Review: ePillow makes your iPad more comfortable on your lap

Add a little comfort in your use of the iPad (or other tablets) with an ePillow. It’s exactly what it’s name sounds like. It’s a pillow stand for your iPad (or other electronic device). It has a simple design that brings comfort, keeping your hands free from holding the tablet device.

Basically it’s a soft pillow (made of suede, synthetic leather, or cotton depending on the color) that has a little holder in front to hold your device. Lay the pillow on your lap and slide in the iPad (or tablet). And then use it as you would normally do. It puts your device at a nice angle so you’re both comfortable and not straining from holding the device. Adjust the angle of the pillow to what best suits you. You can slip the device into the holder in either portrait or landscape mode.

If you’re a traveler, the ePillow is very convenient to take with you also! On the back of the pillow is a long strap. Simply slide this strap into the handle of your suitcase, and don’t worry about it falling anywhere. Use the ePillow on the plane or the car to read your books, play games, watch a movie, or even sleep on when you get tired (unless you’re the driver)!

On the front top right of the ePillow is a small pocket that’s big enough to hold your charging cable. You can store it in there when moving around.

The ePillow works with various devices, including iPad 1 and 2, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, Acer Iconia A500 Tab, LG Optimus Pad, HP Touchpad, Android Toughbook Tab, Sony Tab S, Asus Transformer Prime, ePad and even books!

When putting the iPad (or tablet) into the slot, a portion of the bottom part of the iPad is covered. All your frequently used apps in your dock (most likely email, Safari, etc) will be covered up when using the ePillow. But this isn’t a problem at all if you’re viewing video or movie. If you are changing apps constantly, this may be a little bit cumbersome if you’re using the apps in your dock.

Choose from a variety of materials (and colors) including suede, synthetic leather, and cotton. Currently available colors Brown, Black, Red/Grey, Aqua/Grey, Pink/Black, Black/Pink, Red/Black.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars · ePillow.net · $29.95

Verizon wireless plans to charge a $2 fee to pay your monthly bill

by Dennis Morehouse

Verizon has announced its intention to begin charging customers a two dollar monthly fee for the privilege of paying their bill online or over the phone. The move, which is already being widely decried by Verizon customers across social networks like Twitter and Facebook, appears to be aimed at steering customers toward mailing a check each month or setting up automated bill pay – or may simply be aimed at getting its hands an extra two bucks per customer. The move on Verizon’s part is the latest in a series of nearly mandatory “optional” fees being imposed on customers following the airlines’ collective attempt to make checked bag fees stick (successful) and Bank of America’s attempt to charge five dollars per month on most customers who use a debit card (since retracted).

The move is also the second attempt on Verizon’s part in the past half-year at getting more for less, as the carrier brought an end to unlimited monthly data plans for new smartphone customers in the third quarter of 2011, instead steering new customers to limited monthly plans which cost nearly as much as the unlimited. Rival carrier AT&T brought an end to its unlimited data plans in 2010, and last week began actively haranguing its existing unlimited data users into moving to limited plans by throttling their data if their monthly usage approaches even the top tier of its limited plans. No word on whether AT&T or fellow carriers Sprint and T-Mobile intend to charge customers a fee for paying their monthly bill. In the mean time, suddenly-disgruntled Verizon customers appear to be intent on raising as much of a ruckus on the social networks as possible in the hopes of pushing Verizon into backing down.

Verizon began offering the iPhone in early 2010 and attempted to position itself as the superior U.S. iPhone carrier choice over original iPhone carrier AT&T. However, Verizon’s subsequent moves, including limiting data plans and today’s new monthly bill pay fee, may be leaving iPhone users wondering where to turn and whether Sprint’s new promise of unlimited monthly iPhone data may be a viable alternative.

Van Halen with David Lee Roth: secret 2012 tour rehearsals at The Roxy

by Bill Palmer

Van Halen has been secretly rehearsing at The Roxy in West Hollywood for the past two months, the club and its proprietor Nic Adler revealed today. Rehearsals are in preparation for the band’s 2012 tour which will feature Van Halen brothers Eddie and Alex along with original frontman David Lee Roth, plus Eddie’s song Wolfgang on bass. According to The Roxy, the famed music venue on the Sunset Strip originally opened by Nic’s father Lou Adler, the band has been rehearsing two to three times per week during the stretch.

“Do you have any idea how hard that was to not tell you?” the club posited on its official website.” When you come in at 10:00AM and David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and Wolfgang Van Halen are on stage with 3 other people in the room playing ‘Running With The Devil’ and you can’t say anything?! It’s tough, to put it simply.” The rehearsal tour de force was originally born out of a three day video shoot at The Roxy for the upcoming Van Halen single. The band took a liking to the venue and booked it as an extended rehearsal space. Those rehearsals were taking place covertly in the mornings even as publicly accessible performances on the part of other artists were taking place on the same stage each evening.

Earlier this week, Roth confirmed that he and Van Halen would be touring in 2012.

iPhone screen size, Google+ traffic, Kindle Fire face 2012 challenges

by Bill Palmer

The larger screen on the next iPhone may cost you in ways you weren’t expecting, the traffic gains for Google+ may be a mere house of cards, and the early popularity of the Kindle Fire may cost Amazon all the brand equity the Kindle once had. Welcome to 2012, and welcome to some less than optimistic predictions for your favorite tech companies. With attempted progress comes unintended side effects and consequence, and no company is spared the burden of trying to expand into new territory, no matter how large or successful. Here’s a predictive look at what Apple, Google, and Amazon may be having to deal with in the new year…

Your iPhone accessories turn into coal: When next iPhone arrives, it’ll likely see Apple finally give in to external pressure and add a four-plus inch screen. Apple has long argued that its super high-resolution 3.5 inch screen on the iPhone allows you to hold the device closer to your eyes and makes it effectively a larger screen than any lower resolution 4.3 inch display found on competing phones, and Apple is correct about this, but perception matters more than reality. The next iPhone will most logically offer a physically larger screen with the same aspect ratio and pixel count as the current iPhone, so none of your apps will break. But the device will be larger and wider, meaning that existing products such as dockable stereos won’t by physically compatible and will have to be redesigned. This may not matter to some customers, but it’ll mark the first time Apple has stepped away from the standardized iPhone-iPod universal docking well design since it was first introduced in 2003. In other words, that bigger screen is going to cost you in one way or another, even if the iPhone price tag remains the same and it still fits in your pocket.

Google+ puts up or shuts up: The latest numbers for the Google Plus social network show forty million users but only sixty-seven million daily views. Simple math would suggest each user is visiting one to two pages per day. But the more probable explanation is that while some enthusiastic Google+ users are racking up several page views per day, plenty of other people signed up after being invited and then promptly went back to Facebook and are now contributing zero Google+ daily page views. The bulk of Google+ traffic appears to instead come from the tech insiders and social media insiders who’ve adopted Google+ wholeheartedly, and have since reduced their Facebook and Twitter updates to a mere series of links to their Google+ account. Some of these folks have hundreds of thousands of followers (on Twitter and Facebook), and their persistent link-baiting is adding to the overall Google+ page view numbers significantly. These types are hoping that their continual promotion of Google+ will result in at least some of their Facebook and Twitter followers making the move themselves, but that didn’t exactly work when these same types were handing out Google+ invites by the thousands earlier this year. Meanwhile, Facebook is countering with new layouts like Timeline, while Twitter is countering with… we’re not exactly sure. In any case, we’ll find out this year whether Google+ is the “next Facebook” as its devotees believe, or whether it ends up being the abandoned graveyard it was depicted as in many an online Halloween joke.

Kindle Fire sells well, ruins Kindle brand name:The Kindle Fire is flying off the shelves, making it one of the most popular products of late 2011 and one of the most hated. Tech reviewers from the New York Times on down have trashed the Fire as being a disaster for too many reasons to list, but the super-low price tag on this tablet has made it a popular holiday gift nonetheless. Dissatisfied readers have told us that Amazon has an unofficial no-questions-asked full refund policy for the Fire, suggesting that the company is attempting to be proactive in the face of what could be a public relations firestorm in 2012. Although a limited product, the Kindle has long been highly regarded as a strong value for its price while being good at the few things it tried to do. But after facing pressure from the iPad, a full fledged tablet which also happens to do eBooks better than the Kindle does, Amazon came up with the Kindle Fire as a sort of half-tablet built on portions of the Android operating system. The result? Some Android apps work while others don’t, web browsing is done in an off-device method which has security experts up in arms, the screen saver includes ads which you have to pay to have removed, and the Fire takes away the simplicity of the original Kindle while still not adding much (practically usable) functionality beyond eReading. The resulting backlash could poison the otherwise well regarded Kindle brand name, as its $199 price tag will appeal to the kind of buyers naive enough to think they’re getting a real tablet at that price, only to find out otherwise once they get it home. Amazon has already promised a more usable Kindle Fire iteration in the future. The question is whether the Kindle brand equity will still be there by the time that happens.

Review: iFrogz TimbrePro one-button wooden earbuds

by Bill Palmer

Nothing like a good play on words to make clear that your product is different from the rest. The iFrogz TimbrePro earbuds offer up a different kind of “timbre” or audio quality because they’re literally made of timber.

The use of wood on these buds (as opposed to the usual plastic or occasional metal) gives the iFrogz product what might most accurate be referred to as a more natural or acoustic sound. It’s no great surprise, then, that they shone the most when I tested them with the kind of music that’s mostly centered around acoustic guitar. When I tested them with more electric or synthetic kinds of music, they sounded a bit more like plastic earbuds would.

Wood or not, the iFrogz TimbrePro earbuds are in the upper echelon in their $49 price range. They’re clear in the bass and treble ranges, look uniquely stylish (as always, your style mileage may vary), and include a one-button mic for phone users.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 • Price: $49 • ifrogz.com

AT&T throttles top 5% of data users amid T-Mobile merger fallout

by Bill Palmer

The day after AT&T announced it was breaking off its attempt to acquire T-Mobile, the carrier sent out warning messages to heavy data users on unlimited data plans. Numerous AT&T customers, including multiple members of the Beatweek staff, received warnings via email and text messages informing them that they are in the top five percent of data users and would be subject to data speed throttling if the high usage continues into the next billing cycle. AT&T appears to be specifically targeting its longtime customers who are still grandfathered into unlimited data plans, which the carrier ceased offering to new customers a couple years ago. At least some users have been told they’re in the top five percent of all data users, despite their data usage not even exceeding the two gigabyte cap on AT&T’s highest priced limited data plan; the throttling appears to be specifically aimed at motivating longtime users to give up their unlimited plans under pressure.

The move by AT&T is the latest point of divergence among U.S. carriers with regard to data plans. Verizon was offering unlimited monthly plans to new iPhone users for the first half of 2011, but ceased the practice in late summer. In contrast, Sprint still offers unlimited data to new customers and has made it the centerpiece of its ad campaign to try to lure iPhone users from Verizon and AT&T.

In its merger filing, AT&T originally claimed that it needed to acquire T-Mobile in order to expand its nationwide network in the face of customer growth and resulting data usage expansion. However, it was later revealed that it would have been less expensive for AT&T to simply expand its network internally than to acquire T-Mobile’s network, a discrepancy which ultimately steered the proposed merger toward unraveling. Last week AT&T announced it would give up pursuit of T-Mobile and pay three billion dollars in penalties; the first round of high data usage warnings were sent out less than twenty-four hours later in what appears to have been a contingency plan.

Monday Night Football: Steelers-49ers delayed by stadium power outage

by Bill Palmer

The kickoff of tonight’s Monday Night Football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers has been delayed due to a power outage at Candlestick Park. ESPN, which is due to broadcast the game on live television, is reporting that attendees have largely remained in their seats despite the darkness; it’s currently 5:30 PM pacific time on the west coast, past sunset at the outdoor stadium. The outage, and the stadium’s inability to fix the problem or offer sufficient backup power, comes at a time when the Forty-Niners are looking to move to a new stadium outside San Francisco city limits if necessary, potentially adding fuel to the notion that the facilities are too outdated for the team to continue playing there. However, ESPN has subsequently reported the the outage was due to a transformer explosion and wasn’t specific to the stadium itself.

If the game is able to be played tonight, it’ll have a major impact on both the AFC and NFC playoff chases. The Steelers are in a position to take sole possession of the AFC North if they win, after division rival Baltimore Ravens lost their game last night. The 49ers are also in the midst of a playoff chase. Super Bowl-winning Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is expected to return to action tonight despite injury concerns, while longtime 49ers quarterback Alex Smith is in the midst of a career turnaround in his first year paired with new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

The power outage at Candlestick Park evoked flashbacks to the 1989 World Series, in which the stadium was rocked by an earthquake just head of game three. The San Francisco Giants baseball team, which played in Candlestick at the time, has since moved to newer facilities. In another historical note, Candlestick was the site of The Beatles’ final concert.

Jon Bon Jovi dead? Nope, as he offers photographic proof he’s alive

by Bill Palmer

Jon Bon Jovi is alive and well, despite rumors of his demise today, according to his band’s official Twitter account. “Heaven looks a lot like New Jersey,” Bon Jovi tweeted, along with a link to a photo of himself. In the photo Jon is holding a hand-written sign with the same quote on it, along with today’s date and time. The rumor of the forty-nine year old rocker’s demise is the latest in an increasing string of celebrity faux-death stories, often initiated by a link posted on a social network such as Twitter or Facebook with a link to credible-looking yet fictitious news clip detailing the phony death story. Such hoaxes have been around since the popularization of social media, and in past years have been taken seriously by the mainstream media; comedian Sinbad was reported by major television networks as being dead after a phony post to a social network. The string of faux death stories has led media outlets to be more skeptical of such reports in recent years.

Jersey-based Jon Bon Jovi and his band Bon Jovi have had a string of hit albums and singles across three decades, spanning from eighties “hair metal” rock to contemporary pop rock. His solo hit song “Dead or Alive” has been the subject of many a pun across Twitter this evening in the wake of the sketchy report of his demise.

AT&T drops T-Mobile bid, finally opening door for T-Mobile iPhone

by Bill Palmer

AT&T has announced the end of its bid to acquire rival U.S. carrier T-Mobile from European parent company Deutsche Telekom. The proposed merger had been actively fought by multiple branches of the U.S. Federal government. The dragged-out merger proceedings were widely believed to be the primary reason T-Mobile has remained the only major U.S. carrier which still has yet to offer the iPhone. AT&T has a longstanding deal with Apple to sell the iPhone in the United States, which had been exclusive until Verizon began offering the iPhone in early 2011 and Sprint joined the fray this fall. T-Mobile would have gained the iPhone by default if it had been folded into AT&T’s operations, and the ongoing limbo left parent company DT unable to negotiate a separate deal with Apple for the iPhone in the interim.

Whether or not, and how quickly, T-Mobile gains the iPhone may now depend on what DT ultimately decides to do with its T-Mobile division. With AT&T bowing out due to regulatory issues, it’s unlikely that rival Verizon could legally acquire T-Mobile. A merger of the nation’s third and fourth largest carriers, Sprint and T-Mobile, could be looked upon more favorably by the U.S. federal government but might also be vetoed. With cellphone hardware makers like Apple and Samsung likely also prohibited from buying T-Mobile for anti-competitive reasons, that may leave DT with no choice but to either hang onto T-Mobile or to spin it off into a separate company. Either of those moves would open the door for T-Mobile to begin offering the iPhone as soon as a deal with Apple can be arranged. However, if DT opts to hold out hope for another U.S. buyer, it could mean that an iPhone deal has to wait until all hope has been exhausted.

T-Mobile is also the only U.S. carrier without a publicly stated plan regarding next generation 4G LTE network rollouts; Verizon and AT&T have already begun building their LTE networks (with Verizon having reached a significantly higher percentage of its customers than the latter), while Sprint has stated its intention to migrate from it current competing 4G network to 4G LTE next year. T-Mobile’s current network employs a slower form of 4G which is not LTE.

AT&T’s public relations efforts on behalf of the merger, which had been centered around the “Mobilize Everything” campaign, appear to have been summarily scrapped. The mobilizeeverything.com website has been taken down and the domain now redirects back to the AT&T website without explanation.

BETA TV, The New Content Producers

by Dana Feldman

In keeping up with recent times and the expeditious growth and changes of modern technology, it is difficult to ignore the fact that the way things were done in the past, and that can be considered as recent as last month, are constantly changing, improving in ways to expedite and facilitate the output of information. Flying at us every moment of every day are messages, advertisements, information about new technologies among a plethora of other things.

Back in the day, you had television with thirteen or so channels. Now, there are likely over five hundred right at your fingertips. How do you possibly choose what to watch? If you’re an artist, how do you best promote yourself, get your name out there to the masses? Well, if you’re smart, you would set your sights on Beta TV. Why you ask? Well, if you’re an artist, a musician let’s say, and you want to promote yourself, your band, your recent video, and you were able to score a slot on Beta TV, well you’d instantly have your work online and into one hundred and fifty markets. And that’s just for starters.

Co-Founders Chris Honetschlaeger (President) and Georg van Handel (CEO) partnered up to create Beta TV and the result is a weekly, thirty minute show which runs nationwide. They have the ability to do live-stream episodes and film with HD cameras. One of their highest videos garnered +6.5 million hits. Started in 2004, they were the first do-it-yourself music platform. To help promote the artists, they regularly send out a newsletter with video links and they spotlight the video of the week. The support of the artists that they work with is constant.

Though they may not get as many hits as some of the bigger national shows, they attest to getting a surplus of hits after several months. Honetschlaeger says of video that it is the new discovery engine, “YouTube took over MySpace. Video is the new launching pad for the careers of musicians.” He is not simply referring to the artistic videos of the MTV generation, but live performance videos like those of the fifties, sixties and seventies, that anyone attending can capture with their smart phone. “I noticed, and was shocked, by the amount of people I see filming at concerts. It’s a drastic number.” Beta TV is taking this ferocious, insatiable appetite to capture live performances of bands at a high quality level and they’re distributing these videos wide. “We are the new content producers.” They are capturing these live performances and using them for social media and Honetschlaeger adds, “We have come full circle. This was the “it” thing for television, and now for the Internet.”

In regards to their ability to produce original, high quality content and distribute this on their own channels, van Handel adds, “Most people do either or, not both.” With their creation of contest driven distribution channels, they are onto something.

When asked how Beta TV is positively changing the landscape for the newer, upcoming artist in the music industry, Honetschaleger describes it this way, “Look to the past and you will find the future – Live Video content is the new discovery mechanism for emerging Bands.” He says that their idea was inspired by the music television programming of Ed Sullivan, Old Grey Whistle Test, MTV Unplugged, Soul Train, Dick Clark, among others in the same vein. Together they are “bringing back” live performance videos for emerging bands that will ultimately become their most substantial social media weapon. “BETA TV brings fans the closest experience to that of seeing a live concert of their favorite band.” The end result, he adds, “Without video, there is no adhesive social media strategy.”

Beta TV is doing a few things that no one else is currently. Honetschlaeger explains, “We are making and moving video music programming across TV and Online channels. While some produce video content and others promote video content, BETA does both.” They are the equivalent of an emerging MTV model of the new media content generation with the result being that a band can be filmed by BETA and receive hundreds of thousands of views within a short amount of time.

Of their goals for the near future, he concludes that BETA TV is looking to expand its video editing capabilities and reach. He says of it, “Our goal is namely in regards to internet radio and peer-to-peer advertising of prominent emerging bands on the sites of more established bands.” In regards to the marketing side, “BETA is developing a show within a show portraying the reality of bands coming into the BETA Studios, filled with humor, drama, and music.”

Learn more: Beta Records • YouTube

Review: iLuv iSP160 Sound Cubes portable USB computer speakers

by Bill Palmer

USB-powered speakers are an interesting concept. They get their power from your computer, so there’s no need for batteries or a separate power cable, making them ideal for travel. On the other hand, they tie up one of your computer’s USB ports and, if you’re using a laptop that’s not plugged into the wall, will drain your laptop’s battery a bit quicker than would otherwise be the case. With the ISP160 Sound Cubes, iLuv aims to make travelers happy by delivering a pair of (aptly named) cube-shaped speakers aren’t much more than an inch tall, wide, or deep. They’re also very lightweight.

How much value you’re going to get out of the Sound Cubes depends on your computer’s audio quality to begin with. The built in speakers on my seventeen inch MacBook Pro the audio have a nice stereo separation to begin with, and while the sound is thin, it’s not that bad. The Sound Cubes offer an audio experience that’s not as thin, but at the same time not enough of an upgrade that I’d be inclined to spend $39 and make extra room in my travel bag. But that said, with something like a MacBook Air (or a typical Windows-based laptop) where the built in audio quality is bad enough so as to be grating when music is played, the Sound Cubes offer enough of an upgrade to justify their price tag.

As a bonus, the Sound Cubes come in a brushed metal silver housing which allows them to look like they belong when sitting aside a Mac laptop. Getting my Mac to recognize them required a single visit to the Sound pane in System Preferences. They also worked fine when plugged into my USB hub, but as all USB hubs handle power differently, your hub mileage may vary.

Price: $39 • i-luv.com

Review: Freehands Women’s Micro Fur Gloves

Winters approaching and we gotta keep those important texting fingers warm! What better way to do it than with Freehand gloves?

One of the most popular gloves is the Women’s Micro Fur Gloves. Made of velour on the outside, and soft faux fur on the inside, this beauty will keep your hands and fingers toasty and your phone from being lonely!

On both gloves, the index fingers and thumb parts have a cutout on top. Simply flip back the tips and secure it to the magnet on the gloves. This prevents the gloves from getting in your way while typing. Since both gloves have this cutout, it doesn’t matter if your left-handed, right-handed or ambidextrous!

Use your index fingers and thumbs to text, compose emails, or play your favorite games. Cuff the bottom part of these gloves to show a bit of the beautiful faux fur. Stylish, beautiful, and quite functional, these gloves will keep those fingers toasty and cozy.

The Freehands Women’s Micro Fur gloves are available in four colors — black, brown/beige, black/pink, and black/purple. The black/purple one is a new color available this year. They also run in three sizes — small, medium, and large. Personally, I have small hands, but size Medium fit me perfectly! Be sure to use the size chart before placing your orders.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars · Freehands.com · $24.00

Review: Marshall Minor earbuds with mic

by Bill Palmer

The Marshall Minor is one of the more unique earbud products to come to market. There are generally two types of earbuds: the on-ear buds which have a flat speaker grille and sit next to your ear canal (such as the ones which come with the iPhone and iPod), and in-ear buds which insert a soft rubber tip into your ear canal. The former is more common and less expensive, while the latter almost universally offers a more intimate listening experience. The Marshall Minor is a hybrid combination of the two.

While the Minor is marketed as being an in-ear product, it’s not so in the traditional sense. Rather than pushing a rub tip into your ear canal, the bud is designed much like a traditional on-ear bud. The difference is that the speaker grille is smaller and designed to go flush up against your ear canal, nearly sealing it off. In other words, you get some of the intimacy of true in-ear earbuds without having to actually insert anything into the inside of your ear canal.

As might have been predicted, the audio quality for the Minor is somewhere in between what you can expect from in-ear and on-ear buds. It doesn’t off the same isolated, intimate experience as true in-ear buds, as it’s something of a cheat in that regard. But at the same time, the Minor sounds worlds better than standard on-ear buds such as the ones Apple includes with its mobile products.

The Marshall Minor costs $59, and there are true in-ear earbuds on the market for less than that which offer more intimate audio. As such, the Minor is really only recommendable for those who’ve tried in-ear earbuds and found them to be uncomfortable, or who are so freaked out by the thought of inserting rubber tips into their ears that they won’t even consider going in-ear. But for those subsets, the Minor might be the best available compromise.

It’s available in white or black with gold trim, and comes with a built-in microphone and single button.

Price: $59 • marshallheadphones.com

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles talks solo tour, Expando album

by Bill Palmer

“I do like to work,” Timothy B Schmit says of the fact that his solo tour is kicking off just days after wrapping up his latest string of live gigs with the Eagles. The upcoming dates will include songs spanning his career, from his Eagles hits like I Can’t Tell You Why to his 2009 solo album Expando which featured a slew of notable guest appearances. “Touring solo was very new to me,” he says of his initial solo gigs two years ago. “Now I’ve got quite a few shows under my belt.”

Expando is the brand name of a mobile home which played a central role in his childhood. “I had a really great life,” he says of his youth. “My dad was a musician, and that’s why he and my mom sold the house in the Bay Area and got the trailer house so we could be with him to travel from club gig to club gig. I’d go to school from a few weeks to a few months in one spot and then move. With the exception of making friends and then leaving and making new friends, I really liked it.”

Having made guest vocalist appearances on records ranging from Steely Dan to Crosby, Stills and Nash over the years, Timothy found himself on the other side of the equation during the Expando sessions as he began tapping others on the shoulder. After asking himself “Who would be my ideal person to come and sing or play this?” he would get ahold of their phone number and call them up personally to invite them. “Most people took me up on it, I’m happy to report.” The list of those who said yes spans the genre gamut from Kid Rock to Graham Nash to Dwight Yoakam, and also includes a percussion stint by his own son Ben Schmit.

While his most famous lead and harmonized vocals over the years have been of the high pitched variety, Expando sees Timothy embracing his mid range vocals on songs like the autobiographical White Boy From Sacramento. When it comes to revealing so much of himself in his lyrics, he finds it “fulfilling to musically take off my clothes, and to say what I want to say. There have been some songs I’ve written and I didn’t think I was gonna play it for anybody. It seemed too personal. Then I thought, what is with that? If it’s that personal and you’re digging that deep, it might ring a bell with others. And what am I afraid of? It’s just poetry.”

And for a solo record, the instrumentation is all over the board. “My friend Van Dyke Parks, who’s multitalented, loves to play the accordion,” he recalls. “He has this old vintage accordion and I thought I’m going to have him over and try him out on a couple things. He gladly did it, and it worked out really great. He put this feel on that song I Don’t Mind, and I can’t explain it, it’s sort of between eighth notes and dotted eighth notes. That same song just begged for a tuba. What can I say,” he says with a laugh.

The instrumentation isn’t limited to actual musical instruments, either. “Oh there’s a stapler, what’s that sound like? Often times, it worked out.” Such experimentation is easier to pull off on a solo album than it might be on a record with the Eagles or his former band Poco. “I enjoy every facet of my career, really. I’ve been very fortunate to be in a couple of great bands where it is a collaboration, and I enjoy having freedom to do whatever without running it past anybody.”

For those wondering why he’s one of the relatively few musicians to use his middle initial as part of his stage name, the genesis stems back to the tail end of high school. “You have your senior picture taken and they have your name and they list any activities you were in,” he shares. “Just on a whim I wrote down what I wanted in the yearbook: Timothy B. Schmit. I had never done that before. I liked the way it looked, and it’s stuck ever since. I never was called Timothy back then. I’m called that pretty much exclusively now.”

Although 2012 marks the fortieth anniversary for the Eagles, the band doesn’t currently have plans in place for next year, either in the studio or on the road. “There are no huge touring plans for next year, and there’s really nothing planned for a record,” he says. “I’ve learned that it can always change, so we’ll see.”

In the mean time fans can treat themselves to one of Timothy’s solo shows, which are currently focused on the west coast and may expand further next year as he continues to work on his next solo record. “I’m just starting to get my legs as a writer, after all this time. I’m starting to understand the mystery of it all. Not that I ever will completely, but I feel like I’m growing up.”

Learn more at TimothyBSchmit.com • iTunes • Twitter • Facebook

Limited-Edition of John Lennon’s Beloved Guitar, the 1961 Epiphone Casino

by Dana Feldman

Epiphone has launched the Epiphone 1961 Anniversary Casino marking a historical milestone in musical history. This year marks the 40th Anniversary of the release of John Lennon’s legendary classic song “Imagine” as well as the 50th Anniversary of the release of one of Lennon’s favorite of guitars – The 1961 Epiphone Casino guitar. Lennon died at the young age of just forty years-old on December 8th, 1980.

It all began back in 1964 when The Beatles were already famous. One day Paul McCartney went shopping for a new guitar and discovered the Casino. It wasn’t long after that John Lennon and George Harrison followed suit and bought their own. They performed with their Casinos on stage and at Abbey Road throughout their careers. It can be heard on several legendary recordings including the 1967 classic “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” indelibly leaving an imprint on the landscape of music forever.

Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys, Paul Weller of the Jam, and Noel Gallagher of Oasis are just a few of the players who made great records with Casinos. In 1961 the Casino sold for around $300. Today these original pieces can be valued at up to $15,000.

First released in 1961, the Epiphone Casino has been the go to guitar for music legends from Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Paul Weller, Dwight Yoakam, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood. It seems fitting to honor the 50th anniversary of the very first ever 1961 Casino in style and so Epiphone is proud to be doing just that by re-releasing the original model so that music lovers can purchase a piece of musical history. Per Jim Rosenberg, President of Epiphone Guitars, “The first Casino was made in 1961 so Epiphone has released the limited-edition 1961 Casino reissue to celebrate the 50 years of music making history.”

To celebrate the five decades of rock ‘n’ roll made with these guitars, Epiphone has produced a total of just 1,961 of these new limited-edition Epiphone 1961 Anniversary Casinos and all have many of the features which were discontinued after the original Casino’s first year of production. Each comes with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity, thus enhancing the value, appeal and collectability of the guitar. These exclusive works of musical art are currently available at authorized Epiphone retailers worldwide for the U.S. MSRP of $1,332 (Trapeze tailpiece) and $1,415 (Tremotone™) while supplies last.

Rosenberg adds, “Arguably our most famous model, the Epiphone Casino has embodied everything rock ‘n’ roll for fifty years.” He goes on further saying of this limited-edition version, “The release of the 1961 Anniversary Edition delivers the classic performance of the original, along with the details that made this groundbreaking axe the choice of some of music’s guitar legends.”

The original included a classic vintage style which made it appealing visually, and unique to this original model, and never again available after 1961, were several unique features. Making that particular model a stand-out and must-have for musicians worldwide, the triangle metal logo badge on the headstock, “Dot” fingerboard inlays, a blank two-ply “bullet” trussrod cover, a tortoise-colored pick guard with foil “E”, and black dog-ear P-90 pickups.

So any of the lucky 1,961 buyers will be getting these reproduced features for a one-of-a-kind retro look which was not found on any of the guitars produced after 1961. Also included are the “burst” patterns on the front and back, a neck joint at the 16th fret (instead of the 17th), Wilkinson™ vintage-style tuners with small plastic buttons, and the historically accurate rectangle “blue label” inside the sound hole. It is safe to say that no detail of the original has been overlooked. Even the minutest of details have been added including the original U.S.A. made black P90s, which offer a stellar combination of high output and biting treble response, vintage two-conductor, braided, shielded wiring and black plastic covers and a Switchcraft™ three-way toggle and quarter inch output jack.

The Casino is also rare in that it is completely hollow allowing its unique signature sound which was made famous by The Beatles. The body is made of five-layer Maple/Birch with a solid Mahogany SlimTaper™ neck, attached using the traditional mortise and tenon neck joint, hand-fitted and glued to the body. Hardware includes a tune-o-matic bridge and the choice of either a Trapeze tailpiece or Epiphone’s new reissue of the original Tremotone™ vibrato. Each comes in an original-style hard case with gray exterior and blue plush interior.

An ideal guitar for both stage and studio, they can be heard on classic recordings of the twentieth century from the Beatles to the Beach Boys. Rosenberg, “We’re proud to offer musicians the opportunity to once again experience what makes one of Epiphone’s most versatile guitars so special.” Calling this an iconic guitar, “It has been a favorite of legends including the Beatles’ John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.”

Epiphone instruments and accessories are known globally for offering the very best in quality, value and performance. They are headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and are a part of Gibson.

Learn more at Epiphone.com • Twitter • Facebook

Review: Griffin Technology Woogie 2 for iPod touch and iPhone

Does your child love his/her iPod Touch? Make them love it even more with a Woogie case! What’s a Woogie you may ask? It’s a soft and huggable case for your child’s iPod Touch. This squeezable and lovable toy not only protects the device, but also has a clear plastic window screen in front for full access to games and apps.

To use, simply slip the iPod Touch (or iPhone) into the front see-through pocket. On top are two strong Velcro clasps that the device securely in the front window. Touch the plastic screen to use your child’s favorite apps. No assembly required.

These adorable Woggies have five feet that can be use as a stand for your child’s iPod Touch. There’s a clear plastic window in front that both protects and allows your child to use the multi-touch display. Imagine them watching their favorite movies, playing games, or reading their educational books on it. It’s simply adorable, unique, and makes the perfect child present for this holiday season. As advertised, it’s 50% fuzzy friend, 50% protective case, and 100% fun.

The Woogie is “surface washable,” meaning it can’t be washed in the washing machine, but can get slightly damp. To clean, gently apply upholstery cleaner or detergent diluted in water to fabric with a sponge. Just make sure not to saturate the Woogie so the liquid doesn’t soak into the stuffing.

This fuzzy and huggable case is recommended for children 3 years and older and comes in two colors – bright pink with light pink highlights and blue with green highlights. It’s available exclusively online at GriffinTechnology.com for $19.99.

Note: The Original Woogie is also available for purchase, on sale now for $17.99. It only comes in green, and has 6 legs (tuck in the bottom legs to be used as a stand). The original version also comes with built-in speakers (requires 2 AAA batteries which are included), hidden under one of the legs, secured with strong Velcro. It’s also available exclusively online at GriffinTechnology.com.

Both Woogie versions are compatible with all current iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars · GriffinTechnology.com · $19.99

Review: Woodees iPic guitar pick-shaped stylus for iPad

There’s now an iPad / tablet stylus made with musicians in mind. It’s both stylish and functional, and may I add, quite adorable. It’s Woodees’ new iPic Stylus. It works with all touchscreen devices, and resembles a guitar pick, but with a stylus nub on the end.

The iPic offers a very natural feel for musicians, especially if they’re playing the guitar, bass, or other musical string instruments on the iPad or iPhone. You can hold it between your thumb and index finger for that natural “pick” feel. Or even hold it to “poke” at the screen to type. You can even turn the iPic to the side and strum it like a real guitar pick on your device.

For fun with musical instruments, download the free iPad app, Miso Music: Plectrum for iPad to test iPic with.

One thing I would change about the iPic is the surface of the pick. It’s a little bit slippery to hold at times. If the surface of it had some texture, it may work better even for the sweatiest fingers.

Overall, the iPic is a fun little stylus, especially for the musician at heart. It’s available in both black and white. Normally $19.99, it’s currently on sale for $14.99.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars · Woodees.com · $14.99

Review: Element Vapor Pro Chroma case for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4

by Christine Chan

When it comes to most cases for your iPhone, they are usually made of plastic or silicon, and can give your phone a somewhat “cheap” look. So what can you do if you want a bit of style to your shiny new iPhone? Look no further than the Vapor Pro Chroma series case for the iPhone 4 and 4S from Element Case.

The Vapor Pro Chroma is one of the signature cases from the company. It is made from solid aluminum, so from the moment you pick it up, you can tell that it is quality material and quite sturdy. The case itself is an aluminum bumper that is held in place by four screws. On the bottom left corner, there is a plastic see-thru portion that sticks out a bit from the rest of the case (this is also on the top right corner, where the power button is). These small bulges provide a nice grip on the device once it’s installed.

Now you’re probably wondering, how do I get the case on? The case comes in a carrying case and also includes a tool that will take out and install the screws.

The first step once you get the Vapor Pro Chroma is to remove the screws (two on the bottom left and top right). There is a suede backplate that is included, which is optional to install (the adhesive does not leave residue and can be easily removed and preserved for later use). If you choose to use the backplate, I would advise to install it before putting the aluminum pieces on (and make sure that you align it properly) — at least, this was how I chose to do it.

When you are installing the two pieces of aluminum, you will have to make sure that the phone is lined up properly with the pieces, and then screw them in together. Once the two pieces are tightly in place, your device will look much sleeker (and weigh a little more).

For those that are worried that the aluminum may interfere with cellular signal, don’t worry, Element Case already thought about that. With the first aluminum case that the company released, there were reports that the aluminum had a degrading effect on the signal, and thus many people did not recommend their case. However, with the Vapor Pro Chroma, the inside of the aluminum pieces are lined with a rubber material in the important spots (like corners), so that the case will not lose any signal (and also some nice shock protection as well!).

The aluminum bumper has plenty of space for the volume buttons, mute switch, and headphones. Along the right side of the case, there are ventilation slots (and a slot that allows perfect access to the SIM card tray) so that your device can still get some air. If you chose to apply the backplate, the cutout for the camera and flash will be cutting it close, but it will not be obstructing anything from your images.

On the bottom of the Chroma, there is a wide open space for the dock connector. It is spacious enough that one should not have any problems using older cables and accessories while the case is on.

During my week with the Vapor Pro Chroma case, I enjoyed it thoroughly. The aluminum is matte, so fingerprints will not show on it. The feel is good in the hand, and I like having my phone feel cold due to the metal.

However, there is one small problem with the aluminum around the phone — even if it is tightly on, there are small light leaks around the edges, especially near the headphone port. Of course, these aren’t noticeable during everyday use, and you’ll probably get used to them. They are noticeable when you are aware of them and actually look for them. These leaks make this expensive case feel a bit cheap, but it does not affect the overall look and feel.

If you are looking for something that is definitely top-notch and stylish, then I would recommend the Vapor Pro Chroma. At $149.99, this is definitely not an affordable case to everyone. However, if you do decide to shell out the cash for it, then you probably won’t be disappointed. The materials are sturdy and high-quality, and the look is great.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 • Price: $149 • elementcase.com

Bruce Springsteen to keynote SXSW 2012 on March 15th

by Bill Palmer

SXSW, the annual music festival based in Austin, Texas, has revealed that legendary rocker Bruce Springsteen will be the keynote speaker for the March 2012 iteration of the event. The speech will take place at the Austin Convention Center and will be open to registered showcasing artists along with attendees who’ve registered for the Music or Platinum packages.

SXSW, known in full as the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival, is a sprawling multi-day event which takes over downtown Austin and features thousands of performing musicians in various music clubs and venues. The multimedia side of the event has grown in recent years and has included the participation of tech luminaries including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

New Jersey rocker Bruce Springsteen has gained acclaim as a solo artist and as the leader of the E Street Band, having sold more than a hundred million albums according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Despite the death of saxophonist Clarence Clemons this year, Springsteen has stated that he and the E Street Band will tour in 2012.

Past SXSW music keynoters have included fellow music legends Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Lucinda Williams, Robert Plant, Pete Townshend, Smokey Robinson and Neil Young.

Gibson Guitar Town on The Sunset Strip Charity Auction Saturday, Dec 3rd

by Dana Feldman

Gibson Guitar Town on the Sunset Strip, which is administered by the Gibson Foundation, is wrapping up the yearlong tour of the strip and the announcement has officially been made that these spectacular guitars will be auctioned off all in the name of charity.

The event will take place starting at 2:00PM on Saturday, December 3rd at Julien’s Auctions Beverly Hills Gallery located at 9665 Wilshire Boulevard. The public was invited to come and take a look on the evening of Tuesday, November 29th with a viewing party. On display were personal items from the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Cher and films including the classic hit “The Big Lebowski,” as well as the art guitars. For those unable to attend in person, the auction will also be available online at www.julienslive.com.

Proceeds will benefit the Los Angeles Youth Network, an organization that provides homeless adolescents with outreach, food, emergency shelter, transitional living as well as educational enrichment programs. Also benefitting is the West Hollywood Library and the West Hollywood Arts & Cultural Commission which supports the public arts and the artists on The Sunset Strip.

These art guitars are ten feet tall and are positioned all throughout the legendary music boulevard in the heart of Hollywood. Each celebrates various aspects of the strip’s history and influence on music with guitars honoring The Doors, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash, Brian Wilson, Motley Crue and Cheech & Chong. Other guitars have themes of the architecture and nightlife of the famous boulevard.

Guitar Town on The Sunset Strip has become a must-see larger-than-life public art display that is a celebration of the places and people who have shaped this legendary part of Los Angeles. Since August of 2010 there have been more than twenty of these which have been prominently displayed along the 1.6 mile stretch of road. They can be spotted in front of historic locales including legendary venues such as Whisky a Go-Go, the Roxy Theatre, the Comedy Store, and the Andaz Hotel. A handful of these art guitars have been signed by the artists of which they represent.

Todd Steadman, Sunset Strip Business Association Executive Director, says of the display, “We enjoyed hosting Guitar Town on The Sunset Strip this year.” In honor of the artistic lifestyle that the strip promotes, he adds, “The guitars celebrated the boulevard’s history while also giving local artists the opportunity to showcase their talents in a one-of-a kind setting.” Adding in regards to the benefit of auctioning these guitars to charity, “We are pleased that the proceeds from the Guitar Town charity auction will benefit and inspire countless individuals in the Los Angeles area and beyond.”

Here is a list of a few of the art guitars included in the auction: “Light My Fire” honoring The Doors, “Prince Of Darkness” in honor of Ozzy Osbourne (signed by Osbourne and Slash), “Candy Stripe” is a jewel-encrusted guitar celebrating Katy Perry, “Dressed To Kill” for KISS, “Dr. Feelgood” honoring Motley Crue (signed by Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, Nikki Sixx and Vince Neil), “Jimi Rocks” in honor of Jimi Hendrix, “Good Vibrations” in honor of Brian Wilson (signed by Wilson), “Good Time Tonite” honoring Peter Frampton (signed by Frampton), and the “Slash Guitar” celebrating Slash (signed by Slash and Ron English).

Guitar Town on The Sunset Strip is supported by the Sunset Strip Business Association, the City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Marketing & Visitors Bureau. The display is administered by the philanthropic division of Gibson Guitar Corporation, the Gibson Foundation.

Learn more: Guitar Town • Gibson Foundation

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