Gadget Pack: January 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014

Go

YogaFlame24 uploaded a great first to 5 Super Street Fighter 4 Arcade Edition v2012 set featuring DoctorClaw and EG|PR Balrog

PR Balrog selects is namesake character for this fight, and DoctorClaw plays an exceptional Vega. These two warriors exhibit tight footsies, tricky set ups, and more.

If you're looking to end your night (or begin your morning, depending on where you're from) with some quality SSF4 AE v2012 matches, you won't want to miss this.

Hit the jump to check out the footage. We promise this news post will not self-destruct.

Tip sent in by dragonz0rd.

Rockaroo turns the infant swing into a high

The infant swing gets turned on its head and stocked with sensors to keep baby happy.

(Credit: 4moms)

The infant swing is a simple concept. You suspend the little tyke from above, give the swing a little push, and let it sway the baby gently back and forth to calm the child. Now, let's apply a bit of robotics, multi-speed control, a speaker, and an MP3 player plug-in. You get the 4moms Rockaroo.

The other noticeable difference between the Rockaroo and a regular infant swing is that the motion comes from below, not with a couple of arms suspending the wee one. That makes it more like a high-tech rocking horse, or the tiny kid version of a mechanical bull, but with a mellow attitude.

The Rockaroo's five speeds vary from a very gentle movement all the way to insane. I made that last one up; all the speeds are really just variations on gentle. The built-in speakers and audio-in jack means parents can serenade the little one with soothing music from bands like The Wiggles and The Clash (babies love The Clash).

There are some interesting things going on under the surface of the Rockaroo. The drive train uses what 4moms calls 'the world's strongest fiber,' ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene. The material keeps the device quiet. Sensors respond to the motion of the seat and the baby to give each rocking movement a different feel. That makes it behave more like a human and less like a robot.

The Rockaroo starts at $160. All in all, this may be a much wiser use of technology than the infamous Fisher-Price baby seat with a built-in iPad holder.

The Gear We Couldn't Live Without This January

At CES this year our bosses thought it would be fun for us to only use smartphones to cover the entire event. I didn't win. In fact, I was nearly disqualified for hacking the game. Whoops. But I also never ran out of juice thanks to the Powerstation XL ($130). The 12,000mAh (that's right, 12,000mAh) charger recharged my Lumia 1020 at least four times a day and never once ran out of juice. It was like having my own personal generator in my backpack. --Roberto Baldwin

Photos by Jim Merithew/WIRED

At first glance the SoundJaw ($10) looks like an unremarkable piece of curved plastic. And yeah, it kind of is that. But clip one or more over your iPad speaker(s) and you're in for a sonic treat. Suddenly, Daft Punk is more danceable; Those pea/zombie collisions in Plants vs Zombies are thwackier; and the kittens mewling on YouTube sound like they're practically in your lap. All this is accomplished by simply reflecting sound from the iPad's tiny, downward-facing speaker -- a speaker that's nearly impossible to hear unless you're in a relatively quiet room -- directly at you and your ears. Go on, drop $10 on one. Heck, if you have an new iPad Air or mini, get two. Your ears will thank you. --Pranav Dixit

Photos by Jim Merithew/WIRED

I've gone wool nuts. Wool crazy even. I am an actual literal woolgatherer. Well, maybe 'wool garment gatherer' is more apt, seeing how I've been stockpiling the stuff in every form I can find, from socks to hats. It's the perfect fabric: wicks sweat, doesn't get cold when it's wet, and you can wear it a gang of times without needing to wash the stink out. And that really comes into play with the Carve Longsleeve Zip ($220), a midlayer snow-sport top from Icebreaker. The company specializes in merino wool from New Zealand sheep. The Carve is made of their densest stuff, which makes it perfect under a shell on the mountaintop (it held up to a squall while snowboarding in Tahoe last month) while still being light enough to throw on for a hike or touch football game. It's cut long, in keeping with its primary focus, but that just means there's more wool to love. WOOL! --Peter Rubin

Photos by Jim Merithew/WIRED

View the gallery in full screen to read more about the things we loved in January.

One of the best parts of our jobs here at WIRED is that we get to test all the new things as soon as they come out. But we often only get a few days to play with something before having to write about it. That can be difficult - getting a clear assessment of an object's worth when you have to crank out a written review in less than a week. Some products only show their true colors after several weeks, months, or years to experience them, live with them, play with them, and wear them. That's what we've rounded up here - things we've been testing and love, or the stuff from our lives that we own and never want to let go. This is the gear we want to take everywhere. This is the stuff we want to cook breakfast for. These are the things we love.

Huddle for Office

It has been a busy year for Huddle, with its launch of the Huddle Note app for collaborative file sharing and its partnership with Tibbr for file sharing in the cloud.

Now, Huddle has announced that it is integrating with Microsoft Office to allow employees to collaborate on documents in the Huddle secure cloud via Microsoft Office applications.

Users will be able to save their work directly into their Huddle accounts through Microsoft Office, and Office documents such as Powerpoints, Word documents and Excel files will have the Huddle comments stream alongside it to allow users to interact and collaborate on work.

Huddle believes the next step for business is to move into the cloud, and provides content collaboration platforms for enterprises and governments. http://ift.tt/1mw4nLM

Huddle for Office integration will allow users to save documents directly to the Huddle cloud, comment on files directly from Office applications, view recent files instantly and track changes, comments and updates via Huddle's full audit trail.

Alastair Mitchell, Huddle CEO, said: 'Skipping between the applications on your desktop and cloud service to share information and discuss files with people is time-consuming and disrupts your workflow. With Huddle for Office, you can continue working in the desktop tools you're used to, but all of your feedback, files and updates are stored and shared in Huddle's secure cloud.

Huddle's Office integration is available now.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Paper Is Facebook's Gorgeous New App

Facebook announced a new app called Paper for iOS today, an application that presents the kinds of stories and updates you normally see in Facebook's News Feed, but in a manner that seems tailor-made for a hand-sized screen. It's Facebook completely reimagined for mobile, with a greater emphasis on storytelling and images than on a friend's timeline. It's a gesture-driven application that finally doesn't seem rooted in keyboard-and-mouse navigation.

It looks beautiful, and we can't wait to stare at it when it becomes available on February 3rd.

Facebook repeatedly talks about this app in terms of stories, and that focus seems present not only in how individual events are presented, but also in how you discover new content. While you previously had to navigate to a page for its content-either through a friend's timeline or directly-Paper finally allows you to end up there based on the interests you share with that brand or artist or organization. If you're big on, for example, tech stories, you can probably find WIRED by swiping into that category in Paper.

You scroll through stories horizontally with your thumb, and tap them to drill down and dive deep. You tilt through panoramas and twist photos to see them better. Paper is designed to immerse you into the experience, without all the buttons and application chrome of the main Facebook app.

Paper is exactly the kind of stand-alone Facebook really needs right now. It gives you a completely new way to experience Facebook, without taking the old familiar News Feed away. And even more importantly, it might be the most beautiful thing Facebook has ever announced. That matters because on mobile, everything is a status update. Everything is competing for your attention. Facebook is under siege from messaging apps that threaten to circumvent Facebook's hoary old news feed entirely by letting us communicate directly. Snapchat and Twitter and WhatsApp and Kik and a hundred other icons on your home screen all compete to grab your attention and keep it.

Facebook can fight the rush of real-time with the stagecraft of beauty and elegance. Instead of looking at Facebook as just a place for quick-hit updates and simple snapshots, this encourages you to think of it as a place for stories about your life. A place that's as beautiful as the world you live in.

Mat Honan is a senior writer for Wired's Gadget Lab and the co-founder of the Knight-Batten award-winning Longshot magazine.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

New Twitter Tool Finds Hot Topics Before They Trend

By the time a topic is 'trending' on Twitter, it's probably old news already. Today in New York City, data-crunching company Dataminr announced a new tool for journalists. Its goal is to seek out news stories before they're heavily reported.

Dataminr For News does this by scanning Twitter, albeit in a slightly different way from existing filter tools. The news-gathering tool was developed as a partnership with Twitter and CNN, whose reporters and editors have been using the software for six months and have helped shape it during that time.

According to Dataminr CEO Ted Bailey, Dataminr For News is different from tools such as Tweetdeck, Hootsuite, and Twitscoop because it's 'a tool for when you don't know what you're looking for.' Rather than filter Twitter-wide posts based on keywords - which would involve knowing specifics about an event before it occurred - the platform uses an algorithm that analyzes Tweets based on parameters such as geolocation and clustered reports.

It's also able to pinpoint whether real-time reports have been posted by 'citizen journalists' or traditional news outlets. This helps the newsroom jump on a developing story as a scoop rather than rehash already-reported stories.

Once Dataminr detects a noteworthy news event in the early stages of a Twitter trend, reporters and editors using the system can be alerted in a number of ways. There's a desktop client for Dataminr For News, as well as alert mechanisms that feed into email, mobile apps, and existing editorial systems. The system also seeks out and gathers related photos and videos that can be used to report events in near-real-time.

In recent months, CNN says that two stories per day have started out as Dataminr tips. Internally, the news-gathering system is known as CNN Tripwire. At the event, CNN executives stressed that Dataminr For News hasn't replaced traditional initial reporting and fact-checking; instead, it's more like a police scanner. After reporters are alerted to a breaking-news event via Dataminr, they still make phone calls and do the legwork to corroborate and flesh out the story.

Dataminr and CNN also report that the system has been a valuable source for feature stories. Features writers and editors can be alerted to building trends that aren't necessarily breaking news, but can be used to research and write longer-form pieces. Dataminr's Bailey says the technology isn't a 'one-size-fits-all product... every newsroom worker gets different types of alerts based on their role.'

Although pricing information wasn't announced at the Dataminr For News unveiling today, Dataminr's Bailey said that it will be a paid product. There will be an enterprise package for large customers similar to CNN, but also smaller implementations of the news-gathering platform.

Google Selling Motorola at Multibillion

Less than two years after acquiring it, Google is ditching Motorola. Chinese electronics maker Lenovo is buying the hardware firm for $2.91 billion.

The acquisition would give Lenovo access to upwards of 10,000 mobile communications patents, and a much larger footing in the smartphone and tablet space, particularly in the U.S. and Europe,China Daily reports.

The loss of Motorola doesn't necessarily mean Google would be exiting the hardware space, though. Google has successfully partnered with a variety of hardware makers its flagship products, including Asus for the Nexus 7 tablet and LG for the Nexus 5. And with Google's recent acquisition of smart thermostat maker Nest, it's still got a hardware maker onboard, and with a recent cross-licensing deal with Samsung, Google has a whole lot of mobile-related IP it can use, too.

Google's official press release sheds more light on the intellectual property situation post-acquisition: 'Google will maintain ownership of the vast majority of the Motorola Mobility patent portfolio, including current patent applications and invention disclosures. As part of its ongoing relationship with Google, Lenovo will receive a license to this rich portfolio of patents and other intellectual property. Additionally Lenovo will receive over 2,000 patent assets, as well as the Motorola Mobility brand and trademark portfolio.'

Google originally finalized the acquisition of Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in May of 2012 (however, between selling off Moto's set top division and gaining significant tax benefits, the cost to Google was likely much lower). The partnership with Motorola has since produced phones like the Moto X and Moto G, but the unit wasn't especially profitable for Google. Motorola operated at a $248 million loss during the third quarter of 2013, and $192 million the year before.

Updated 2:05 PM PT with the official announcement from Google.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Apple Fans, the Rumors Are True: Expect a New Gadget This Year

Image Credit: AP

The news: On a Monday earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that Apple is still on track to release a new product this year.

'Yes, absolutely. No change,' he said in response to a question on whether the company would re-affirm its claim to a new product in 2014. And although Cook didn't say what that product could be, everyone thinks it's the much-vaunted but unconfirmed iWatch, a wearable watch-like computer that could debut by the end of the year.

As Business Insider writes, it could also be a new TV product. Apple already produces Apple TV, a net-capable device that streams content and mirrors Apple products to regular televisions, but it might make the jump into making its own television set or massive upgrade to the standard system.

The Wall Street Journal also reported recently that the tech giant is looking into upgrading its smartphone line with big-screen models in the range of five inches.

The background: Apple needs a new device, because iPhones can't continue to carry the giant forever. Though it recently beat quarterly result projections, it also reported weak iPhone sales and underwhelming revenue.

Wall Street analysts expected sales of 55 million iPhones, but the retailer was only able to move 51 million units. While iPad sales doubled in China during the holiday quarter and saw solid returns in Latin America and Russia, those 26 million iPads and an additional 4.8 million Macs took it to $42-44 billion in profits vs. expectations of $46.05 billion.

Apple has seen stiff competition in other areas as well, including customer service, Samsung and Google's rush to corner wearables, and a Samsung-Google patent partnership that will give the two companies a leg up over Apple.

As competitors flood the market with their own flashy gadgets, Apple's products have lost their cutting-edge aura. Stock is dropping as a result - a 7.5% decline on Tuesday by 11:55 a.m.

'What we have gotten over the last year or so is impressive products, but they are really enhancements of current products and not necessarily the next new thing,' said BMO Private Bank chief investment officer Jack Ablin. 'Apple investors want the next new thing - that's the catalyst that people are waiting for.'

The bottom line: Whatever Apple has up its sleeve, it better be an ace - or the company will continue to lose ground to its rivals.

Google Unveils Prescription Eyewear for Glassholes

If there's been one consistent complaint from Google Glass users, it's that the face computer was incompatible with prescription eyeglasses. In response, Google repeatedly promised that Glass would eventually work with prescription lenses. As of today, that promise is coming true. Existing 'Explorers,' Google's term for those it has selected to try Glass, will be able to order frames in four different styles and a variety of colors. There are three separate sunglass styles you can attach Glass to as well.

All of this goes a long way towards normalizing Glass. As I've said before, for it to really take off, Glass has to be something people want to put on their face. It has to be fashionable. The new frames take a big step in this direction. Designed in house by Isabelle Olsson's team, the frames wouldn't look out of place in a Warby Parker showroom. The standard versions cost $225 (that's excluding the actual lenses), while the Maui Jim-designed sunglasses are $150.

Glass has raised all kinds of questions since its release - mostly around privacy. But one that I noticed and that others have commented on is its sometimes ostracizing effect on the wearer. Glass is super noticeable, and frankly, kind of weird-looking. While these new frames won't make it disappear, they do make Glass much less obvious. If you have a black headset atop black frames, it isn't going to be nearly as noticeable as the standard headset on its own.

What's more, the multi-styled frames give Glass users the ability to personalize beyond simple colors. Again, personalization will be a key part of wearables taking off. If I'm going to wear something on my face all the time, it needs to be distinctly mine. Even if what I want is something bland and boring, it should be bland and boring in its own unique way. While this release doesn't roll out infinite options, it does expand the program enough so that the few thousand Glass users will no longer be segmented by just five color choices.

Another interesting component of the new system? The way Glass actually fits onto the new frames. You just bolt them onto the side - or rather, you have your eye care professional do it for you. Google is currently training technicians to handle Glass through a partnership with eye insurance company VSP. That means that although today you can only use a Google-made frame, eventually it'll will work with frames from anyone. Hypothetically, that could mean dozens of companies producing frames by the time Glass launches for consumers later in 2014. It also means Google can continue to focus on making the Glass hardware, and let others come up with the frames to fit them.

Mat Honan is a senior writer for Wired's Gadget Lab and the co-founder of the Knight-Batten award-winning Longshot magazine.

Monday, January 27, 2014

A Sleek Modern Keyboard With an '80s Clackity Sound

When you see someone using computer hardware from the 1980s, they're often being ironic. Mechanical keyboards - also known as clicky keyboards for their distinct sound and tactile feedback - are a notable exception.

Unlike most things you type on these days, mechanical keyboards have physical switches instead of the quieter, oh-so-boring rubber membranes that are ubiquitous these days. Some classics remain in high demand, chief among them the IBM Model M with its buckling-spring mechanisms and signature cha-kung sound. But you can find brand-new mechanical keyboards, too.

The $163 Feenix Autore mechanical gaming keyboard is one of them. This high-end mechanical marvel isn't just built to last, it's beautiful. Borrowing its overall design aesthetic from the monolith in Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Autore is wrapped in an understated silver-gray aluminum-coated body and festooned with gold-plated accents and connectors.

To be fair, you could argue any dark, rectangular object was inspired by Kubrick's monolith, but Autore has an undeniably striking design. Its clean lines, deep shade of gray, and white caps-lock light make it look like it's wearing a business suit. But there is one shortcoming to the understated aesthetic: There's no onboard USB port for plugging in a wired mouse, so you'll need two free ports on your computer.

While this is a mechanical keyboard, don't expect the same satisfying cha-kung as the Model M. The Autore packs Cherry MX Brown switches under its keys. Compared to the the Model M's hollower, springier sound, the Feenix Autore sounds more like someone playing ping-pong while wearing plastic tap-dance shoes. Still pretty awesome, just different.

Those Cherry MX Brown switches aren't just gold-plated, they're also mounted on a gold-plated plate. But wait, there's more. Even the Mini-USB-to-USB cable that comes with the keyboard has gold-plated connectors.

This keyboard costs about 8 to 16 times what you'd pay for a run-of-the-mill USB keyboard, so it better be loaded with perks. Well, perks beyond the satisfying sound of a mechanical masterpiece and the tactile joy that comes with truly responsive keys. One bonus is that everyone who buys one of these keyboards also receives their own 'personally assigned support manager,' so you'll never be left scratching your head if the 'S' key sticks.

My hands-on time with the keyboard totally converted me. My enthusiasm goes far beyond the Autore's wonderful clackety-clack and durable build, though. The Feenix Autore is thicker and heavier than your average keyboard - it weighs more than 2.5 pounds. That extra weight, plus four rubber grips on the underside, means it will remain rooted to your desk. That's a good thing, because you'll want it to stay there a long time.

Photos: Feenix

REVIEW: Logitech ConferenceCam CC3000e

Having the right conferencing system can significantly increase communication quality throughout and organisation, especially when your enterprise is split across continents or you have customers abroad.

Today Logitech has introduced a new conference system which offers an improved video and voice conferencing environment at a reasonable starting price of £699.

It's not abnormal to step into a conferencing room five minutes before a meeting is due to start and then have to call in an engineer to show you how to use the equipment. The CC3000e is so simple to use, however, that you'll never need to get helpdesk involved again.

The ConferenceCam allows you to control the call using your PC, meaning that you can use whatever communications software you would usually use. It has plug-and-play capabilities so should support calls made through any available software, and is Skype, Cisco Jabber, Vidyo and Microsoft Lync certified, so you can choose whatever software you're used to in order to make a call.

The video quality is extremely clear and doesn't suffer at all from lag or pixilation. The room I saw it demoed in had brightly painted patterns on the wall, which were displayed beautifully on the on-screen image, which would be great for sending visuals of graphs, slideshows or whiteboards if using the conferencing system for presentations. The device supports 1080p HD video and high-quality audio that is clear even if you are sitting quite a distance from the speakerphone, working up to 20-feet away.

It also has similar capabilities to the portable Logitech P710e speakerphone; it can pair smartphone devices using Bluetooth or NFC to allow hands free communication.

When making a call, the contact you are communicating with is displayed on the central console. The camera features a 90-degree field of view with remote controlled 260-degree panning and 10 times lossless zoom. A 'home' position for the camera can also be set so that when using the camera for conferencing you can return the camera to the correct position by pressing a single button.

Although this system is slightly less portable than previously, it is still movable and could be transported and easily set up in a different location if your usual conferencing space is not available. It comes in three parts; a camera, the speakerphone unit and a central hub that is used to connect all of the devices (including your PC) together.

This device is simple to use, very affordable, and perfect for any small to medium sized enterprises in need of reliable conferencing equipment.

The crazy gadget that could transform tennis forever

Babolat's Play Pure Drive (Babolat) and Sony's Smart Tennis Sensor (Sony)

Many sporting gadgets come and go with barely a flicker of attention, but there is now a tool that could transform tennis forever.

An exaggeration? Only time will tell, but the number of top companies involved surely gives an indication as to its genuine potential.

Sony have unveiled a tennis sensor - a little gadget that is attachable to the base of a tennis racquet - and Babolat have released their 'Play Pure Drive' effort with one already embedded into the grip.

To put the device in its simplest terms, it is like having a virtual 'tennis coach' to assess your every shot, sensing where the ball strikes the racquet and the quality of the contact.

It counts forehands and backhands, serves and smashes and provides stats in the form of tennis data that can be analysed, stored and compared.

The sensor can gather data such as ball speed, accuracy, angle, etc and will pair the info with devices such as Bluetooth, phones, computers and USB connections.

More than simply a coaching aid, the sensor would allow even the top players to quickly and effectively assess their own shots and learn from specific errors during a match.

Would this go right the way to the top elite level? That all depends on how it is received within the tennis world, but the potential is there for it to improve broadcasting tools in addition to personal analysis.

Babolat's latest venture into the field of personal sporting analytics has been put through the International Tennis Federation's official approval process and could well impact the professional game if it is viewed as beneficial to everyone involved.

Babolat's Play Pure Drive (Babolat)

Put simply, if the ITF approve the sensors then they could be used in Grand Slams. Given that the technology already exists on the market, the top players would provide companies the exposure and publicity they desire.

Gael Moureaux, tennis racquets products manager at Babolat, has said: 'We integrated sensors inside the handle of the racquet, but it does not change the specification.

'And these sensors will analyse your tennis game, so your swing - your motion - and all this information will be collected by the racquet.

'During the development process of the racquet, we did a lot of lab tests with a lot of players around the world to make sure the data is accurate and to have the right data for the player.'

What does this mean for your average amateur tennis lover? The Babolat Play Pure Drive is already out on the market, while Sony's Smart Tennis Sensor will be priced at around £106 when it moves from Japan, where it is currently available.

According to Sony who announced the sensor's availability in Japan, the sensor will be compatible with around six Yonex EZone and VCore tennis rackets, but additional racket compatibility will be available before long.

Sensor-connected racquets are already with us and who is to say that this will not end up becoming the accepted next phase of the tennis equipment revolution.

We've come quite a way from wooden racquets with tiny heads. This crazy-looking new gadget could yet transform the sport as we know it.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

NAMM 2014 VIDEO: Korg unveils Gadget synth studio for iPad

NAMM 2014: Korg has announced the release of Gadget, an iOS 'production studio' featuring 15 virtual synths and drum machines.

The included virtual instruments - or Gadgets, as Korg calls them - appear to be inspired by a host of classic hardware instruments. The app can run multiple Gadgets at once, allowing users to build complex, layered sound, and also includes a built-in sequencer and mixer.

Gadget is Core MIDI, Audiobus and Audiocopy compatible, and can also share sounds directly to SoundCloud, Facebook or Twitter.

Based on the quality of Korg's existing iMS-20 and iPolysix apps, we've high hopes for Gadget. It's available now from the Apple App Store priced at £19.99/$28.99. Check out the press release below for more info.

Korg Gadget press release

Korg Gadget offers a collection of 15 different synthesizers and drum machines called 'Gadgets', which you can freely combine to produce powerful electronic music.

Gadget is perfect for: Those who want to produce electronic music or try using synthesizers Those looking to take iPad-produced music to the next level Those looking for a diverse palate of synths in one app For every situation that creative minded people face, Korg's answer is 'KORG Gadget.'

KORG released the iELECTRIBE simultaneously with the appearance of the first-generation iPad in 2010, and ever since has maintained its position at the forefront of mobile music apps. And now we've brought you the ultimate all-in-one studio app for serious mobile music production.

A collection of fifteen Gadgets

Right from the beginning, KORG Gadget gives you 15 compact synthesizers and drum machines. Each Gadget possesses an irresistible presence and can function as the core of your electronic music productions. The parameters are carefully constructed to take you right to the sound that you want, and they're ideal for producing all forms of electronic music. Even if you don't play a musical instrument, no worries! Each synth offers a keyboard featuring a Scale function that makes it impossible to play wrong notes, combined with a sequencer that supports the function, Just download KORG Gadget to your iPad, and start exploring 15 Gadgets. Which will be your favorite?

Ideal track-making experience while on the go. Control two things at once.

For the most part, KORG Gadget uses the vertical orientation that makes the iPad easy to hold in one hand and is the most common style of interface on iOS devices. The screen of the iPad is divided vertically in two halves, allowing you to simultaneously control two types of content-'song creation' and 'sound creation'. by placing the current Gadget on the bottom of the screen while always showing the sequencing environment up top.-This ensures that your creative production flow is not interrupted. That's all you have to know. You'll enjoy the simple and intuitive sequencer, and experience track-making in an environment that's been perfectly optimized for mobile use, while retaining professional quality in everything from the effects to the mixer.

The number of Gadgets you can run is limited only by the power of your hardware. On the latest iPad (As of Jan. in 2014), more than 20 Gadgets can be run simultaneously-an astounding level of power that goes beyond what you expect from a mobile device. You can use even more gadgets simultaneously by taking advantage of the Freeze function to save CPU power.

Capture ideas for your songs wherever you like. An ideal choice as a second DAW

If you run out of ideas while producing a song, try taking KORG Gadget somewhere that you find inspirational, like a cafe or your living room. Then create sounds or phrases with your favorite gadget and stock up on ideas. The data you create can be exported as audio data or MIDI data for a variety of uses. Even if you typically use a computer or sophisticated music production equipment, KORG Gadget is an ideal partner that will inspire you from a different perspective. KORG Gadget is also an ideal choice as a second DAW that's easy to take with you along anywhere.

Share songs to the GadgetCloud and connect to users around the world.

Songs that you create using KORG Gadget can be shared on 'GadgetCloud,' a music sharing site for KORG Gadget users worldwide. By exchanging songs between mobile musicians around the world, you can communicate in ways that bypass language barriers, and also improve your skill as a creative artist. This is a music production space that's fun to use; you can submit your songs for selection as tracks recommended by KORG, enter various contents, and use the ranking system. You can also upload from KORG Gadget directly to any social networking service such as SoundCloud, Facebook, or Twitter, sending your tracks wherever you like.

*GadgetCloud is based on SoundCloud, the cloud service that's supported by creative artists world-wide. You will need a SoundCloud account.

A fusion of cutting-edge iOS technology; a mobile studio that continues to evolve

By connecting an external MIDI keyboard via the Camera Connection Kit, you can play the 15 synthesizers in Gadget from a real keyboard. A wide range of iOS music technology is also supported, including Audiobus, AudioCopy, and WIST. There's a roadmap for future updates that will add new gadgets and support audio tracks, further perfecting the system as a mobile music production studio. KORG Gadget will continue to evolve in support of serious mobile music-making.

Gadgets (Instruments) Amsterdam - PCM SFX Boombox

With the beefy looks of a gold body sporting chrome knobs, this is a four-part PCM sound module gadget containing more than one hundred sound effects that give impact to your song, including one-shot sounds, synth sounds, and scratches. It also contains numerous chord samples, allowing you to create chord progressions as if you were assembling a collage.

Berlin - Monophonic Synchronized Synthesizer

This is a synthesizer gadget with a classical design that's optimized for lead sounds. It provides a sync oscillator that can generate complex overtones, delivering diverse sounds with a sense of modulation.

Brussels - Monophonic Anthem Synthesizer

This synthesizer gadget has a simple and carefully considered parameter structure with an intuitive user interface. The thick unison tones that emanate from this futuristic design will give you the lead sounds that you need for any type of electronic music.

Chiang Mai - Variable Phase Modulation Synthesizer

This is a polyphonic synthesizer gadget that features VPM (Variable Phase Modulation) synthesis. With a subdued gold body, this gadget is particularly good at sparkling metallic bell sounds.

Chicago - Tube Bass Machine

This is a straightforward acid house bass gadget with a shiny silver metal body. It features a 'Bite' filter that covers the range from classic, 'sticky-sounding' synth bass to intensely distorted aggressive sounds. There's a built-in arpeggiator and multi-effect, so your creations will have plenty of variety.

Dublin - Monophonic Semi-Modular Synthesizer

This is a semi-modular synthesizer gadget with classic, vintage looks. It's especially good for deep bass sounds. In addition to being capable of straightforward yet deep subtractive synthesis with a plain waveform and filter, it also lets you enjoy a wide range of varying tones by changing the patching.

Helsinki - Polyphonic Ambient Synthesizer

This is a pad sound gadget that's easy to use for genres such as Ambient or Chillwave. The subtle yet deep sound played through lo-fi and reverb effects, conveyed through the floating interface, creates an atmosphere that is both nostalgic and futuristic.

Kiev - Advanced Spatial Digital Synthesizer

The yellow body of this synthesizer gadget projects the impression of a secret weapon hidden in an industrial zone. It features 'vector synthesis' using four oscillators that generate organic, spacey sounds. Use the touchpad to intuitively control the mysterious 'warp' sound that seems to contort space itself.

Kingston - Polyphonic Chip Synthesizer

This polyphonic synthesizer gadget is optimized for 8-bit game sounds. The timeless waveforms that still exemplify the sounds of a computer are provided in the oscillator section, and there are also 'JUMP' and 'RUN' functions that make those sounds even more bizarre. You can also use effects to additionally deform the sound.

London - Hypersonic PCM Drum Module

This is a drum sound module gadget designed specifically for dance music. True to its simple, straightforward looks, it instantly gives you a performance-ready drum kit. There are more than 400 samples that will cover your needs for a variety of dance music formats including Electro, Minimal, Dubstep and so on. It also provides three effects that you can use on each part, as well as a master effect.

Marseille - Polyphonic PCM Synthesizer

With its workstation-like looks, this polyphonic synthesizer gadget offers a broad selection of standard keyboard sounds, brass, strings, and synth sounds. When you need a piano or electric piano, this gadget will deliver. There's a 'Chord' function that lets you produce chords of the scale you specify, making it simple to create a chord progression with no wrong notes.

Miami - Monophonic Wobble Synthesizer

This gadget plays the bass sounds that are indispensable for today's electronic music. It features an 'X-MOD' oscillator that generates complex overtones and modulation, and a 'CRUSH' filter that adds distinctive noise. 'WOBBLE' modulation lets you shift the character to produce a wobble sound evocative of an evil monster, often heard in Brostep and Dubstep.

Phoenix - Polyphonic Analogue Synthesizer

This polyphonic synthesizer gadget offers classic, vintage design and sound. Its painstaking analog emulation provides analog sound with warmth and presence. This is an all-around synth that you can use for chordal backing, pad sounds, or anything else.

Tokyo - Analog Percussion Synthesizer

This is a drum gadget that collects four compact analog-type drum sound modules into a single package. Each module gives you parameters that are tuned respectively to kick, snare, tom and percussion sounds, allowing you to experience the distinctive enjoyment of creating sound with analog modules.

Wolfsburg - Hybrid Polyphonic Synthesizer

This gadget is a collection of distinctive analog synthesizer waveforms that have been resampled using digital technology. It provides two effect units and four modulation matrix systems, and is distinctive for a dynamic and powerful sound that matches its tasteful, black-themed panel layout.

Your Guide to the Weirdest, Most Wonderful Things in the World

If you do any sort of woodworking, you know that getting pegs and other items flush with your beams is tough. If your measurement is off by even a centimeter, you're stuck with either an ugly dimple or an ugly piece of wood sticking up on your smooth beam. The Kugihiki Flush-Cutter Saw helps you get a perfectly flush surface after you've shoved a peg into a hole. You end up with a cleaner piece, and you have a wonderful looking tool hanging above your workbench.

The days of the bulky paper catalog are long gone. But that doesn't mean a printed version of some of the world's best tools can't be entertaining and useful. For proof, look no further than Kevin Kelly's ' Cool Tools' book. This tangible analog to Kelly's iconic web site (which itself was inspired by the Whole Earth Catalog) features 473 pages of weird, wonderful, and useful products.

What started out as small email list of cool items quickly grew into a blog named Recomendo. Populated with posts from Kelly and his exponentially growing readers, that name eventually changed to Cool Tools. The book itself is a highly curated selection of 10 years of those reviews.

While putting everything together, Kelly, who is also one of founders of WIRED magazine, realized that self-publishing was much quicker than going through traditional publishers. The mailing list and blog were DIY, so why not the book?

The result is something more than just a paper-bound list of awesome objects. It's a tool itself. Inside, you'll get tips on various activities and general recommendations, like the best all-around motorcycle to buy (Spoiler: It's the Kawasaki KLR 650. A solid pick!)

Whether you choose to scan through the Atlas-sized book quickly or take your time and read each item, there's plenty of great stuff to discover. 'You have this ability to zoom in and out very fast,' says Kelly. 'When you are looking at these items and subconsciously making these associations, it begins to feel much more immersive and intimate.'

Should you decide you must have something from the book (warning: you most certainly will), each item has a corresponding QR code that lets you scan and buy it directly from your phone. Here are some of our personal favorites.

All photos: Josh Valcarcel/WIRED

Roberto is a Wired Staff Writer for Gadget Lab covering cord-cutting, e-readers, home technology, and all the gadgets that fit in your backpack. Got a tip? Send him an email at: roberto_baldwin [at] wired.com.