Who hasn’t thought about a strategy for if/when zombies start infecting the world? It seems like a pretty normal conversation, no? MT was cool enough to come by our studio to talk about how they would fair in The Hunger Games and their emergency plan for if there’s a zombie apocalypse.
Justin Bieber is performing at the Billboard Music Awards this Sunday and decided to throw us one by releasing a viddy of him rehearsing “Boyfriend.” We also talk about Will Smith slapping a Ukrainian reporter in the face and a party trick that involves a beer can and a chainsaw.
I think we’ve all had a few crappy incidents involving an airline. That’s why we were happy to discover that even recording artists are susceptible to airline incompetence. T-Mills tells us all about his scare at the airport and his genius plot to get it back. Subscribe to andPOP for new episodes of Making Waves every week!
Today is filled with lessons. Kids learn all about Skrillex, Mac Lethal teaches us about the difference between your and you’re and Brittany learns how to properly pronounce dougie (she says it with an Australian accent).
Sometimes an artist is so popular it’s hard to get them to do an interview in a major market like Toronto. Luckily, here at andPOP we don’t take NO for an answer. So we decided to take a road trip and ask him about going to the club and who pays the bills when he goes out. He also talks about how he signed his new artist Tyler Medieros. GO CANADA!
If you’re looking for something to do tonight, why not try Skillex: The Boardgame. It tests both your music knowledge and ability to withstand physical pain. Then we talk about the lazy eye epidemic that’s plaguing teens with emo hair. Finally, we wrap up by watching the best/worst trailer in the world, Jersey Shore Shark Attack.
Every kid has a way to make a few dollars when they’re young. The difference is not many kids are hustlers at the age of nine. Jeezy was one of those unique kids that knew he was destine for big things at a very young age. Ironically, even before he became a famous rapper he always had money. Lots of money. The only thing we’re wondering is how do you gauge success when you’re already rich?
We really like Dragonette, they’re a fantastic combination of all kinds of good stuff. They seamlessly combine their own brand of pop with dance music. It’s a fantastic pick-me-up if fever you find yourself in an emergency ‘need to dance’ situation. We asked Martina Sorbara about how she and the rest of the band found their sonic DNA.
Justin Bieber basically wins best son in the world for dedicating a number one track to his mom for Mother’s Day. How do we top that? We also ogle at other celebs with their moms and watch an adorbz video of a young toddler in love, but he just can’t catch a break.
In the second instalment of our new series “Making Waves” Caity talks to Classified about how smoking weed helps him creatively. Class also recalls the olympics and introduces us to a new artist he’s working with.
Nina Dobrev stopped by Conan and made him her human yoga wall — this resulted in the host doing a victory lap around the studio. We also talk about Nicki Minaj and her two biggest fans and finally watch a video about what else? Cute puppies.
The title of Diggy Simmons’ new album raises a few questions. Luckily, he reassured us it has nothing to do with accidental pregnancies. Diggy talked about how the name has more to do with his hip-hop pedigree than a good old game of “just the tip” backfiring. Was that too much?
One Direction told andPOP if they had to choose a sixth member of the band they’d choose Ed Sheeran! Find out what Ed Sheeran had to say about that here. We also watch a video of Jon Hamm giving advice to 16-year-old girls (it’s not creepy we promise) and sympathize with a very unlucky couple.
Class is now in session. The man who we’re now calling “Professor Jeezy” is well versed in making money, counting money and what to do once you have lots of money. In one of our most inspiring and hilarious interviews to date we go to the school of hard knocks and talk about cash. Just after we finished with Jeezy he invited @Jordans_life to play with $100,000 but they wouldn’t let us take the video cameras! Needless to say, we’re all big fans of Young Jeezy here at andPOP.
Ed Sheeran and One Direction in THE SAME INTERVIEW. If you’re a fan of these two particular acts you might want to sit down. We asked One Direction about who they would want to be their 6th member and they seemed to think Ed would be a good fit. So when we got the chance to talk to him we thought it was only fitting to ask about whether or not it’s a possibility!
It seems a lot of people are trying to get their hands on Ed Sheeran these days. His album + is doing incredible things internationally and his fans like the music so much they’re screaming the words to his songs. Not that it’s a bad thing but it must hurt the ears a little. We share this enthusiasm for Ed and his music. In fact, he also likes us. Did you know @andPOP is his favourite website? True story!
If there was actually a way to harvest and bottle happiness, Martina Sorbara would be a good place to start. Not only is she an incredibly wonderful person to interview, Dragonette’s music could be used as an anti-depressant. In this interview @jordans_life and Martina talk about their newest music video and getting “her mojo” back.
Remember that time Hot Chelle Rae convinced @Jordans_life to get a tattoo? Well since it happened, he’s been having troubles adjusting to the monkey holding a bottle of vodka on his leg (remember tattoos are permanent). Truthfully, the tattoo isn’t that bad but he’s still upset none of the guys in HCR opted to join him. So to make things right, @DCaseyJones decided to get revenge for Jordan with some temporary Disney tattoos. It’s the thought that counts right?
In the latest instalment of our interview with Dev we try to figure out how she and The Cataracs keep banging out hit records. Including one particular single that happens to feature one of the prettiest men of our generation. Dev and @jordans_life discuss the recording process and what it was like shooting a video with Enrique “man-pretty” Iglaseas.
After meeting Ed Sheeran we realized that outside of music he’s actually quite funny. Inside that beautiful red cranium is a wonderland of kittens, jokes, Lego and most importantly music. Like any true artist he’s also a little weird but in the best kind of way. We discovered this part of his personality when he answered a question about his dreams that a fan submitted through our twitter (@andPOP). It turns out when he’s sleeping, all those kittens and lego can turn into some really crazy stuff! Do you have a recurring dream? Tweet it at us!
Griffin has come up with many fantastic accessories for gadget users over the years. Whether it was a car charger for an iPod, or a cradle for a smartphone, Griffin has a solution in accessory form to suit almost anyone’s needs. They have recently integrated several of their accessory gadgets into one package as the ultimate solution for iPhone / iPod touch users. Auxiliary (AUX) ports are becoming more and more common in vehicles these days. People bring their iPhones / iPods into the car and need a handy place to mount their iPods while they drive. The dilemma is that drivers still need to beg able to access the screen to choose their music. Griffin’s TuneFlex AUX Handsfree is the answer.
The TuneFlex AUX Handsfree for iPhone and iPod touch is essentially a car charger with a long flexible steel neck and swiveling cradle that holds your iPhone or iPod where you want it. You can bend and angle the neck however you like, so that the iPhone is facing you and can be easily accessed to pick songs and answer calls while you are on the go.
The cradle has a mounting bracket to hold the iPhone or iPod securely and ensure it doesn’t fall off the charger. The TuneFlex is compatible With iPhone and iPod Models With A 30 – Pin Dock Connector, so the cradle will keep your iPhone / iPod fully charged while you are listening to music or chatting with your friends. If you keep your iPhone or iPod safe in a case, fear not. The TuneFlex is a Case – friendly cradle. It is wide enough to hold the iPhone or iPod in its case, and the depth of the cradle can be adjusted using the adjustable wheel at the back of the case. Even those of you with massive otterbox cases will be able to use this product without the hassle of removing your phone from it’s case.
The cradle comes with an AUX / Microphone cable that connects your iPhone / iPod to your car stereo. The cable provides high quality audio from the iPhone / iPod to the car speakers. The cable also features a high – sensitivity hands – free microphone for phone calls. I use this feature frequently and the people on the other end of the calls can’t tell that I am on speaker phone.
This unit is good, but it is not without its flaws. The manual says that through the AUX cable, the audio from phone calls will be ported to the car’s speakers, but it will not do that. No matter how many iPhones I’ve tried, regardless of firmware, model, or O/S, it will not work. I am forced to use the phone’s mediocre speaker function. It serves it’s purpose, but when I am on the highway I have a hard time hearing the people I am on the phone with.
The other issue is a physical one. The cradle is meant to be totally adjustable. You can turn, bend and angle the case in a variety of ways. This is a great feature, but when I am turning with any speed, the phone becomes wobbly, and will totally turn to it’s side while in the cradle. The case would benefit from locking into place at various angles and being made adjustable. The rotation mechanism gets looser and looser by the day and I fear that over time it will turn very easily and at inopportune times. It’s a pain in the butt and needs to be addressed in future models.
Overall, the TuneFlex AUX is a handy tool. It has its flaws, but it also has it’s perks. The bugs definitely need to be addressed, but this is still a fantastic gadget for all iPhone / iPod users in their cars and I highly recommend it.
For more information, visit Griffin’s web site.
We’re also giving away 2 units. To enter, complete the form below and we’ll select 2 winners on Apr 30th, 2012. Open to residents of Canada only, excluding Quebec.
Besides the Instagram app, another reason life is dull if you’re not an iPhone user is not having AutoCorrect. Text messaging as never been this amusing.
Buzzfeed also shares our love for the spell-check tool, so much so that they piled a list of the 25 most funny AutoCorrect blunders. Here are just a few of the most hilarious automatic correction fails.
You can see all 25 picks over at Buzzfeed. If I learned anything from this post, it’s that a) I need an iPhone. It looks like a party! b) Always triple-check when you are texting your parents. Unless you want the next dinner gathering to be extremely awkward.
Many musicians these days have home based recording studios. With some experience in the recording process and the correct set of computer components, a talented artist can produce final results that can sound as good as any professional level recording studio. Over the past few years Apogee Electronics, who are well respected in the professional recording industry, has released a number of legendary hardware/software products and recently with the release of The Duet 2, the company has attracted a lot of attention among Macintosh computer recording artists.
There’s a reason that Apogee Electronics is one of the most respected manufacturers of portable audio interfaces – simplicity of design, quality built products and their hardware/software combinations work flawlessly on the Mac. The Apogee Duet 2 audio interface is the perfect compliment to the Apple Macintosh in both quality and performance. Following the success of the original Apogee Duet Firewire version, Apogee recently released the much anticipated USB version of this exceptional audio interface.
Apogee Duet 2 – USB
With this new USB version, any of the technical issues that surfaced around the original Duet with FireWire, have now been completely resolved and the re-designed Duet 2 which is not only a pleasure to use, is also a very reliable piece of hardware/software which produces outstanding audio quality. As with the original Duet, we have experienced NO latency issues with this USB version. The Duet 2 USB hardware is bundled with the required Maestro 2 driver/mixing software which is also very easy to configure and use.
There is little need to investigate the pre amps, the AD/DA converters or the circuit boards residing ‘under the hood’ of the Duet 2, because the sparkling, crystal clear sound quality of the Duet 2 speaks for itself. Besides, the Apogee brand is already world renown in its association for hi end audio quality components.
Maestro 2 Software
The really great thing about Apogee Duet 2, is the fact that the hardware and software are designed specifically for the Apple Macintosh, creating an Audio Interface that works seamlessly with Logic, Garage Band, iTunes, in fact all Apple software, under previous OS’s and Lion OSX 10.7. The Duet 2 is simple to set up and along with the Maestro 2 software, you can be making quality sounding recordings in a matter of minutes. The software portion of the audio interface package is very important and in this case the Maestro 2 software, as an integral part the Duet 2 experience, provides complete, versatile control over Input/Output and mixing levels. Control over phantom power when required is also built into the Maestro 2 software. The Maestro 2 is stable, completely responsive to the Duet 2 hardware, and provides every feature needed to create great mixes.
Simplicity of Design, Quality Built, Solid Construction
The Duet 2 hardware is functional, durable cast aluminum design, solid enough to house the delicate components within and compact enough to transport easily. On the front edge of the Duet 2 is a standard, QUARTER INCH stereo jack input (APPLAUSE!!!) for a set of studio headphones. The top panel of the Duet 2, now sports a full colour hi-rez, interactive OLED display complete with recognizable Icons that deliver responsive visual information for multiple functions including metering, input output levels, grouping, muting, phantom power and more. The Duet 2 even has configurable touchpads on both sides of the encoder knob to allow handy access to various functions such as Mute, Dim, Sum to mono, Headphone source etc.
On the rear panel of the Duet 2 there is a place for an optional DC power supply but since the Duet 2 is bus powered off the USB you probably won’t ever need to make use of it. We did not run into any issues at all using the Duet 2 directly off the USB therefore there was no need for us to use an optional Power supply but it is great to know that the option is there if it is ever needed. The USB connection to the computer is on the rear panel as well as the breakout cable connector.
The Duet 2 includes a redesigned Breakout Cable which has been greatly streamlined from the previous model and comes with 2 combination mic/instrument connectors. The output from the breakout cable on the back of the Duet 2 accommodates quarter inch balanced out connections. You can use regular quarter inch guitar cables for shorter distances. Running audio cables over longer distances to hi end audio equipment will often cause interference or possible noise from external sources and Apogee has addressed this issue by designing the breakout cable to accommodate quarter inch balanced out cables if you need to run cabling over longer distances. With the release of the Duet 2, Apogee has gone a step further by offer an optional aluminum Breakout Box Accessory for that accommodates the running of left and right XLR outputs from for Duet 2 to a mixer or powered speakers.
Record 2 Sources Simultaneously
The Duet 2 accommodates the ability to record 2 sources simultaneously such as at keyboard and vocalist – this device is a powerhouse of quality and design. Don’t let the compact size of the item in relation to the apparent premium pricing be a deterrent to consideration for purchase. Once you try the Apogee Duet 2, its ease of use, will be a pleasure, its compact design will be a bonus for transport and desk space and its price will be worthy of the sound quality that it provides. The Duet 2 is an outstanding combination of software and hardware that is up to Macintosh standards in terms of quality, ease of use and design – the perfect audio interface for the Macintosh computer.
MRSP: $595.00 US and Canada
M-Audio promotes the new C series Fast Track recording interfaces to be the best sounding, best looking and most feature rich audio interfaces they have ever designed. When M-Audio designed the new C Series audio interface, the company wanted to use technology from their higher line of interfaces with the aim of delivering exceptional sound quality by including boutique quality pre amps and premium audio converters . M-Audio claims to have sought customer input in order to create a completely redesigned form factor, with the intention of simplifying the music making process for the user.
There is no doubt, Cadence Watch Company is on to something special.
Cadence is an E-commerce watch company offering an interesting line of stylish watches at an affordable price point complete with an excellent warranty policy. What makes the Cadence watch line unique is the Company’s stylistic attention to particular niche markets.
‘The watch is classy enough to wear with on any occasion, while geeky enough to make a good conversation starter.’ (more…)
If a product does nothing more than simply protect the back of your
brandnew iPad 2 – isn’t that enough?
If this product was considered the perfect compliment for the ‘smart cover’ cover – would this be enough?
If that iPad protective back cover was available in no less than FIVE stunning rainbow like colours to personalize the look of your iPad – wouldn’t this be enough? (more…)
If Darwin was observing the tech revolution, we suspect the evolution ofthe USB flash drive would likely be noted in his journal of interesting developments. It is fascinating to watch just how the USB memory chip has now evolved to a mere fraction of the size it was only months ago. What practical adaptations are there for the miniaturization of the actual conventional USB Flash Drive? (more…)
Incase makes great cases for Apple Macintosh products. Not only are incase products stylist, 
there are very well constructed. Andpop recently had the opportunity of reviewing the incase Perforated Hardshell case and the Protective Sleeve Deluxe for the Macbook pro and we are as about excited as one can get about cases and covers from incase, the reason is that incase creates quality products for the Mac.
The Perforated Hardshell Case is an injection-molded case which is custom fitted to the Macbook Pro that provides excellent protection and fits perfectly snug to the laptop.
The molded case is perforated, as shown in the photo, which not only looks cool, it runs cooler – and lightens the load.
Main Features:
• Made to fit with Apple’s latest Apple MagSafe Power Adapter
• Exterior gloss coating
• Precision cut-out features for trouble-free access
• Vents and rubber feet elevate notebook away from surface, to allow the notebook’s internal fans to circulate air
Who knew that a laptop stand could be so cool!
Promoted as the ‘World’s thinnest portable laptop Stand’ that is designed to extend the life of your laptop as well as your wrists, the AViiQ Portable Laptop Stand is ‘ready to go when you are’ – literally. The AviiQ portable laptop stand is the laptop stand that is designed for people on the go. While other laptop stands are big, bulky and stationary, the AViiQ is a laptop stand that is designed for convenience and portability – and it works like this.
The Griffin AeroSport for iPod nano armband strap is a black lycra armband for the iPod Nano 6th Gen that is flexible, comfortable and lightweight. This Griffin AeroSport for iPod nano armband has a plastic face plate to attach the iPod and a velcro section to ensure the band is fitted and stays put on your arm while playing sports or jogging. In my opinion, it would be really cool if the band would adapt to the wrist and double as a wrist strap but such is not the case here. (more…)
Griffin Technology offers two cool accessories for portable computers, laptops and Macbooks. The Griffin Elevator Desktop Stand for laptops is a very stylish stand with a brushed aluminum finish that allows you to raise any laptop up off the desk by about 5 inches. The Griffin Elevator Desktop stand is a solid pro style stand that benefits your health and increases your comfort.
Steve Jobs resigning from Apple is big news, and celebrities were equally shocked and surprised. Below are some Twitter reactions from some notable celebrities:
Arnold Schwarzenegger tweeted, “Steve Jobs is one of California’s greatest innovators. Very few achieved his impact over the last 50 years and probably the next 100 years.”
Alyssa Milano tweeted, ”I want to put a ding in the universe. ~Steve Jobs #quote.”
Harry Shum, Jr. from Glee tweeted, ”Steve Jobs is also one of the few people that I fully got star struck and geeked out when I met him.”
“Woot” is now officially part of the English dictionary. Other new additions include “cyberbullying” and “retweet.”
Some of the new definitions, per the Oxford University Press blog:
cyberbullying: n. the use of electronic communication to bully a person, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature.
jeggings: pl. n. tight-fitting stretch trousers for women, styled to resemble a pair of denim jeans.
mankini: n. (pl. mankinis) a brief one-piece bathing garment for men, with a T-back.
retweet: v. (on the social networking service Twitter) repost or forward (a message posted by another user). n. a reposted or forwarded message on Twitter.
woot: exclaim. informal (especially in electronic communication) used to express elation, enthusiasm, or triumph.
Most everyone who just purchased a new Macbook Pro will without a doubt be looking for a new case to protect the computer while moving it from place to place. Andpop is looking at the line of stylish protective cases for the Mac, offered by Level 8 and is pleased to report some great news!
Level 8 offers an impressive line of cases, sleeves and backpacks, exclusively designed for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iPad. The name ‘Level 8’ reflects the companies ‘Eight points of precise protection’ : Inspiration, Exclusivity, Protection, Beauty, Organization, Durability, Value, Warranty (more…)
Facebook announced today that they are adding video to their online chat program through a partnership with Skype and it’s available today.
Users who want to add the new feature must download a quick Java file by visiting the video chat page. A new video icon will then appear in chat windows that you simply click and it will connect you via video to that person. The idea behind the feature is to make it simple to operate and easy for non-technical users to participate in video chat. There is no need to create a Skype account as the feature works alongside your existing facebook account.
“No separate accounts, no separate websites to go to,” Philip Su said. “The download is small and easy.”
This feature appears to be part of a larger project happening at Facebook to compete head on with Apple’s Facetime video conferencing application, with rumours swirling about a new Facebook web application dubbed ‘Project Spartan’ that will be released for all mobile and tablet devices later this year.
Traktor X1 controller & Traktor Software
Mobile DJs will likely be familiar with the popular digital DJ software called Traktor by Native Instruments for Mac and PC . TRAKTOR software is available as TRAKTOR PRO 2, TRAKTOR DUO 2, TRAKTOR LE each of which offers a variety of mixing and effects capabilities from Semi Pro to Pro depending on one’s needs. TRAKTOR is a powerful digital software package which poses a bit of a learning curve for the beginner but comes with an excellent users manual in PDF format.
(more…)
The video game industry hit a four-year low in May, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
Video game sales apparently hit its lowest monthly U.S. profit since October 2006, totalling $743.1 million. That number may seem high, but it’s nothing compared to the $866.8 million of last year.
“A light slate of new releases is at the heart of this month’s performance,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. “As a result of a lighter release slate, promotional activity at retail and in circulars was reduced as well, which undoubtedly affected not only planned but impulse purchases.”
Frazier says it is unfair to base all results on figures, though, as an increasing amount of video game sales derive from online or downloadable exclusive content purchases.
This year’s top selling game was ‘L.A. Noire,’ a murder-mystery action game set in old L.A.
I agree with the analyst. Much of today’s market comes from the online world, so we have to factor in the sales from that. I don’t think video games are going anywhere anytime soon.
Sony has introduced the new ‘PlayStation Vita’ handheld, reports CTV.
The company’s newest portable gaming machine, the ‘PlayStation Vita,’ is a touch-screen and motion-sensitive handheld that allows gamers to connect with one another over cellphone networks and Wi-Fi hotspots. The device can also use GPS location-tracking technology.
Much like the iPad, the device is available as a Wi-Fi-only version for $249, or a cellphone version which will retail for $299 and buyers will have to subscribe to a cellular data plan.
The Vita also has front and back cameras, a touchscreen in front, a touch pad on the back and two joysticks. Gamers can play against each other all around the world.
“PlayStation Vita will revolutionize the portable entertainment experience,” Kazuo Hirai, group chief executive officer of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., told a crowd at the unveiling. “The whole world is really in play.”
The device will go on sale before the winter holidays. This sounds cool, I probably won’t buy it just because I have enough technology devices as is, but I can appreciate its idea.
The CandyShell Card case from Speck is not only a protective case for the iPhone 4 but also a mini wallet capable of holding up to 3 credit cards. If you’re on the go or don’t want to carry you wallet for whatever reason, the CandyShell Card case is a great way to lighten your carry load.
The good thing about the CandyShell case is that it doesn’t interfere with any of the iPhone 4′s connections or camera. It’s great to use for your key card if you require one to get in and out of your office. That way you can leave your wallet in your office and just make sure you have your phone on you, which of course you would never leave behind. In addition, if you drop or mishandle the phone you can be confident that the CandyShell Card case will protect it from most damage and scratching.
With the benefits of the CandyShell Card case it does have one major drawback that is certainly unavoidable. It will add some extra thickness and wait to your iPhone 4G. Although annoying at first, the convenience of the CandyShell Card case far outweighs the extra thickness and weight and you will soon become accustomed to it.
For employees using a key card to access their office and for people who only need to carry around 2-3 cards, such as a credit card, ID and debit card, the CandyShell Card case is a convenient additon for your iPhone 4.
Price: $39.95
Buy: Speckproducts.com
T-Pain is vowing that he will never use Auto-Tune again, reports AllHipHop.com.
The rapper and producer told the hip hop site exclusively that he will never use Auto-Tune in his music again. Auto-tune is the singing effect that T-Pain made famous, which digitally makes voices sing on key.
It often makes them sound like a robot, too.
“I vow right here, right now, to never use Auto-Tune again,” said T-Pain in a statement. “I’m onto something that I think is bigger and better called ‘The T-Pain Effect.’”
No, he isn’t being funny or ironic. The rapper actually plans to develop a sound called “The T-Pain Effect.” He has reportedly partnered with Izotope, an audio technology company, to produce this so-called new effect.
T-Pain without Auto-Tune is like Lindsay Lohan without drugs or Arnold Schwarzenegger without secret love child’s. It’s just so bizarre. The man has an iTunes app that Auto-Tune’s peoples voice, for goodness sake. We’ll see if this lasts, because it’s kind of the only thing going for him at the moment.
