameters such as filtering etc.

Now let’s get down to the crunch…

Pocket Damage: £799 via Soundware.co.uk

It would make sense to trade in my NI Maschine and cop this because I’m travelling to the States in a few weeks. Apart of me questions whether its too good to be true but the other half realises that this is what I wanted way before the Maschine -the NI Maschine being the consolation prize because this was not available. Fair enough the price tag is pretty hefty but for what this piece of machinery is capable of, I can’t complain. I also love that it fits inside my rucksack and it doesn’t require mains power to operate. I better get to saving and finding a buyer for my Maschine.

Conclusion Update 10/03/2012

Stereotypically ‘urban’ if we’re talking about the name, brand font and general aesthetic BUT £799.00 for a standalone groove machine with this much capabilities is aiiight if it were say 2005 because the portability of the NI Maschine Mikro (£275) and Akai’s new MPC Studio (£399) offer portability, performance, versatility, efficiency and the added bonus of a proven manufacturers track record at a much lower price.

I should also add that in january the NI Maschine that I once wanted to sell began to make sense and now it’s my first port of call to get grooves down in seconds.

Ghost.

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Oct 11 2011

Tech #2 – Akai MPK Mini

Damage: £69.99

After all of the discussion surrounding yesterdays piece of kit, Novation SL MKII and Impulse, I stumbled across something even more special, cost efficient and most importantly portable. The MPK Mini is a culmination of the MPK Pad Mini and MPK Keyboard Mini, I won’t get into the tech but I will show you a video which will somehow give you an insight into why I’m so interested in this product.

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IMPULSE25_1
Oct 10 2011

Tech #1 – Battle of The Novation 49 Keys: SL MKII or Impulse?

When the SLMKII came out, I wanted it but it was way too expensive. The Impulse arrives and features a set of drumpads and I’m slyly onto but once again, I’m not sure about the price tag.

Novation SL MKII: £309.99 (Gears4Music.com)

Novation Impulse: £256.42 (Thomann)

The Verdict

The Impulse contains all the features of the SLMKII without the slick metallic styling, blue LEDs, and fancy screen. The Impulse is much less than the SL MKII but contains many of the features of my NI Maschine. £256.42 is still pretty pricy but it seems to fare better than the MKII in the long run because it has the auto map capabilities and the drum pad arpeggio features. Probably best for me to hold out in the hope that it goes down a lil further because this double dip recession is no joke!

K O.

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