I just finished testing the SanDisk 4GB Extreme IV CompactFlash Card with FireWire reader against my previous favorite, the Belkin 15-in-1 USB 2.0 reader, and the SanDisk uploaded 386MBs of data in 29 seconds compared to 49 seconds for the Belkin. And it seemed even faster as I watched the upload indicator on the screen of my Mac. The...

For the third year, sound designer Gary Garritan has released a free collection of Christmas songs recorded by musicians who use his software instruments. This edition features arrangers and composers from as far away as Iceland, Italy, and Slovenia. And interestingly, it showcases Garritan's new big-band instruments as well as his earlier orchestral ones. In a friendly touch, there's even...

Have you ever driven past your favorite arena or club in town, and noticed that somehow you missed one of your favorite groups who just performed there a couple of nights earlier? Or maybe you heard about the show around the watercooler - the next day. Frustrating right? Well say goodbye to that challenge. A new widget has become available,...

There is a small ON light (actually it's an LED) and I appreciated getting that feedback. It let me know the mic was connected and powered via the USB port.

I was really pleasantly surprised to find that this mic has a built-in headphone amp. This offers zero-latency, real-time monitoring, with level control. The 1/8″ jack allows you to plug phones right into the mic body.

Until yesterday, I was completely unaware that Amazon even offered free MP3 downloads. I have no idea how often these change or how often they update their site. This is a first and very experimental post. Let me know whether the links work for you or not. "Today is the Day" by Apollo SunshineEyes by by Apollo SunshineApollo Sunshine's new...

Do you live somewhere without an iTunes store? Or even somewhere with an iTunes store but without any freebies? Feeling a little bit left out and ignored as all those marvelous free items pass you by? Want to get in on the action?Well, it seems like there may be a slight loophole in the Napster Freebies system. Several international readers...

The path from song idea to polished master recording is long and complex, so it's good to see more companies producing tutorial DVDs. Keyfax NewMedia has been in the business for a long time, driven by founder Julian Colbeck's wit and music-technology expertise. (One of Keyfax's first DVDs, for the Yamaha Motif keyboard, actually outsold the Motif itself.) I've known...

In a recent MacDevCenter article, I discussed how to build interactive iPod experiences using the iPod's "museum mode". As a supplement to that article, here are a number of museum podcasts that you might enjoy listening to. SFMOMA ArtcastsAn insider's take on the museum and its exhibits. More than mere museum tours, SFMOMA Artcasts paint vivid audio portraits of artists...

I'm slogging through these terms, trying to figure out what you can and cannot do with your Zune and stumbled across a few What-the-Heck?! moments. Here is one of my favorites: "In using the service, you may not...create a Zunetag or motto that other users may be offended by, including words that sound like, stand for, hint at, abbreviate, or...

36 RULES FOR BANDS (source unknown) ....this isn't 'digital' per se, but it was forwarded to me & I got a kick out of it; hoped you might too. Spinal Tap anyone? 1. Never start a trio with a married couple. 2. Your manager's not helping you. Fire him/her. (KR - not always true; but there are war stories) 3....