iPad App Review: AmpliTube Fender

By: Al Morita

IK Multimedia has expanded upon their AmpliTube app with collection of Fender amps and effects for use on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Five amps are included including the Twin Reverb, Super-Sonic, Pro-Junior, Bassman, and Deluxe Reverb. The amp models provide a range of clean and overdriven tones. There are also six pedal models that give a noise filter, compressor, overdrive, phaser, echo, and fuzz pedal effects. In order to use this app, one must purchase the AmpliTube iRig to connect the guitar to the iOS device.

The AmpliTube Fender uses the same layout as AmpliTube 2 app with an easy-to-use interface and excellent graphics. Each amplifier model has the same look and functionality of a real amp. To further customize your sound, five speaker cabinets and two microphone options are provided.

I’ve summarized the tone of each of the five amps below:

• The Deluxe Reverb model has the clean Fender tone with nice reverb and vibrato effects.
• The Twin Reverb model adds a brightness switch and midrange EQ to the Deluxe Reverb amp.
• The Pro Junior model is a small tube amp with tone and volume knobs.
• The Bassman model is a warm sounding amp with a great natural distortion when cranked.
• The Super-sonic model has a mix of the Fender clean tones and distortion in one amp.

Two pedal effects that stand out in AmpliTube Fender are the Tape Echo and the Fender Blender. Tape Echo is versatile with many settings such as level, time, feedback, brightness, and BPM sync. Fender Blender is the highlight pedal for any guitarist that loves fuzz distortion. The other four effects are useful for adding compression, noise filter, phaser, and overdrive to your tone.

This app is also useful for practicing and playing-along to existing songs in your iPod library or computer. There is a SpeedTrainer feature that allows you to slow down imported tracks for learning new riffs without affecting the pitch. Also included is a built-in tuner and metronome.

The only problems I found with the AmpliTube Fender were the occasional crashes that occurred while switching amp models. This was quickly remedied through force quitting the app or restarting the iPad.

AmpliTube Fender for the IOS is a great app for guitarists looking for the classic Fender sound in a portable device. It’s an excellent value at $14.99 for both the amps and effects. For existing AmpliTube 2 users, the clean Fender tones in this app are a welcome upgrade as an in-app purchase. A free version is also available for download with the Deluxe Reverb model amp, a Noise Filter effect, and the Compressor.

Pros:
- Best clean guitar tone in an IOS app (Twin Reverb and Deluxe Reverb models)
- Authentic Fender guitar tones in a portable app
- Fender Blender effect pedal has amazing fuzz distortion
- Fender Tape Echo is a really good echo simulation, comparable to real pedals
- Many customizable settings and features
- Very low latency

Cons:
- Occasional crashes, remedied by restarting the iPad
- Not as good for hard rock tones or metal

4 ½ stars out of 5 · IK Multimedia · iTunes ($19.99 on iPad, $14.99 on iPhone)

iPad App Review: Cooking Dash: Thrills and Spills

by: Enuh Iglesias

Time management games are practically synonymous with the Dash franchise. As a personal preference, however, I seem to love Cooking Dash more than Diner Dash because I find it to be a more challenging experience.

Cooking Dash: Thrills and Spills is a much-awaited iPad iteration of the Dash games, and released quite a number of months after Dining Dash: Grilling Green came out for the iPad within its first month of shipping.

Cooking Dash: Thrills and Spills is a trip back in time to a much younger Flo and her grandma who take charge of reviving a floundering theme park. There are only 30 levels, which is a shame, considering the iPhone version of Cooking Dash has 50 levels and endless mode for a much lower price. Hopefully future updates will increase the number of levels or at least provide a similar endless/survival mode.

Cooking Dash: Thrills and Spills introduces a nice innovation through its fun and exciting mini-games, which are a nice mix of hidden object and arcade. Successfully completing a mini-game provides you with pre-made dishes: a real lifesaver considering the number of customers and the volume of orders. The levels are admittedly far more challenging and hectic than previous Dash games, so you will definitely be busy from start to finish.

The traditional Diner style gameplay is in place, with the degree of difficulty up a notch. You serve a variety of customers, some with special attributes (I will not go into details here so as not to spoil the fun), serve even more customers via the dash thru window (take out counter) and cook a dizzying array of dishes and combinations that you need to put together as quickly and efficiently as you can. You can score combos and earn more money to purchase and upgrade equipment, power-ups and decorations. In the Dash tradition, this is done by seating customers of the same color in the same place successively and chaining a variety of actions.

The graphics are simply gorgeous and the game is rock solid in terms of gameplay. It’s easy enough to finish in a few hours, but for time management aficionados, the challenge lies in not losing a single customer on all the levels. The game also tends to lag in the higher levels where responsiveness becomes a slight problem, a possible bug that developers could look into. The price may be a bit steep considering there are only 30 levels, hence, more levels and endless mode are needed to increase the game’s replay value. Game Center and Facebook/Twitter integration would be nice bonuses as well.

All in all, Cooking Dash: Thrills and Spills is the best Dash game yet and it’s easily one of the best time management games out there.

5 out of 5 stars · Playfirst.com · iTunes ($4.99)

Katy Perry California Dreams 2011 tour gains Robyn as support

Robyn isn’t technically a California girl, but that hasn’t kept Katy Perry from inviting the Swedish pop star along for twenty U.S. dates on her California Dreams 2011 tour. Katy Perry is touring in support of last year’s mammoth success of an album known as Teenage Dream, which has spawned hit singles including Firework, California Gurls, and the title track. Robyn has seen success with her Body Talk trilogy of releases.

For those Katy Perry fans who want to take a trip into the distant past, here’s our early 2008 interview with her.

BlogWorld 2011 ditches Vegas for Los Angeles, in the smartest move possible

by Bill Palmer

BlogWorld & New Media Expo is leaving Las Vegas this year in favor of setting up shop in Los Angeles as well as New York City. And while I’m biased in multiple ways, I believe that this is the best move the event could ever have made.

First, a few disclaimers: I live in Los Angeles and love it. I also love New York City, as long as I don’t have to go there in the winter. I’ve never been a fan of Las Vegas, and you won’t catch me there except when my work requires it. And my publication Beatweek has had a media partnership with BlogWorld & New Media Expo as well as its previous pre-merger incarnations, going back several years.

Even with all that said, I believe I can be objective when it comes to the current and former location of this event. Having attended BlogWorld in Las Vegas in past years, I can say the fact that it was out in the desert never took anything away from it – when you’re sitting in a keynote room or working the exhibit hall, it doesn’t matter which city happens to be outside the building. But that city didn’t add anything to BlogWorld, either. Las Vegas is an isolated tourist destination which offers nothing but tourist related accommodations. I’ve long suspected that most conferences set up shop in Vegas for the simple reason that cubicle-dwellers who are having their trip paid by their corporate employer are really just using the conference as a vacation anyway, and if it’s in a party town like Vegas, the cubicle-dwellers are more likely to push their bosses to let them attend. For them, half heartedly participating in a conference is just the price they have to pay in exchange for getting to partake in Vegas debauchery on a comped weekend trip.

That is never what BlogWorld, or the industry it’s focused on, has been about. Sure, there are plenty of people attending BlogWorld who come from corporations, but they’re largely there because they view social media as an initiative for their company and they actually want to be there. I don’t believe I’ve ever encountered an attendee at BlogWorld or any of its previous incarnations (New Media Expo, Podcast Expo, etc) who didn’t actually want to be there. And most BlogWorld attendees are bloggers, podcasters, publishers, independent video producers, you name it, who are there because new media is their lifeblood. An event geared toward and consisting of people who focus on communications, entertainment, and interaction deserves to be held in an environment which fosters all of the above. What better place for BlogWorld to be held, then, than in a place like Los Angeles, which is a mecca for the entertainment industry, news industry, and communications industry. And of course the exact same thing can be said about New York City, which will be the home of the May 2011 BlogWorld incarnation.

Those new media participants who actually enjoyed trekking out to the land of debauchery known as Las Vegas each year for BlogWorld shouldn’t worry. Trust me, Los Angeles has plenty of debauchery as well. But LA also has an environment that’s appropriate for an event that’s all about communicating, which is why I can’t wait to see what comes of the LA incarnation of BlogWorld & New Media Expo this November.

The Guild: Felicia Day book signing tonight at Barnes and Noble in LA

by: Daynah

One of the most talked about web series, The Guild, has landed in the world of comic books! This internet sensation is a story about a group of online gamers who eventually meet in real life. “The Knights of Good”, as they called themselves, found that although meeting in real life was awkward, they were still a strong team in game. This hilarious comedy series won numerous awards and has become a huge hit, gaining fans from all over the world.

Felicia Day, creator, writer, and star of “The Guild” now graces us with a graphic-novel prequel to the web series. The comic takes us back to the days before the “Knights of Good” and shows us how Cyd’s life was like before gaming, how she became Codex, and how her friendships with the guild members came to be.

In addition to the new graphic novel, the latest season of The Guild is now available on DVD and planning for Season 5 is in the works!

Purchase either The Guild graphic novel or Season 4 DVD (or both) at Barnes and Noble in LA at the Grove Mall and have them signed by the cast. Actors Felicia Day, Vincent Caso, Amy Okuda, Robin Thorsen will be at the event.

Be sure to get to Barnes and Noble early. Wristbands will be distributed today (Feb. 22, 2011) at 9am with purchase of ‘The Guild’ graphic novel or The Guild Season Four DVD. For more information on the event, see BarnesAndNoble.com. Can’t make it out? Here is Felicia Day’s interview with Beatweek Magazine.

Jared Leto premieres 30 Seconds to Mars “Hurricane” video in Hollywood

by Bill Palmer

After seeing his band’s controversial thirteen minute long music video for new single “Hurricane” banned from the television networks, Jared Leto was determined to give the short film an audience in its full unedited form, even if it meant renting out a Hollywood theatre and airing it for invited fans. Leto and 30 Seconds to Mars did just that on Monday night, as the Hurricane video saw its premiere at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre and was followed by what became nearly two hours of Q&A with the audience.

“A lot of people have questions about this weird little movie we made,” Leto explained after being introduced as Bartholomew Cubbins, the Seuss-inspired pseudonym under which he directed the short. Sensually themed, interwoven with scenes bondage and violence, Hurricane follows the three band members as they each struggle through attackers and challenges of various kinds. There’s arguably no more sexuality or violence in the Hurricane video than in the typical R-rated movie, but that hasn’t kept networks including the BBC from rejecting even the self-edited version of the video.

As if to drive his point home, Jared Leto (who was briefly joined by 30 Seconds to Mars bandmates Shannon Leto and Tomo Milicevic during the Q&A) pulled a printed list of network objections to the video which he’d been sent, which spanned several pages. “People are much more comfortable with violence than they are sex,” Leto explained to an audience member who inquired as to why the final edited version excluded much of the sex but left the more violent scenes intact. Even so, one network objected to a portion of a fight scene in which one participant kicked the other in the leg in too graphic of a manner.

In answering an exhaustingly long series of audience questions, Leto revealed that he had originally written the song back in late 2007 while in Berlin. By acting as the video’s director, he found himself directing his bandmates – one of whom happens to be his older brother – and quipped that he’s been “working with these guys for some time, and it’s nice that their acting careers are thriving and mine’s in the fucking gutter,” in winking reference to his own film and television acting career, which he’s been balancing with his musical ambitions for the past fifteen years.

After multiple instances of calling “last question” and then proceeding to take several more questions in order to ensure that everyone had their chance (one attendee said she’d driven all the way up from Tijuana, Mexico just for the event) and teasing attendees by revealing that Hurricane remix collaborator Kanye West “almost came by” unannounced for the event but ultimately couldn’t make it, Leto grabbed a guitar at the end of the evening and performed a solo acoustic version of Hurricane.

Even after hours of earnestly explaining every rationale behind the Hurricane video (mixed in with quite a few moments of deadpan humor) and appearing to easily win over the audience, Jared Leto may not be any closer to getting his video on air, edited or otherwise, than when the night began. But the few hundred who packed the intimate theatre certainly seemed to get it, and if nothing else, the core army of 30 Seconds to Mars fans will likely feel empowered to give the television networks a piece of their minds.

Bargain iPhone and iPad Apps: Disney, Google, Mortal Kombat, and more

by Daynah

Looking for some new apps for your iPhone or iPad? Short on iTunes cash? Then you came to the right place! Here are this week’s amazing bargain apps!

Cows vs. Aliens
Help herd all the cows into the barn and keep the aliens out! Sounds simple, but the aliens are quite determined! It’s quite addictive and fun. Just when you thought you push the alien aside, another one sneaks up on you! Game-center enabled and only 99 cents! One of the hottest new apps to debut at Macworld Expo 2011. iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents)

Candy Rush
An absolutely adorable puzzle + time management game. You work in a candy store and your objective is to make various boxes of candy as they come off the conveyor belt. Different type of candy boxes will earn different amounts of money. Make the candy boxes quickly to earn prizes for your cabinet as well as goodies for your pet cat. Best of all, it’s universal, so play on both your iPhone and iPad for a low price of 99 cents! Universal App (99 cents)

Grey’s Anatomy Sync
If you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, you’ll absolutely love this iPad app. It takes your show experience to a whole new level. When the show is on live (Thursday at 9|8c on ABC), open up the app and the audio from the show will sync with it. Gain insight on various scenes, take polls and quizzes, virtually check-in and earn badges at locations and events (like Joe’s Pub), and connect with other fans. Definitely a must-have if you’re a fan. iPad Version (Free)

TypeDrawing for iPad
Are you a digital artist? Well what if your brush painted font type instead of color strokes? That’s what this app is great at. Create unique drawings with fonts instead of just paint strokes. Change the font type as well as color. Was $4.99 but on sale for 99 cents this weekend.
iPad Version (99 cents)

Disney’s Epic Mickey Digicomics
Inspired by the new Epic Mickey video game, this app takes you deeper into Wasteland! It includes one free digicomic issue of Epic Mickey, discover and learn more about all the characters, view trailer and video snippets, and more! Universal App (Free)

Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3
The original arcade game from a decade or so ago is now available for your iOS devices! Punch, kick, and deliver some upper cuts as you “Finish Him!” Multiplayer mode allows you to challenge friends via local WiFi or Bluetooth. Originally $6.99, the iPhone/iPod Touch version is on sale for 99 cents. iPhone/iPod Touch Version (99 cents) | iPad Version ($4.99)

Google Translate
A nifty app from Google that translate words and phrases between more than 50 languages. Speak or type in the phrase and hit translate! Really handy when you’re traveling or learning a new language. iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free)

Google Shopper
A great app to help you find information on millions of products. Simply take a photo of a cover art, barcode, or search via voice or text. The app will search and find local and online prices as well as reviews, specifications, videos and a lot more! Give it a try the next time you go shopping. It might just be your shopping companion! iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free)

Inspector Gadget’s MAD Dash
Wow, this hit 80′s cartoon is now a game for your iPhone! Help Inspector Gadget rescue Penny. Jump and hop on buildings, swing from cranes and more. Go, go Gadget Copter! Free for a limited time! iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free)

Review: Stump Stand

by Daynah

Small, yet tough, this tablet accessory stands in a class of its own. The Stump Stand is a unique tablet stand that’s made of a soft rubber-like material. It’s small and quite versatile. It has a simple design that resembles a tree stump, hence the name. What makes this special is how it can hold your device in three different positions — ramp, upright, and lean.

To put your iPad in Ramp Position, simply just lay your device on top of the Stump. Your iPad covers most of the Stump that your device will appear to be floating on top of the table at just the perfect angle. Lay it down in portrait mode and you can play a friendly game of “Words with Friends.” Put it horizontally, and you have the perfect position for email or web surfing. You can adjust the angle by resting the bottom of the iPad closer or farther from the Stump.

To use your iPad in Upright Position, slide your device into BOTTOM step of the Stump. This will hold the iPad in an upright position. It’s about an 80^o angle, perfect for watching a video or reading a book.

Lastly, to use your iPad in the Lean Position, use the TOP step of the Stump for your device. This holds the iPad in a slightly leaning position (~50^o angle), perfect for gaming, reading, or surfing. It’s recommended that the iPad be horizontal in this position. Having it in portrait mode is not as sturdy especially if firm there is firm tapping of the screen.

The Stump is also available in a customizable version where you can have your logo on the back. This is perfect for business gifts or conference giveaways! Prices for these start at $20 each when you purchase 100 or more.

Overall, the Stump’s unique shape makes it stand out from the crowd. It’s lightweight, portable, and quite versatile. You can use everywhere you take your iPad. The Stump is best used with a caseless iPad. If you prefer to use a thin case, the Ramp position work best. And although I tested this out mostly on the iPad, it’s also compatible with other tablets and eReaders on the market. It also makes a nice little stand for your iPhone or iPod touch. You’ll find many uses for it. This stand is worth a try if you enjoy a minimalists’ approach to design and functionality.

The Stump comes in a variety of colors. Contact them if you don’t see your preferred color.

$29.95 · StumpStore.com

app review: NBA JAM for iPhone

by Bagner Estrada

In today’s online world, very few games cause groups of people to get together and trash talk. Most do their trash talking anonymously over Xbox Live, Skype or the Playstation Network. Back in 1993, NBA JAM caused friends to physically get together and discover new forms of trash talking. “BoomShakaLaka” became a proclamation of victory. No one could have imagined a, nearly, perfect recreation of NBA JAM on a phone. It would have seemed incomprehensible, but 18 years later it has become reality.

The love for NBA JAM is established by the fact that with a simple button press, you can unleash hellacious dunks on your opponents. Once you were on a roll, your player would be “On Fire” and literally torch the basket. The simplicity of NBA JAM is what allows it to seamlessly transfer to the iPhone. You utilize the visual joystick on the left side, and use assigned button presses for shooting, pushing, and turbo. Gesture controls are also offered, as an alternative, that assign the abilities to their own areas that you swipe to. This resurrection, of sorts, for the franchise could have easily been botched, but luckily the love for the game shines.

I would love to state that NBA JAM is a perfect release, but unfortunately there are a few problems worth addressing. The first issue and the biggest of them all: not including any type of multiplayer mode. It is a tremendous mistake for a game whose popularity surged due to its multiplayer. There would have been nothing better, in 2011, to have the ability to unleash a flipping, monster dunk on a friend while waiting for class to start etc. There is also the issue of the controls being too slippery at times, and losing your character off-screen as you attempt to chase down a loose ball or get a block. The ball does not provide any favors, as it’s sometimes hard to see due to its small size. There is also the issue of your cpu-controlled partner who, usually, does not attempt to perform any type of defense.

NBA JAM has never been a dense experience but one that provides a quick distraction. Its simplicity combined with ridiculousness, is what makes it a title to always come back to. It is unfortunate that multiplayer was not added, but hopefully it is added with a future update. If you love basketball or want something lighthearted to play, NBA JAM is worthy of your purchase.

rating: 3.5 stars out of five • price: $4.99 • NBA Jam in the App Store

AmpliTube Fender Now Available for your iPhone and iPad!

IK Multimedia has announced the release of the AmpliTube Fender apps for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. This app allows guitarists to play and record songs using models of real Fender amplifiers and effect pedals from the convenience of an IOS device. It uses the same layout as their successful AmpliTube 2 app with many customizable settings to match your desired tone.

The $14.99 app includes 5 Fender Amps: ’65 Deluxe Reverb, ’65 Twin Reverb, ’59 Bassman LTD, Super-Sonic, and Pro Junior. There are also six Fender Stomp boxes with phaser, tape echo, overdrive, compressor, and noise filter effects. A free version is also available for users interested in trying out the ’65 Deluxe Reverb amp and two built-in effects. An AmpliTube iRig interface adapter is required to connect your guitar to the iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad.

An in-depth review of the AmpliTube Fender app will be forthcoming.

Now available in the iTunes App Store for $14.99:
AmpliTube Fender for iPhone | AmpliTube Fender for iPad

app review: Braveheart HD for iPad

by Enuh Iglesias

What to do when you’re an uncouth knight who has to bring back the Holy Grail and win the princess within one month, or die?

Well, in Braveheart, that’s precisely your mission. Braveheart HD is an action adventure game that has you primed and ready to do battle against warriors, powerful mages, wild animals, and an assortment of supernatural creatures as you take a perilous journey in search of the Holy Grail. The storyline itself is nothing new, but there is more to the game than meets the eye.

There are two things that make Braveheart HD different from the usual, hack-and-slash-anything-in-sight-that’s-out-to-kill-you fare: extensive character customization and a unique and equally extensive game controls system.

You essentially have two different kinds of weapons to work with – a flail and a crossbow. Gaining loot from successful kills means more money to upgrade your stuff, buy ‘perks’ (special powers and skills), elixirs and more. There are even temporary power-ups that help you out in a level to help you beat the level.

Each level consists of three waves which you must survive before moving on to the next. There are several levels in a particular location. An additional game mode (hunt) lets you play outside of the fixed storyline. In addition, there are three additional game modes in the challenges section which let you play endless mode in different scenarios.

The controls system is also quite extensive. By default, you swing your flail in a circular motion. On the other hand, using the crossbow requires a different set of controls.

You can opt for the sticks control system where you have the d-pad on one side and buttons for controlling which weapon to use on the other side.

On the other hand, there’s also the intuitive controls system which relies largely on gestures. Tapping and holding one position while using another finger to direct and release your arrows allows you to take out enemies from a relatively safer distance. This is particularly useful when taking out mages and wizards who cast spells from a distance and are generally difficult to take on in head-to-head combat because of their speed and elusiveness. In addition, you can also opt to use gestures to move from one point to another.

Character customization is extensive. At the end of each level you earn points which you can use to improve your character’s attributes and skills. In addition, you have numerous options for your weapons, skills and other perks.

The graphics are polished, and animation is fluid. With respect to the locations, the environment is rather static and boredom sets in after several levels in a single location. More creative effort in making the environment an essential part of the game and not just static and secondary to the overall feel of the game would be a major improvement.

In-app purchases for additional gold or permanently increasing the rate of loot drop are tempting if you want to advance quickly in the game in terms of purchasing power. Nonetheless, you can thoroughly enjoy the game without resorting to these.

All in all, the depth of customization, the range of controls, perks and upgrades make Braveheart a compelling buy. It’s accessible enough even for newcomers to these kinds of games yet complex enough for the hardcore gamer to appreciate.

What do you think? Do you want to add Braveheart to your apps collection?

Price: $1.99 • Braveheart HD in the App Store

Woe Is Me: the Beatweek interview

by Keri Franz

Woe Is Me. Typically, this phrase would imply a state of depression. However, when you’re one of the seven dudes in the band of the same name, you’ve got nothing to frown about. Only recently formed, the hardcore group hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, are composed of Michael Bohn, Tyler Carter, Ben Ferris, Cory Ferris, Kevin Hanson, Jack Langdell, and Austin Thornton. To mark the end of the Motel 6 Tour, their next stop is the infamous Vans Warped Tour. If you go, be sure to check out the jumping, high energy sets that Woe Is Me are already known for putting on. Vocalist Tyler Carter talked briefly about the band and what they’ll be up to for the rest of 2011.

Woe Is Me are currently wrapping up on the Motel 6 Rock Yourself to Sleep Tour. How has the experience been, and how has it compared to other tours you’ve been on?

TC: The tour has been great. We’ve really been “bro-ing down” with a lot of the other bands, and the turnouts have been insane. It’s definitely been much bigger than any other tour we’ve done to date.

Speaking of the Motel 6, do you have any crazy road stories yet?

I think the craziest thing has been the illnesses that we’ve had to deal with on this tour. It’s been pretty wild. Not to mention the inclement weather that’s been going on recently.

The band is comprised of a whopping seven members. How do you think that makes your band different from your typical four or five piece?

We have a lot more people to fit in our tour bus [laughs], but on a serious note. I think we’re a lot more versatile because of it. All of us come from different backgrounds, whether musical, or whatever.

You all came together in 2009 to form the band, but how did you all know each other?

We sure did. We were all in local bands that had played with shows with each other. So, I guess you could say we made our own little Atlanta “dream team.”

Has coming from the Atlanta music scene had any impact on the music you’re currently making?

I think it’s definitely given us a pretty big R&B/pop influence, seeing as how Atlanta is the hip-hop capital of the world.

Did signing to Velocity Records/Rise Records change how you were making music?

Yes actually, it made us step our game up a whole lot!

Your cover of Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” has been getting a lot of attention. What made you pick that song of all songs?

It’s about having a good time with your friends and not caring. And we love that.

In your opinion, what makes your live shows so wild and energetic?

I think part of it is how many members we have. Plus, we really love to get the crowd to interact [with us].

Vans Warped Tour 2011. What an honor—are you ready?

Yeah, you said it. It’s a huge honor. [We're] counting down the days!

I hear that you’re working on an album that should be due out this year. Any validity to that?

We actually are. We don’t have a date in mind yet, but we’ve been playing around with some new tunes on this tour actually.

How do you get anything accomplished when there are at least seven opinions to consider?

Surprisingly, we all generally have the same opinion. So, that makes decisions pretty simple.

What do you have to say for the people out there who haven’t heard your music yet?

Check us out! Don’t be a douche, and buy our album.

Woe Is Me • iTunes • Twitter • Facebook

review: iChair case for iPhone 4

by Christine Chan

We love our iPhones, right? But have you ever come across a situation where you want to show off a video to your friends over lunch or wanted to use your iPhone with some app as a display on your desk? What would you do? Use a dock? Sometimes that would require you to take it out of the case, or remove part of the case, right? Well no more! The iChair is a case that solves all of those problems.

The iChair is a two-piece slide on case that comes in two color combinations: black/dark blue or black/white. The bottom half of the case is black for both, and the fold out stand is either black with black trim or black with white trim. The top half of the case has a second variant, either dark blue or white, depending on which combo you purchase.

Getting the case on is easy – slide your iPhone into either of them and then slide and lock the other piece in place. Your iPhone will fit snugly and comfortably in the case, which can be removed by pulling the two pieces apart with a bit of gentle force.

The case is made of a hard plastic material, so your iPhone is pretty well protected from normal wear-and-tear. The plastic has a satiny-smooth matte finish to it, which is great and adds that grip when you hold it in your hands.

There are openings for all the buttons, ports, and camera/flash without being obtrusive in photos. The bottom charging sync port opening is wide enough to accommodate all size compatible cables.

But enough with the generalities of the case – the magic of this little treasure lies on the back of the case in the form of that little tab you can flip out with your finger. It serves as a stand for your iPhone 4 and lets it rest at a 45-degree angle in both portrait and landscape view.

This little stand blends in with the rest of the case and feels like it’s not even there until you need it. Prop it out and kick back and relax! No more holding your iPhone in an uncomfortable position for long periods of time or staring down at a flat device on the table.

The iChair provides a comfortable viewing angle and complete protection for your device, all together in one package. If you want convenience, look no further than the iChair.

rating: five stars out of five • goichair.com

Anna Nalick finds her inner poet in concert, still finds time to Breathe

by Bill Palmer

Those in the audience Tuesday night knew right from the start they were in for a different kind of set when Anna Nalick took the stage and began gently singing a bit of Sinatra to get the talkative crowd’s attention. With heavy black eye makeup and shoulder length tousled red hair, those who’ve only seen Nalick in the video for her hit song Breathe (2 AM) of five years ago might not have even recognized her. And after performing a new song, she picked up a book of self-penned poems and matter of factly began reading one of them, as if this is the kind of thing that all singer-songwriters do during their live sets.

Backed by a four piece band, Anna Nalick spent most of her fifty minute set, aside from the poetry, focusing on performing new material from her forthcoming album. New songs like Words and The Lullaby Singer, which are streamable from her official site, made the setlist. As did one haunting song she performed solo at the piano, which captivated the previously noisy crowd to the point that no voices were audible during the song but her own.

The new material, which ranged from that ballad to a full band electric charge, was impressive and demonstrated an evolution as both a singer and a songwriter. Here in 2011, Breathe is far enough into her past that she’s wisely not trying to re-create it with her new material. But speaking of Breathe, just as her set time was winding down and it appeared as if she might actually leave the stage without performing her biggest hit, Anna promised to do one more song and coyly encouraged the audience to sing along by quipping that most of them probably know it. After all, “it’s just one word,” as she put it. As it turns out Breathe, which has often been credited by fellow singer-songwriters as being the songwriter’s anthem, is even more impactful live. As she reached the final verse of the song, the band dropped out and Nalick continued a cappella, delivering the line “If I get it all down on paper it’s no longer inside of me threatening the life it belongs to” while placing one hand on her poetry book, as if to say, do you get it now?

You can hear some of Anna Nalick’s new unreleased stuff at annanalick.com

You can find Anna Nalick’s old stuff in iTunes

Matisyahu tells Beatweek the secrets behind his new album – and his beard

by Linda Domingo

A musical anomaly, Matisyahu broke into the mainstream in 2005, making crowds to jump and sway to reggae sounds, all while wearing a yarmulke. Twisting, bending, and dismantling genres, Matisyahu’s sound is a mix of reggae, hip-hop and rock, which he uses to convey spiritual messages to the masses. His new live album and DVD, “Live at Stubb’s Vol. II,” will be on sale February 1. Currently working on new material for an album with an expected release date later this year, Matisyahu talks to Beatweek about writing, performing, beat boxing, tweeting, and growing a healthy beard.

What’s your writing process like? Do you have to be locked away somewhere?

I would say that to this day when I write lyrics, I write in one of two ways. I either write lyrics just based out of my life experience, or I write them from text, based on where my inspiration is coming from in that moment. Being that Judaism is such a fundamental part of who I am and how I’ve chosen to live my life, and the lens through which I see life, it’s inseparable between Judaism and my lyrics; it’s one thing. Judaism is not just some small religion. Judaism is a universal concept, that’s the basis for Christianity, Islam, you know, so many religions.

I kind of go through different processes. For example, there was one specific idea I was dealing with for my new record, the record that I’m writing now. It’s an idea based in the Torah, called “the Akedah”, which is when Abraham goes to sacrifice his son on the mountain and instead ends up sacrificing the animal. This idea became a central theme. There’s a rabbi that I really wanted to study more called the Baal Shem Tov. So we went to his grave in the Ukraine, me and my co-writer, and we sat and we developed ideas and lyrics in a very isolated, tiny, tiny town in the middle of nowhere. But now as I’m writing the music, I’m working with musicians and producers, and it’s just me with whoever I’m working with at the time.

On your new live record, there’s obviously a lot of energy coming from you, your band, and the audience. Do you prefer being in the studio recording or performing live?

I really enjoy both things. For me though, music started with the live. Me performing in front of people. That’s kind of how I started making music, as a street performer and performing at open mikes and with bands, and stuff like that. So for me it was always kind of about the live performance. It comes relatively natural to me.

Do you have a favorite song to perform?

Not in particular. It really depends on the night and what’s happening with the band, and myself, and the crowd, and all those little pieces that come together and create a certain vibe. When I’m performing, I’m always going after that. I’m trying to find a place where you really just become completely immersed in the music, and completely focused on what’s happening.

How did you come to start making music with your band, Dub Trio?

Well we both lived in Brooklyn and we both were playing similar venues at the time. I knew their music because I had one of their records, and really fell in love with it. I went to see them perform once and just felt like they were such an amazing, unique band and there was no one doing what they can do. They’re very, very unique in terms of the styles that they can play, and their sound. It was very much in line with my sound and the music I wanted to make, so we hooked up and played a show together – sort of just an improv show where we didn’t really play many of my songs, but it went really, really well, and that was the start.

You have a really large reggae and hip-hop following. How were you first introduced to these styles of music?

Well I grew up in a suburb of New York City in the nineties. So, hip-hop music was really starting to break into the mainstream, and was becoming something that we were listening to all the time, whether you liked it or not. The first, I guess, element of hip-hop that I got into was beat boxing, because my friends all freestyled and that was kind of what we did when we hung out. I was always trying to find some way to really express myself. I found that through beat boxing I could really express that sound. That became the first kind of element of hip hop that I got into…Freestyling with my friends and beat boxing. And then I started listening to a lot of the early nineties, conscious hip-hop stuff like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, and those bands.

Reggae music was through two ways. I have cousins that grew up in Barbados. They used to come every summer and we would go to camp together, and they would play me all their music from the island. It was a lot of early dancehall music, like Tony Rebel, or Barrington Levy, that kind of stuff. And then I got into Bob Marley, and I was really taken with his music.

Some kids figured out your hotel before your show at Stubb’s from a picture you posted on Twitter. They asked if they could come by and say hello, and you agreed. What is your relationship with social media? How do you feel about that whole movement?

From the picture of the bus. Yeah. I think it’s a good thing. I think it’s a great way to take your own promotion and marketing into your own hands as an artist. The whole industry is becoming more centered around the artist kind of making things happen for themselves rather than depending on a big company to do it. Twitter…I got involved with it early, and I’ve had a lot of great experiences through that. I’ve done things like I’ve been in Colorado, and I ride motorcycles, so I tweeted and asked if anyone had an extra motorcycle. And I had someone show up with a bike and let me take it for a few hours into the mountains. It’s a good way for the artist, for myself, to be able to have experiences with fans that aren’t typical.

When are you expecting to release your new album?

We’re not sure yet. We’re hoping maybe the summer or the fall.

Can you tell me a little bit about what’s on the album?

I’ve been working writing with a lot of different people and the sound is very different. I’m trying to figure out which direction to go in. I’ve been recording with the Dub Trio as a band, so it will be more of a band record, as opposed to my last record, “Light,” which was really a mixture of programmed drums and different musicians playing, but this will have more of an actual, like, live band feel to it. And I’ve been doing work with a producer named Kojak, who is kind of more pop. So, I’m not sure exactly what direction the record’s going to go.

The beard. Do you have any special maintenance? Any special products?

The beard kind of just grows. It goes through different stages of growth. Sometimes…for like, several years it didn’t really grow much, and then it started growing again. Now it’s turning gray. There’s no real special shampoo or whatever. There’s no real tricks. You just wash your beard like you wash your hair.

MatisyahuWorld.com • iTunes • Twitter • Facebook

Schlage LiNK: Beatweek Best of Show at Macworld 2011

Home automation has long been a fantasy for the future, but the LiNK system from Schlage has made it real: you can control your door locks, your house lights, and your thermostat from your computer – and now your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch thanks to the corresponding app. As you might expect, the LiNK system is hundreds of dollars, depending on how you configure it.

FastMac U-Socket: Beatweek Best of Show at Macworld 2011

Admit it: you wish you’d thought of it. Devices which charge via USB need a brick in order to plug into a wall socket. So how about a wall socket with a pair of USB ports? Ta da. This product debuted a year ago but didn’t come to market. That’s okay, because it’s now been revised to offer enough power for iPad charging – and it’s currently shipping.

Bluetrek Carbon Fiber: Beatweek Best of Show at Macworld 2011

There are bluetooth earpieces which feel virtually weightless, and then there are ones that are so without weight that they feel literally weightless when you pick them up and put them on. Actually there’s just one in the latter category, thanks to the fact that it’s made out of the essentially weightless material known as carbon fiber. Those who think bluetooth earpieces are too heavy to wear may now have to think again.

L5 remote: Beatweek Best of Show at Macworld 2011

The bad news: you can turn your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch into a TV remote without hardware assistance. The good news: the L5 adds infrared capability to your iDevice, which teams with an App Store app to give you a fully programmable, customizable universal remote. The cool part: you get to just drag the buttons around the screen to position them where you want them. The remote adapter costs $49, but the app is free.

Bluetrek MusiCALL: Beatweek Best of Show at Macworld 2011

Combine a multi-button iPhone music playback remote with a bluetooth wireless device, and you’re on the right track to getting the idea behind Bluetrek’s new MusiCALL product. After seeing it in action, all we could ask ourselves was why this product wasn’t invented years ago – and how soon we can get our hands on one, for that matter.

Next Page »