Category Archives: Technology

Collection of Traktor Pro Tutorials, Tips & Tricks

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I’ve recently started Using Traktor Pro – I got together a collection of videos & links that would be of help  to many so I thought I’d share them here:

Native Instruments Tutorials:

Part 1 – User Interface: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXOZlK4veR4
Part 2 – Looping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl21UN5XuEY
Part 3 – FX Setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTd3i79-QFU
Part 4 – FX Demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQX0DoQNVpU
Part 5 – Crate Flick http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiIV4qdHTmw
Part 6 – 4 Decks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4P9KTmPC68

Richie Hawtin on his Traktor (3) Setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1H9W_iLff0

MrCuss
Midi Mapping Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQjJs…eature=related
Midi Mapping Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9Y5gikiKc

Ean Golden – DJ Tech Tools:

VCI-100SE Walkthrough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWl79ae6fkM
Traktor Audio/Setup Guide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znUwbqczWIg

Cue Points: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLQuukGhgxI
Beatgrids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAW8X9RSt7A
Assigning Effects: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsbMJTTGDGo

Dynamic Buildups: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMP7yMvNja8
Dafer FX Theory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjjA0xPkXMs
Live Loop Recording: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgKt-2Sik48
Create Drumroll: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xuu0IKP-yE

Links:

Traktor 3 DVD Tutorials : http://www.dv247.com/computer-music-software/native-instruments-traktor-3-tutorial-dvd–48172 – its a ripoff – I don’t think its wroth buying as the tutorials above will cover most of it.

Traktor Pro Bible: http://www.traktorbible.com – proper softcover book by an expert covering all aspects of Traktor pro. Also expensive but I have ordered it – I’ll let you know what its like.

Traktor World: http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/home/?pwfilter=dj&page=djworld&content=966 – hardware guide, compatible controllers, DJ Interviews etc.

Can’t think of too much more but any links I’ve missed please post here. Please check out my house & techno mixes here: http://www.colly.tv

Google Launch an Operating System: Chrome OS

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Google Chrome OS

I’ve been waiting for this to happen for years – but they have now finally announced that Goggle will release “Chrome OS” – an Open Source Operating System. I remember thinking years ago how it would make a lot of sense for Google to do this, yes ok, they have Android the Mobile OS but its not the same. They needed something to Rival windows, and now that they have done it, Micro$oft should be shaking in their boots.

Right on the heels of their newest release, Windows 7, Google are going to release a totally open source browser, Chrome OS. It will be very simple, a Chrome browser sitting on a Linus Kernel – and mainly aimed at netbooks – the fastest growing sector of the PC Hardware market. In their blog post: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/introducing-google-chrome-os.html – they say it will be live from next year, and I’m sure a massive developer community will grow from it, thanks to it being open source.

“Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. We’re designing the OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as we did for the Google Chrome (Google Chrome) browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don’t have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work.”

Linux distros like ubuntu have been around for a while but my guess is that Chrome OS will gain a large following a lot more quickly than they did – for obvious reasons.

I can’t wait to see how this pans out.

6th Sense Device – This is the future

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I’m a big fan of the lectures @ TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design)  – they invite some really interesting and innovative people to give a short lecture on pretty much anything. This one in particular really impressed me.

Mobile Phone and PDA’s have changed our lives in ways that we possibly could barely imagine 20 years ago. The next wave of advancement is fast approaching. It’s called the “Sixth Sense Device” and I’ll leave it up to the video to show you why…

Microlending – Charity 2.0

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Charity. It’s something we all think about and most of us try to do our little but, but form many reasons we just do not do it as much as we should, or could really afford. I think one of the reasons many people are reluctant to give to Charity is the lack of knowlege or even belief, in exactly where that money goes and the benefits it gives. There are alternatives such as sponsoring a child where you get the odd letter and photo froma  child in Africa, somethng which I have done in the past and yes it was rewarding, but sometimes you are still left witha  sense tha you are not really helping in the best possible way.

So here comes technology to put a new spin on things and a fresh look at how you can help people. Like the “Teach a man to fish” story, instead of just giving people money, how about lending them the money to create a business themselves so they can generate their own income. There are several sites which you can now go on to and browse Micro Entrepreneurs who are looking for investors in their businesses. These people are unable to get traditional lines of credit from a bank etc and are often only looking for very small amounts of money. You can give a small portion of the amount the person needs and spread your donations across a few people.

This gives a much more rewarding form of Charity as you can actually see where your money is going and how it is helping. You can even interact with the person and give them the type of help and advice that money cannot provide easily. Also, they are essentially loans you are giving – ok if his business does not work out you are not going to sue him to get your money back – it is charity – but if it does work out you get your money back and you can use that money to help someone else.

I have yet to give this a go but definitely want to give it a shot quite soon. I’m sure the recession is hitting Charities particularly hard. Wired Magazine have a good article on Top 10 Lessons From a Microlending Pioneer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcredit#Microcredit_and_the_Web – is a good list of sites to get started with.

Nikon UP300x – Guaranteed to get you Mugged!

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nikon-up300x

Here it is kids! The communication tool of the future! A head mounted fully featured communications device with all of your audio and video needs combined into a completely ridiculous looking package! Designed by the Japanese (no surprises there) it aims to give someone the total audio and video experience without looking contact with the real world (I’d argue that).

Just imagine walking down Henry Street with one of these on – I’d give anyone a small number of minutes before they were attacked, robbed and beaten to a pulp.

However, in saying that, I do remember as a kid my dad saying he would never ever use a mobile phone cause you look like a complete tool. I also remember when I got my first mobile phone when I was 18 (10 years ago) – a time when mobile’s were still pretty rare – I got the absolute piss taken out of me at times.

So, clearly we are not ready for such a contraption, but there’s a strong possibility that give it 5-10 years and we’ll all be wearing them!

Full Review Here

Gmail Task list on your iPhone!

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A while back I was excited to write about how Google added a task list into Gmail. Like most people I always have a to do list of random things I need to remember, unfortunately I pretty much use my head for these things, which we all know is not 100% reliable. I always wanted a decent task list that was ‘just there’ – already built in to something I use all the time – so Gmail was the perfect place to put it.

So I’ve been using it for a while, and its good, but lets face it still isn’t always with you. Until now. Now google have developed a iPhone app for the task list, which syncs up perfectly. This is great. Now any little things I need to remember or do, I can add them easily here and they are always in sight and in mind.

I can feel myself getting a whole lot more productive already!

Check out the video here:

So what’s the deal with Twitter?

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Twitter is a relatively new web 2.0 company that came on the scene not long ago and had massive growth over a very short period of time, with a very simple idea. If you use facebook then you’ll already be familiar with the “Status Updates”. Twitter is pretty much exactly the same, with a few subtle differences. Facebook is for people you already know – Twitter is for people you know of – or would like to know. Its more business focused than purely friend focused, but combines both quite nicely.  It integrates well into many other

Twitter is a very simple program, however a host of other companies have built their business around them. TwitPic allows you to post pictures taken with your iPhone directly to Twitter.

The amazing thing about all this is that Twitter is now bringing the news to the masses before any of the news agencies. The recent Gaza crisis was documented more quickly on twitter than anyone else. Also the first pictures of the plane that crashed into the Hudson river appeared on Twitter before any media cameras. Interesting stuff.

According to a recent level of funding some are putting a value of up to $250 Million on it! Not bad for a few years work.

If you’d like to follow me on Twitter my username is: collymonster

I’m getting an iPhone!

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iphone
Despite the fact that I’m a fairly tech-savvy kinda guy, up until recently I’ve never had any Apple products. iPods are deemed are essential by many, but due to the fact that my music is always with me in either my car on on my pc media centre at home, I just never had the need for one.

I actually got a present of a iPod Touch a while back, and really did not use it for ages. It was not until I went on holidays over Christmas and brought it with me did I realise how cool they actually are. It’s all the extra applications from the appstore that are really impressive. I love the way it works with wifi and you have email internet and a host of other capabilities with you on your phone – music and photos as well, obviously.

So I’ve decided I’m getting an iPhone. The thing is that they are dam expensive and I’m not eligeable for an upgrade for some time. However, someone taught me a little trick. I called up 02 and told them i just got a new job, and my company have an agreement with Vodafone and want me to move over to them. Now strictly this is actually true in my case, but anyone could just say that. Anyway, I spent a good while on the phone with them and eventually they offered me a gold upgrade and a months free line rental! Happy Days!

Anyway, if you  alreadyhave one, check out this article called “Why you have to jailbreak the iPhone”

I’ll let you know how I get on with it

Tech Crunch Crunch Pad

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This is very cool – I love to see ingenuity like this. The guys over at TechCrunch have made themselves a low cost touch screen tablet, for just over $200. It boots directly into the browser and is perfect for surfing the web with a touch screen keyboard.

More here

Does Apple deserve it’s reputation?

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macnobodygivesashit

I’ve been a huge PC man for about 15 years now. I’ve always had an interest in Apple and Mac’s – but really I’ve never really got what everyone else sees in them. I don’t have any massively different requirements to everyone else – I surf the internet a lot, design a few small websites, I do a lot with music, movies and photos etc and many Mac heads will say that for these types of things Macs are way better – full stop.

Ok yes I know they almost never crash and they don’t get viruses etc, but really I don’t have that many problems with my PC. I’m still using XP, a pretty old OS at this stage, but it works and I know my way around it very well.

I have given Macs a try a good few times, and really I just don’t get it. People say they are easier but it just does not seem intuitive to me. Maybe if you are completely new to computers a Mac may be easier to pick up, but I got one like the way there are lots of different ways to achieve one task on a pc, but on a mac there is often only one, and in my experience, any tinkering with settings behind the scenes can be quite tricky even for relatively simple tasks.

I admire them as a company cause they are great at what they do, but you have to wonder about the people who but them, is there real and true reasons why a Mac can do what they need better than a PC – or do they party prefer Macs because they believe the marketing?

Barack Obama – “President 2.0″

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I’d like to say I was an avid follower of the US Presidential Election race, but unfortunately I was not. I kept and eye on what was going on but really I was not particularity cued up on either. I just hated Bush though so any change no matter who it was, was going to be a very good thing.

I didn’t like the sound of McCain, he’s so dam Old that he’ll have a properly old-fashioned attitude to running the country free world. I was quite suspicious of this video about Obama highlighting some pretty scary facts about his background. However those concerns did not last long after I got to truly understand who he is and what he’s about. Right now I think that from many standpoints, he’s the best thing to happen to this world in quite a long long time.

One of the main reasons I like Obama so much, is that he the first person in real authority that is truly part of the new generation, and his ideas and aspirations reflect this. For this reason the younger generation – the ‘new generation’ of people who are now running this world, can really identify with him – and he will bring to fruition a lot of changes that the older generations would not have really though about. Long before he was president he wrote a book himself, where you can get to know the real Obama. He even admits that he used to smoke a lot of marijuana, and even did cocaine occasionally. What that says to the general public is that he’s not going to pretend to be the prefect model citizen – because most people are not that themselves. He is normal, and cool, and experienced in ‘real-life’ – that is how a proper representative of the people should be.

The other (main) reason, the reason behind the title of this post – is that I really believe Obama is the first president in history who actually “Gets Technology” – and for this reason I’m calling him “President 2.0“. Technology was an absolutely crucial part of his election campaign, and definitely one of the main reasons why he won. He used services like Facebook, Myspace & Twitter to spread his name in the campaign run. His Change.gov website is absolutely excellent in terms of the  quality of his website from a standards point of view, and also the  overall objective and delivery of his message. A big different from McCain who admitted his did not even use Email. Obama on the other hand has a Wii hooked up to his presidential sized TV in his oval office. (Well, its probably in his living room but I’d like to think  about how it would be cool if he played a little Wii tennis while entertaining the worlds leaders)…

Reagan was the first president to mix things up in his generation by having a weekly address to the nation on the radio. Obama does it on youtube.

Continue reading →

The Jobs Market in 2009

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I think this video sums it all up…

A fantastically simple yet effective piece, not exactly what you’d call politically correct though! I love it though – kinda South Park Esque…

I’m very happy and thankful to say that 2009 is looking good for me, and (afaik) my job is pretty safe. but its really scary too see what is happening to the people around me. I’ve been out of college and in the real world for about 6 years now – I completed a three year degree and was beginning my career in as short a time as possible. However I know quite a few people who stayed around the college scene, getting a string of further qualifications which promised to make them infinitely more desirable to the market, meaning they could climb the ladder to the big bucks at a far more rapid rate. unfortunately with the times that are in it, this probably did not pan out to be the wisest decision to have made. Often in times like this, real practical previous experience is valued more highly than raw qualifications. People are even saying that MBA’s are just not worth it any more -And that was before we entered a recession! Continue reading →