Review: You Me At Six, The Swellers, Twin Atlantic in concert
February 22, 2012 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
by Keri Franz
Co-headlining tours are like a Payless BOGO sale. If you buy one item you like, you’re going to get another free item with the purchase regardless. The two bands sharing the top of the bill get a longer set than the openers do. This co-headliner in particular includes big name acts, one that has performed before sold out Wembley crowds, one blowing up the American punk scene, one taking Britain by storm, and one repeatedly highlighted in alternative magazines.
When I first saw the band combination, I knew it was one of three things — a typo, a prank, or a sick joke. Once I had confirmed this supposed lineup, I knew the You Me At Six / The Swellers tour was going to sell out. Boy was I right. The stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Philadelphia all sold out not too long after the tickets went on sale to the general public. The supporting acts were Twin Atlantic and We Are The Ocean, both of which are currently gaining a lot of attention in the UK. Of all the Facebook and Twitter posts I happened upon, fans across the pond were so jealous of the lineup and wished it’d continue to their neck of the woods. Too bad for them, the Yankees get to keep them all to themselves this time. I had the great opportunity to see the bands together in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Though both shows were similar, I will put the focus on the Baltimore show.
I was shocked to find a predominantly underage crowd. By that I mean, mommy and daddy bought tickets to be both escorts and chaperones (which makes me wonder if the gigs were selling out because of the actual fans or the taxi services, but that’s another article entirely.). The number of people both moshing and crowd surfing I thought was quite small based on the fact that all the bands had an underlying punk influence. I must say though, I wasn’t fazed. Nothing like being stuck in the middle of a group of punch and kick happy moshers.
The show began with We Are The Ocean. The post-hardcore group from Essex, England, was quick to get the crowds attention. With the combination of clean vocals and screaming vocals, Dan Brown and Liam Cromby took us through songs like, “What It Feels Like” and “The Waiting Room,” which are featured on their latest album, Go Now And Live. Halfway through the set, Brown jumped down into the crowd and attempted to start a mosh pit. Much to his chagrin, only one fellow wasn’t too shy to jump in. The band is starting to garner a lot of attention in England and will likely follow suit in America.
The second group to play was Twin Atlantic, yet another group that is becoming very popular across the pond. From Glasgow, Scotland, the band released their latest record, Free, in 2011, and are just now getting to promote it stateside. The majority of songs in their set were from Free, such as “Make A Beast Of Myself,” “Yes, I Was Drunk,” and “The Ghost Of Eddie.” Their alternative rock edge made for a gentler segue into the last two bands. Vocalist Sam McTrusty makes it known from the start that he is unique in comparison to the vast majority of alternative bands out there. He retains his Scottish accent while singing. Most vocalists lose the accent, but McTrusty finds it important to keep it.
Was it that time already? The first co-headliner, You Me At Six, was third on the bill for the evening. I must say that I was the most excited to see this band, but they were the ones that let me down the most. The five rollicking rockers from Surrey have certainly been around the block a few times. Last time I remember them touring the states, they were on the first Alternative Press Fall Ball tour in 2009. They seemed a lot more down to Earth then. Maybe, being British, they just aren’t translating as well. When they came out on the stage, they were met with an uproar of screams and applause. They hardly responded to all the awestruck tweenagers. I guess I figured they’d been happier to see us. Anyway, vocalist Josh Franceschi and company made their way through most of their new album, Sinners Never Sleep, despite the fact that the album had only debuted a week prior. Surprisingly, most people were following along to the jumpy pop rock jams. “Loverboy” and “Bite My Tongue” seemed the crowd’s two favorites. The latter song features Oli Sykes on the album, the vocalist in popular British screamo band Bring Me The Horizon, making it even more of a hit. The remainder of tracks they picked were from their second album, Hold Me Down. Great songs like “The Consequence,” “Safer To Hate Her,” and “Trophy Eyes,” got the crowd so pumped up. Most everyone knew these tracks, making it like a hard rock sing-along. It was a little depressing that they neglected the first album, Take Off Your Colours, since it was such a great album. According to recent press, they’re trying to get away from their original, more punk-influenced music sound. It’s a shame because they do a great job at it.
And the cherry on top of it all, The Swellers performed and blew my mind. I felt bad for them a little though because three quarters of the crowd left to stalk the You Me At Six guys. The place felt pretty empty, but it certainly didn’t go unnoticed by the band. Vocalist Nick Diener put the situation in his own words: “Too bad for all those You Me At Six fans. They had to leave because it was past their bedtimes.” I certainly didn’t disagree with him. All I knew was that I was ready to have my face rocked off. And rocked off it was. The guys did a good mix of their two latest releases, Ups And Downsizing and Good For Me. At times, the band seemed more into their music than the crowd was, which is shocking. Their music makes you want to move, whether it be jumping, moshing, or straight-up dancing. Songs like “Fire Away,” “2009,” and “Bottles” will make a fan out of anyone. I’m as white as they come and even I was out there shakin’ it. The Swellers have played around the globe with acts like Paramore, and yet they still seem to have their wits about them. It’s odd to find a band getting to be so popular that are still genuine people at the end of the day. If you ask me, they’re the real winners on this co-headliner tour.
All in all, there was a great mix of styles at the show. Hardcore to start, pop-punk chaser, and either punk-in-your-face or rock-pop to finish. An absolute roller coaster of fantastic, fist-pumping, foot-stomping rock music. All of the bands were extremely talented and have a long journey ahead of them in the music industry. I would have gone to see this combination of bands a hundred times over. Let’s just say that I could have just jumped (in the mosh pit) for joy.
Presidents Day: on Abraham Lincoln, Barack Obama, and other liberals
February 20, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Here on Presidents Day, I’m left to ponder the past and the way it’s been written along with the future we’re creating. I’ve lived long enough to see Reagan’s bumbling presidency rewritten into a mostly fictional masterpiece, and to see Clinton’s outstanding presidency written out of history entirely, each time because what actually happened during those tenures simply didn’t mesh with the agendas of those in our society who are influential enough to control what goes into the history books.
It makes me wonder about the ones I wasn’t around for. Were historical heroes like George Washington really so beneficial, or were they merely written that way after the fact to suit an agenda? Were the historical clunkers as bad as they were subsequently portrayed? And then there’s the fact that an entirely fictionalized negative version of Obama’s above-average presidency is being written (and swallowed by the gullible types) in real time, as we speak, despite overwhelming and readily available evidence that he’s doing a strong job. That’s say nothing of his predecessor Bush, easily the worst president we’ve had by any objective measure, whose lasting damage is steadily being artificially reassigned to Obama in a manner which, if there were any accuracy to it, would require a time machine.
All I do know is that the history books (as well as the daily headlines in today’s quickly spun world) are largely written by the immoral among the wealthy. Their interests rarely correspond with the interests of the rest of us – and they never correspond with reality.
That’s something to keep in mind as an above-average president who has the nation moving forward seeks reelection against a slew of fraudulent puppets whose strings are pulled by the same immoral among the wealthy who write the history books and headlines. Any of these challengers would cause enough damage to make even the darkest of Bush’s dark days look like a walk in the park in comparison, and yet nearly half the nation stands at the ready to vote for one of these puppets. And yet we’re still so fragile as a result of the last time the conservative extremists were in charge, allowing them to retake the reins and continue their march backwards would surely signal the beginning of the end of the American era. Come to think of it, the last time we’d been this damaged as a nation by conservative extremism, the situation held a number of parallels.
Abraham Lincoln, the most progressive liberal of his day, founded the republican party as a liberal alternative to the moderate democratic party and the extremist conservative whig party (if this fact surprises you then please, for God’s sake, go study up on your history). Fast forward 150 years and the democrats are still right in the middle, the whigs are gone, and the republican party has pivoted to the extreme conservative role. If were Lincoln were still alive, not only would be not be a republican, he’d use his law school background to sue the republican party to get them to stop using his name.
Lincoln spent his first term getting widely blamed for the damage of his predecessor even as he was steadily cleaning up the mess he inherited, and he sought reelection by pointing out that you don’t change a horse in midstream. This was at a time when his reelection opponents were from the same extremist conservative movement who caused the damage in the first place. Sound familiar?
In honor of Lincoln and progress, I’m celebrating this Presidents Day by making a donation to the Obama reelection campaign – just as Lincoln would do if he were still with us.
Review: Macally Unistrip USB hub and power strip
February 19, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
If you’ve ever wished your power strip had USB ports on it, or wished your USB hub had power outlets, the Macally Unistrip aims to please. The hybrid product plugs into a wall socket or a computer and provides five USB ports plus two power outlets.
The potential combination of uses runs wild. Not only can you use it to charge devices like your phone directly via USB while also using it to charge other devices like your laptop, you can alternately plug it into your laptop and use it to charge other plug-in devices. The four USB ports on top are standard fare, but the fifth USB port on the die is 2.1 amps and can charge an iPad.
I tried traveling with the Unistrip, and found it to be versatile. The one hangup, however, is immediately obvious: the two electrical outlets on the product are both two-pronged, meaning you can’t charge any device which uses a three-prong plug. Looking through the devices I travel with, they were all three-pronged; the only device in the room which used a two prong plug was the hotel lamp.
But your mileage will vary. It looks like Macally decided to go with two-prong plugs so they could be powered via USB when plugged into your laptop. Fair enough. But that does keep the electrical outlets from being very useful, even when the Unistrip is plugged into a wall. Then again, the fact that you’re plugging it into the wall means you have electrical outlet access and don’t need the outlets on the Unistrip in that scenario.
Hybrid products aren’t easy. There are always compromises. Macally’s Unistrip is easy to like for what it is, so long as the devices you’re looking to charge are compatible with what it has to offer.
Price: $39 • macally.com
Review: iZon Remote Room Monitor
February 18, 2012 by Daynah · Leave a Comment
Enjoy some peace of mind with the new iZon Remote Room Monitor. It’s small, stylish, and has many features and functions you’ll enjoy.
The best feature of this room monitor is not the camera itself, but its ability to be connected to your iPhone, iPod Touch, and/or iPad! Stream video right on your iOS device with the free app. This means you can be anywhere and still access your camera. There’s no need to be just a few feet away. From the app, you can record 30 second videos to a private YouTube account, or instantly record with the push of a button. Currently, there is about a 20 second latency for video in the app.
You can find many uses for the iZon. Use it as a baby monitor, home security, or just a way to check on your love ones. Never miss a moment again!
Setup is easy with the iZon Remote Room Monitor. First you’ll need to download and install the free Stem:connect iOS app on your iPhone, iPod Touch, and/or iPad. Then connect your iOS device to the iZon “stem” Wi-fi network to configure the camera. This is a really clever way to setup the device.
One downside is that it doesn’t have low light capability. Other wi-fi cameras such as the D-Link DCS-932 have the infared feature for the same price. Another downside is that you can’t send audio to the room monitor. For example, if you’re using it as a baby monitor, you can hear everything happening in the room, but you can’t talk back to your baby to calm them down. But on the flip side, unlike most baby monitors, you can hear audio and record video remotely from anywhere. You don’t have to be a few feet away to view the baby or your house. That’s a big plus and outweighs the downside.
Enjoy the iZon Room Monitor for $129.95, a fair and competitive price. It’s only available in one color, white, and you can download the app for free. The app is universal, so it works all iOS devices, including both the iPhone and iPad.
Steminnovation.com · $129.95 · Purchase online, or at Apple retail stores, Target stores and select Best Buy locations.
Ryan Adams gets to the core of his artistry in unusual LA solo show
February 18, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Amid the bustling backdrop of a Friday night in downtown Los Angeles, Ryan Adams and his fans took refuge inside a classic hall more often reserved for the symphony. Underscoring the intimacy of the evening, the singer took the stage alone and spent the bulk of his time with nothing but guitar in hand and harmonica at the waiting. Walt Disney Concert Hall may have felt like an unusual venue for a mainstream popular music performance, but then again, Ryan Adams isn’t the typical artist.
“We’ll all get sad together,” he quipped whimsically before launching into the first of what turned out to be an evening of plaintive ballads. There were no percussionists, no backing vocalists, just Adams and his tunes – and his stories. The songs, from the title track for his new record Ashes & Fire, to classic fan favorites like Come Pick Me Up, spanned his solo career and served as a reminder of just what his fans have come to see in him over the years.
Despite the spareness of the setup, Ryan shook things up by eventually moving to the piano, then later to the far end of the stage to perform some songs while standing, and ultimately back to where he began. The crowd, surprisingly feisty considering the setting, couldn’t resist shouting out odd things between songs. He was frequently more than happy to playfully fire back. At one point an “I love you” from an audience member led to Ryan’s suggestion that she wouldn’t love him as much if he wrote happier songs. He then proceeded to ad lib an entire upbeat tune about planting a tree and wearing a vest with no shirt, which had the audience rolling. That flowed into a cover of Oasis’ Wonderwall, a progression which didn’t make sense, but didn’t have to.
Those expecting a straight-up and standardized concert performance may have been in for a surprise when it came to the lack of a backing band and the extended soliloquies about everything from Star Trek to his cat (and stunningly, the opening act consisted of Val Kilmer impersonating Mark Twain). But for those who were looking to get to the core of who Ryan Adams is, the unorthodox evening fit the bill.
For those who missed it, Ryan is performing at Walt Disney Concert Hall again tonight – but good luck getting tickets to the sold out show. Meanwhile, his new album Ashes & Fire is available in iTunes.
Bargain iPhone and iPad Apps: Dr Seuss, Soundtracking and more
February 17, 2012 by Daynah · Leave a Comment
Kick off the long holiday weekend with some fun new apps. Hurry as some are free for a limited time! Enjoy!
Dr. Seuss Band – Join Dr. Seuss’ wacky band and play Seussian melodies or even create your own whimsical masterpiece! It’s great for kids and makes learning and playing an instrument fun. Works on both iPhone and iPad and FREE for a limited time.
Universal Version (Free)
Soundtracking – Love music? Share your love with your friends with this new social network. Post a song, along with a photo to your stream. Your post will have a photo along with the song snippet. Love the song? Click and it’ll take you right to the iTunes music store.
iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free)
A Frog Thing is such a cute story. It’s the first book from the Kidwick Books series, available for the special introductory price of $1.99. Frank the frog wasn’t satisfied doing ordinary frog things. He was determined to make his dream of flying come true, even though the other frogs laughed at him. New eBook from Oceanhouse Media and comes with three modes to read — auto-play, read yourself, and read to me. Universal App ($1.99)
Polymagic – If you love taking pictures and sharing them as much as I do, you’ll absolutely love this app. It allows you to create collages from your photos! There’s 42 base frames for you to choose from. Once you select the one you like, you can add your photos to it. To make your image more unique, you can stretch and bend the frames to fit your photos perfectly. The full version is FREE for a limited time. iPhone / iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPhone/iPod Touch Lite Version (Free)
Treasure Island from the Enchanted Tales series is about young Jim Hawkins’ adventure. When he finds himself in possession of a mysterious treasure map, he sets sail for the South Sea with his off-beat friends, Biscuit the mouse and Dickens the ship’s cat. Great story offered at a special low introductory price of 99 cents! Universal App (99 cents)
Woodroid – If you love brick breaking games, this is a must! It’s mixed with beautiful pixel artwork and an Android board, for loads of fun. Bounce the balls off a robot to break the bricks. Watch for some fun power-ups to fall. My favorites are the gravity and fire balls! Best of all, it’s free! App is universal and comes with ads. Universal App (Free)
OpenTable – make reservations to your favorite restaurants right on your phone! Search and find the restaurant (or a city), select date and time and party size, and book your reservations! Fast, easy, and quite convenient! iPhone/iPod Touch Version (Free) | iPad Version (Free)
Landau Eugene Murphy Jr: interview with America’s Got Talent winner
February 15, 2012 by Dana Feldman · Leave a Comment
by Dana Feldman
For anyone who has ever had a dream that they thought futile, this story is for you. Inevitably, there are many obstacles set before us, but Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr., though he had more than his fair share, did not let anything stand in his way. In Chinese philosophy there is a saying, “The tree that sways with the wind never breaks” and Murphy’s unbreakable spirit led him to take a risk when he was thirty-six years-old. He decided to audition for the NBC hit show America’s Got Talent.
“I had a dream,” he says. “I wanted to show my kids that they should follow their dreams whether they are young or old.” This, he tells me, is an example that he wished to set for not only his four children, but for all children. As the weeks of competition went on, Landau revealed some aspects of his painful past. “I’ve had a lot of low points in my life,” he told the judges and viewers.
A husband and father of four who supported his family by working at a car wash, Murphy says that he was fortunate. “God put me in a place with the right people. I worked for a boss who gave me the time off and promised me that I would have a job if things didn’t work out.” His boss at the time, Mike Ferrell, who runs the Toyota dealership in Chapmanville, West Virginia, where Murphy worked for ten years as a new car detailer, did not have to save Murphy’s job for him. Things ended up working out just fine. Murphy, originally from the tiny town of Logan, West Virginia, who was homeless at nineteen years-old, was now the winner of $1 million and a contract to headline at the Colosseum Theater at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas after winning the four-month-long televised talent competition.
With fourteen million viewers watching, his smooth-as-butter voice landed him the coveted top spot on September 14th 2011. Much has happened to the crooner since. His flawless renditions of Frank Sinatra classics such as My Way, Fly Me To The Moon and Under My Skin made him an instant stand-out amongst his fellow contestants winning him a legion of instant fans. He says of this particular musical genre that, “It is such happy music!”
Nothing got in his way once he decided to audition. His band had just fallen apart and he had been robbed. “The only clothes that I owned were the ones I wore on the show.” Murphy knew he had a gift and a dream. “God took things away from me to push me off of my rear end. All of the good and the bad times in my journey made me who I am today.”
He stepped up on stage at New York’s Radio City Music Hall and said to the judges, “I’m here to show America I can sing.” The moment he opened his mouth at his June 2011 audition, Howie Mandel’s jaw dropped. Once he was done, Mandel’s immediate response to his performance was, “Your life will never be the same.” His version of Under My Skin brought the audience, as well as the judging panel, to their feet. Judge Piers Morgan even admitted, “I was thinking that you’d be a total train-wreck. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!”
Of the feeling in that moment, Murphy explains it as overwhelming. “It was truly unbelievable, just so amazing.” Saying that so much was running through his mind in those few moments, this new world that he was entering into entailed everything that he had ever dreamt of. “It was all right there and it was clear in that moment that I had finally made it.” A powerful moment for Murphy, he admits that he had longed for that stamp of approval. “I wanted to hear great things from people who work in entertainment. I wanted to change my life, not only for myself, but for my family.”
His children range in age from fourteen to seventeen and they have learned from their father that it is never too late. Even at one of his lowest points, when he was a homeless teenager, he says that what got him through was God. “I always went to Church and teen meetings. I was always grounded and knew that I could never give up or take the wrong road.” As a youngster he was teased by other kids and he at that time made the life-altering decision that he would never let anyone mess up his day. “I knew that I had a gift from a higher power and I knew that I wasn’t going to waste it.” Frustrated that he was not making use of his talents, he worked hard to get on the right path to do so. “It’s a bummer that people don’t always use the gifts that they have been given to make their lives better.” He is an admitted underdog and says that he has always been, but his competitive streak came from his days as a basketball player. This motivated him when naysayers told him that he’d never make it. “Every time anyone doubted or judged me, it made me want it more.”
With the release of his debut album, a songbook of rat pack tunes produced by legendary Grammy Award-winning singer/writer/producer, Steve Tyrell, entitled ‘That’s Life’ (Columbia Records) on November 21st, 2011, as well as nineteen sold-out shows in the tri-state area, Murphy is well on his way to a long and successful career. He plans to make a Gospel as well as a Christian CD in the near future.
Collaborating with Tyrell can only help to further his incredible talent. During his forty year career in music, Tyrell has scored films (That Thing You Do, Father of the Bride), produced albums for legends including Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Linda Ronstadt, Mary J. Blige, Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder, among others, as well as recording his own albums.
As for those of you out there who also have a dream, Murphy says, “Put forth the effort and go out and get it! Who knows how many days you have?” He also says to be sure to help others along the way and is an avid supporter of The Salvation Army and United Way as well as several charities that benefit children. “This would be meaningless if it wasn’t for my wife and children and the rest of my family.” He says that he wanted to win for them, not just for the money, but so that they could feel proud of him. “I wake up in the morning and I can’t believe how much my life has changed.”
iTunes • Twitter • Facebook • Landau on The View (video)
Kina Grannis talks In Your Arms video, tour – the Beatweek interview
February 14, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
“It’s always been really special to me,” Kina Grannis says of her song In Your Arms. It turns out Ellen, Jimmy Kimmel, and five million viewers on YouTube agree – but it took them awhile to catch up. The tune debuted on her album Stairwells, originally released in early 2010, a record which found its way onto the Billboard charts despite being an independent release. But it wasn’t until she completed the accompanying music video that In Your Arms it found its own legs. It didn’t hurt, of course, that the innovative video made use of more than a quarter million jelly beans for its animated backdrop. And as it turns out, the video had been in the works since before the album was even released.
“Okay, we’ll release this in a couple months,” she thought to herself each time the process would stretch out a bit further. “It was always a new surprise. We would get through another month and it would be like oh, we still haven’t done that much. How long is this going to take?” Two years and 288,000 jellybeans later, the video went viral upon its release in late 2011 capturing the attention of internet viewers and the mainstream media, and the gamble paid off.
It’s not that Kina Grannis isn’t used to taking calculated risks. After performing on a Super Bowl ad in 2008 and finding herself signed to a major label deal, she walked away from it when she realized that she wasn’t going to be able to make the kind of album she wanted. “When I left the label I knew it was the right decision,” she says of ditching the kind of deal most artists spend their careers chasing. “I knew it would be okay. But you have a lot of people thinking you’re crazy and doubting it and being like ‘Why would you give up that opportunity?’ So in a way, every time we have little victories like this it does feel good because it’s like, well hopefully now people are understanding that I needed to stand up for my music and what I love. Slowly but surely, people are getting on board with that.”
In hindsight, it all makes sense. Kina’s career has always been about finding personal connections with her audience, from the intimately personal stories she tells in her lyrics to the way in which her fans’ names often find their way into the video clips she posts. The first time I saw her perform several years ago, at a venue which barely held a hundred people, she had the entire audience sitting on the floor of the club at one point. Even though the concert venue sizes have grown and the tour dates have spread worldwide, it’s still the same experience.
“I treat it like I’m hanging out in the room with everyone,” she says of the performances which now include Europe, Asia, and Australia. “For me it’s really about going into a situation and feeling like I’m getting to know this crowd in a way, and getting to share a bit of myself with them. I like to keep it intimate, because I do like to keep it personal and not just ‘Here’s me and you’re all off in the dark.’ I want to bring them in with me.” Put another way, “I don’t have any rock star demeanor to me. I just can’t pull that off.”
Still, the sudden rush of attention brought on by the success of the In Your Arms video has changed what she’s dealing with externally. “It’s been really crazy. Tons of meetings and a lot of people reaching out, news people and different networks. It’s just been really exciting, and I think this is the first time that some parts of the mainstream world have been introduced to me. To have them support it has been really fun.”
Despite having been out for awhile, Stairwells still appears to have plenty of life left in it. The video for lead single Valentine, featuring an ambitious domino effect, has racked up several million views of its own. Another song from the album, entitled The One You Say Goodnight To, was used on an episode of Gossip Girl just last night. Still, any subsequent videos for this album may have to be a bit more controllable. “The jellybean thing was crazier than anyone could have imagined,” she admits of the project which ultimately saw her relying on Jelly Belly to donate the product. “I’m always trying with new videos to do something unique and creative and special, so hopefully there will be more of that but nothing quite like giving up two years of your life to hang out on a piece of glass with jelly beans.”
Behind the scenes, her focus is on the early stages of the next record. “I’ve been writing every now and then, and I’ve been taking a couple of retreats to really focus on it every once in awhile because when I’m at home I get so caught up in meetings and emails and stuff like that, I don’t get to pick up my guitar. But I’ve been making an effort to write. I have some songs I’m really excited about. Hopefully after the touring in the spring I’ll sit down and finalize things and start actually making things.”
Thus far, the themes for the next Kina Grannis album are in line with the ones she’s always touched on: how to become a better person and how to do this “relationship thing.” But her new fans might as well grab a copy of Stairwells in the mean time, because the next record is still a ways off.
For now, she says, “I’m just trying to keep on top of this crazy video’s life.”
kinagrannis.com • iTunes • Twitter • Facebook • YouTube
Beatweek Magazine issue 113: Kina Grannis, Landau Eugene Murphy, Valentine’s accessories and more
February 14, 2012 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Beatweek Magazine issue #113 highlights:
• Kina Grannis cover story interview
• America’s Got Talent winner Landau Eugene Murphy
• Pink iPhone accessories for Valentine’s Day
Blizzard pushes back Diablo 3 launch date again amid decade long wait
February 14, 2012 by Brandon Tucker · Leave a Comment
by Brandon Tucker
Blizzard’s at it once again pushing back the release date of the long awaited sequel Diablo 3. The game has been in the works for about 4 years now but with concerns from beta testers forcing Blizzard to make last minute changes it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer. We’ve seen these kinds of delays before from Blizzard, the development of Starcraft: Ghost took over 6 years to develop just to be canceled. Then Blizzard started to develop Starcraft II a year later and that took an additional 3 years to make.
It’s been more than a decade since the release of Diablo II which was one of the most popular games of 2000. Hopefully Blizzard will get there act together and give the fans a game they can enjoy. I myself can’t wait to get a copy of Diablo III, I’ve always been a long time fan of the series. Diablo III’s new release date is expected to be in Q2 of this year.
Review: Quake Live
February 9, 2012 by Brandon Tucker · Leave a Comment
by Brandon Tucker
This video game is a GEM just waiting to be found on the Internet. Quake Live is an aging game based off of Quake III Arena and is strictly an online multiplayer game. Now I know this game isn’t new, and it may be old news, but its still great. Let me tell you why.
Quake was once the leading edge in the FPS (First Person Shooter) genre of video games. It’s made by the people who invented the FPS, ID Software. ID started it all with Wolfenstein 3D back in 1992 and then Doom in 1993. After the recent disappointment of ID’s last venture into the genre called “Rage” I found myself wanting more. Rage lacked the true multiplayer experience I’ve been missing from the old time classics of quake and doom. So I turned to Quake Live.
Quake live is free to play, all you need to do is sign up for an account, and with a small initial plug-in download the game is ready to play right inside of your browser. It’s fast passed and hard pressed but its the rawest form of a FPS you’ll ever find. The game is ran on a dated graphics engine called ID Tech 3, but not all games with good graphics are created equal. Even with Quake III Arena’s ID Tech 3 being almost 13 years old, it’s still a great game reincarnated into the life called Quake Live.
Quake Live is quite a bit different from newer games like Call of Duty or Battlefield, but it still has a kill or be killed game-play and with far less strategical planning comes more action and fun. There are different game modes like Dual, Free For All, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Clan Arena, Freeze Tag, and Instagib. Some of the modes also include Instagib along with the selected mode. Instagib consists of instant death by a weapon called the railgun and lack of health, armor, and other power ups. With quake comes my favorite old past time of Rocket jumping. This consists of shooting at the ground while simultaneously jumping to fly leaps and bounds above your opponents. You can use this to reach higher ground to gain cover or achieve overhead kill shots while in mid air, how great is that! For the most part its an extremely fast paced game that can be jumped into easily and played whenever and for however long you’d like.
There’s also achievements and a whole scoring / ranking system. You can view vital statistics on your game play with the amount of frags (kills) you get with each weapon and your accuracy percentages. You can view a recent history of matches with the amount of time played and if you won or loss.
The difficulty is based upon a unique match making system putting users into servers that have similar skill levels, like Halo’s matching system on XBOX live. There’s also a practice / training center so whether your a newbie or an old time pro like me this game is for you! Now this isn’t to say you won’t lose your first 10 games, cause with any game there is still a learning curve, but at least you wont get completely annihilated every time.
The controls are easy and use both the mouse and keyboard with custom key mapping options for movement and weapons selection. The game is able to run on Windows, Mac OS (Intel Only) and Linux with plug-ins for Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari and Chrome. You don’t need a monster of gaming rig to enjoy this one, I’ve play this game on newer and older systems and it seems to run great on almost anything.
If you are a fan of FPS’s I highly recommend you try this out right now!
Rating: Five stars out of five • Price: FREE • quakelive.com
Steve Jobs FBI file: Apple CEO had “top secret” government clearance
February 9, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Steve Jobs was once considered for an appointed position within the federal government and for a time had “Top Secret” government clearance, according to his FBI file which the bureau has released in the wake of his death. The file includes an extensive background check conducted on the late Apple co-founder in 1991 when then-President George Bush was considering him for position on the Export Council. This during a period of time which came after Jobs had been pushed out of Apple in the mid 1980s and before his eventual return in the late 1990s. It’s not revealed specifically why Jobs had top secret security clearance from 1988 to 1990, but according to the Mercury News it’s said to be related to his tenure as the CEO and majority owner of the Pixar animated movie studio, which he eventually sold to Disney…
The revelation that the FBI kept a file on Steve Jobs has spread across social networks today, causing his name to become a trending topic on Twitter for the first time since his official biography was posthumously released. The file was apparently related strictly to the background checks conducted when he was being considered for the Council position, and were not related to any criminal investigations or conduct. However, the background information uncovered in the check did include evidence of his experimentation with LSD and other drugs in his youth, a fact Jobs himself had already publicly confirmed multiple times including in his biography. After co-founding Apple with Steve Wozniak in the late 1970s, Jobs spearheaded the Macintosh computer released in 1984 before being forced out of Apple a year later. He spent the next decade-plus attempting to build a rival computer company called NEXT while also running Pixar, which had acquired from George Lucas. Jobs returned to Apple before the turn of the century, first as Interim CEO and then as full time CEO from 2000 onward. He resigned the position late last year as his health was failing, instead holding the position of Chairman until his death on October 5th.
iPad 3 release date in March, but June delay for $250 Apple discount
February 8, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Apple employees can buy an iPad 3 at a $250 discount but not until June, says CEO Tim Cook – suggesting that the company doesn’t expect the upcoming new iPad to be overflowing with available inventory until the summer despite an expected release date in March. Cook revealed the upcoming discount program to Apple employees at a recent town hall meeting, along with a $500 discount on Mac computers, but it doesn’t kick in until the summer. Meanwhile Apple is expected to retire or bargain-bin the current iPad 2 next month in favor of an iPad 3 rollout. The delay of the new discount program until June appears to have no calendar bearing beyond the fact that Apple likely doesn’t want its own employees feasting on iPad 3 inventory until after the initial public launch has taken place. The choice of June for the easement, instead of merely April, is an odd one and begs a few questions regarding initial iPad 3 availability…
When the iPad 2 launched in March of last year, there was minimal inventory available on day one, with Apple Stores having as little as a few hundred iPad units on hand for launch day (in the face of thousands of would-be customers in line who were largely turned away), and some third party retailers have a surreal two or three units on hand at launch. The inventory constraints didn’t ease for months, with Apple’s website continuing to list a multi-week delay for online orders and retail availability spotty until the summer. Apple’s decision to not allow its own employees to buy the iPad 3 at a $250 discount until the summer of 2012 may send chills down the spines of some potential buyers who might skeptically take it as a sign that Apple once again expects initial inventory problems with the iPad 3 which may not resolve themselves until the summer. But the more optimistic viewpoint would be that Apple merely wants to play it safe; the iPad has a commanding lead in tablet marketshare, and with users increasingly warming up to the idea of replacing their PC laptops with tablets, Apple may be preparing for the best case (sales-wise) worst case (inventory-wise) scenario when it comes to the iPad 3. In any case, Apple is expected unveil the device next month in time for a traditional March release date. Here’s more on the iPad 3.
iOS 5.1 vs iOS 5.0.2: release dates bring battery life fixes, features
February 8, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
iPad and iPhone users looking for the iOS 5.0.2 and iOS 5.1 updates are eager for minor bug fixes, mid-level new features, and in some instances, a cure for a fast draining battery on their iPhone 4S. Which update can be expected to deliver which has been the subject of some confusion. As a general rule, software updates ending in .x (in this instance 5.1) are designed to deliver new features which weren’t ready in time for the original 5.0 release or have been reworked based on user feedback. Updates ending in .x.x (5.0.2 here) are intended to be pure bug fixers, cleaning up glitch complaints from users or closing any security vulnerabilities which were discovered or created after the primary release. That means users can hope iOS 5.0.2 will fix their battery life concerns and any other bugs they’ve encountered, but nothing more. The more ambitious iOS 5.1 update will bring changes to the way in which iOS works, making essentially a “new” if not radically different operating system. When each update can be expected to arrive has been another matter of confusion…
iOS 5.1 is just a significant enough of a change to the fiber of iOS that it requires beta-testing in advance on the part of app developers. They’re currently on their third round of testing, with one or more rounds expected. Apple must complete that process before it releases iOS 5.1 to end-users, regardless of how long it takes. In the mean time, Apple can theoretically release an iOS 5.0.2 update any time it pleases with comparatively minimal advance testing. The question then becomes whether iOS 5.1 will arrive soon enough in Apple’s estimation to make a 5.0.2 release unnecessary, or whether Apple will indeed serve up 5.0.2 in the interim. It’s widely expected that iOS 5.1 will arrive no later than the launch of the next iPad, whose release date should arrive sometime next month. Here’s more on iOS 5.1.
iPhone 5 release date arrives as Samsung share slips, Nokia cuts jobs
February 8, 2012 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
If Apple is worried about the iPhone 4S juggernaut losing momentum before it can get around to launching the iPhone 5, some of its competitors are doing their best to make Apple’s life easier by falling on challenging times themselves. Even as Apple’s biggest dilemma in 2012 thus far appears to give the iPhone 5 a fall release date to give the 4S a full year in the spotlight or a summer release date to get the iPhone back on track with summer rollouts, rival Samsung has lost its brief spot atop the smartphone sales pyramid and Nokia is slashing jobs the thousands as it attempts to right itself. The iPhone 4S, despite looking suspiciously similar to its predecessor and initially met with disappointment for not being an iPhone 5, went on to help Apple carve out significant smartphone marketshare gains in the fourth quarter despite only having been on the market for half of it. Most of those gains came at the expense of Android and BlackBerry…
BlackBerry maker RIM is struggling to keep up with its much larger competitors, and has been steadily losing marketshare for years. The company recently anointed a new CEO in an attempt to turn things around, but no tangible results have been yielded from the move yet. The Android platform had been collectively gaining marketshare, but peaked with its one percent growth in the third quarter of 2011 and went into sharp marketshare decline in the fourth quarter when the iPhone 4S launched. Although Android sales grew in the quarter, they grew at such a significantly slower rate than that of the iPhone that they lost fourteen percent marketshare. That slide cost Samsung its perch as the number one smartphone hardware manufacturer; the company has since attempted to strike back by advertising a five and a half inch “phone” which uses a stylus during the Super Bowl to a confused public. Meanwhile Nokia is attempting to regain smartphone relevance through a partnership with Microsoft to run Windows Phone 7 on Nokia phones, but WP7 only accounts for about one percent of the smartphone market and Nokia is cutting jobs while it waits to see whether the Microsoft partnership can save it. All of this comes as Apple gears up to launch the iPhone 5 sometime this year…
The release of the iPhone 5 would seem to be one which could solidify smartphone momentum in Apple’s favor, but the company does face challenges. While longtime exclusive iPhone carrier AT&T has since had to learn how to share with Verizon and Sprint iPhone 4S models, Apple has still failed to ink a deal with T-Mobile as the nation’s fourth largest carrier continues to look for a buyer. Apple also failed to meet initial inventory demands with both its iPhone 2 and iPhone 4 products, the latter having been due to the difficulty in manufacturing the newly redesigned hardware. With the iPhone 5 expected to offer a new hardware design of its own, Apple must take care to manufacture sufficient inventory so as to keep up with customer demand – which based on the momentum behind the iPhone 4S during its first few months on the market, could be unprecedented. Apple does have a fallback in that upon the release date of the iPhone 5, the iPhone 4S will likely remain on the market at a reduced price. This will help ensure that any new iPhone customers who are unable to get their hands on an iPhone 5 unit will at least have the opportunity to buy a 4S instead. But that would mean reduced margins for Apple, which would prefer that customers opt for the full priced flagship iPhone 5. Here’s more on the iPhone 5.
Review: iHome iP4 boombox stereo for iPhone and iPod
February 8, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
Compact portable docking stereos for iPhone and iPod are nice when it comes to saving space, but the laws of audio still dictate that if you want a system to offer a certain level of audio quality, and at a certain volume, it’s got to be a certain physical size. Hence the iP4 from iHome, a boombox that’s about a foot and a half wide and nine inches tall, complete with a handle on top. It’s a stylistic continuation of the classic boombox or ghetto blaster motif in which the stereo can be carried but not without some heft – and offers enough audio to knock down some walls.
On that level, the $199 iP4 does not disappoint. Its audio is commanding, as bass heavy as you want thanks to its graphic equalizer, and offers impressive fidelity even at party-rocking volumes. Front and center is a dock for iPhone or iPod touch, classic, or nano, and also included are a built in FM radio and wireless remote control which attaches to the unit magnetically when not in use.
Having spent time with the iP4, I’m of two minds when it comes to the product. On the one hand, it’s impressive overall and it’s worth its price tag. Then again, I can’t help but compare it to the other major iPhone-iPod boombox on the market, a product from Altec Lansing called the MIX which offers superior audio quality and more impressive features. Then again, the MIX costs $100 more and is about twice as thick and heavy, making the iP4 a significantly cheaper – and more portable – option.
The only aspect of the iP4 which I can’t quite get past is its FM radio. Reception is weak, barely picking up the most popular rock station in town, unless you attach the included antenna in which case reception is fine. Fair enough, except it’s a cord which plugs into the back and has to either be left dangling or wrapped around the handle. That’s not something you want to deal with on a portable product. But if you’re not going to use the radio feature anyway, no worries.
Bottom line: for iHome, the iP4 is a nice first foray into the large portable dockable boombox market. The company has a history of making its products better with each iteration, so we’ll see where this one goes. The iP4 comes in a choice of charcoal or pink.
Rating: four stars out of five • Price: $199 • ihomeaudio.com
Karmin talks SNL, covers, Hello, Brokenhearted – the Beatweek interview
February 8, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
additional research by Jason Tucker
Karmin is a Beatweek Magazine 2012 Artist to Watch
“We got the full patdown because we bring all these weird instruments with us,” says Amy Heidemann over the phone while trudging through LAX airport. Really? “No,” she admits, as bandmate Nick Noonan delivers a punchline into the speakerphone.
Karmin are about to step onto a plane to New York City for their Saturday Night Live gig this weekend, indeed about to step into a different world – and they’re cracking jokes the whole way. The duo who got their start by posting upbeat pop-leaning cover version of popular gritty hip hop songs to YouTube are now attempting to make the transition from clever reinterpreters to full fledged recording artists. In that sense, their original song called Crash Your Party represents Karmin’s first shot across the mainstream bow.
“It’s how we showed up non-traditionally, taking our own path, taking our own route,” Nick says of the song. Amy finishes his thought: “Crashing the music world’s party. We just thought it was such a cool concept. There’s not many songs out there about pulling somebody down who has a giant ego and putting them in their place. It was a fun topic to write about, because most of our other songs are about our story or love or defeating all the odds.”
It’s an ambitious leap for a duo whose rise to online cult popularity status came as a result of putting a twist on other people’s work. Karmin Covers Vol. 1, released last year, includes reinterpretations of songs from Usher to Lady Gaga to Eminem. The process for choosing the covers, though, isn’t strictly as simple as grabbing onto whatever is popular. “We’ll sometimes try to cover an Adele song, Rolling In The Deep for example, and wow, we really can’t do much else to the song,” Amy admits. “It’s already everything musically that we would do. So sometimes there were songs that didn’t really work out, but it was fun to jump from an LMFAO song to Christina Perri’s Jar of Hearts in the same rehearsal.”
There is a bit of a strategic side involved however: Karmin’s early covers of Neil Young songs were working musically, but weren’t getting discovered because even Neil’s biggest fans aren’t necessarily searching the internet for his name on a daily basis. “We come to find people are searching for LMFAO because it’s so current, and they happen to stumble upon our cover by accident,” Amy explains. “So that was our method behind the madness.” A hundred million views on YouTube later, and it’s clear that people are now searching for Karmin on purpose.
The SNL gig is set to come a few days after the release of Brokenhearted, an original song co-written by the pair which covers all the bases: an impossibly happy sounding tune (despite the title), bits of Amy rapping within what is otherwise a pop song, and the end result manages to be both radio friendly and unmistakably Karmin. “This song is loosely based on how we met, so as you can imagine the music video is really fun,” says Amy. “We got to be ourselves the whole time.”
“It was set in Amy’s apartment, and she’s thinking back to memories of the night previous,” Nick says of the video. “She ran into a guy, who is me. She got along really well, didn’t expect to get along with somebody like that, Then at the end of the night they exchanged numbers. The whole song is is ‘Why didn’t you call me? Don’t leave me brokenhearted.’ She’s never really felt like this, she’s confused, she’s anxious. You think this guy might be a jerk, but then at the very end you figure out why he didn’t call.”
“It’s kind of a twist ending, Amy adds. “It’s a lot of drama in the story, but it’s a fun video.”
If you haven’t figured it out by now, Amy and Nick are engaged after several years of dating. “We didn’t want to keep it a secret,” Nick says, “but we also didn’t want it to make it the main thing. We wanted people to come to us for the music first, and then as they were leaving the concert, ‘By the way, did you know they’re a couple too?’ We didn’t want it to be the thing.”
“Music first,” Amy declares in agreement. Speaking of music, that side of their story traces back to when they were both students at the esteemed Berklee College of Music. But how to rap isn’t something they teach there, so just when did Amy figure out she had that particular talent?
“Nick taught her,” deadpans Nick.
“We started hearing Nicki Minaj and more rap on pop radio,” says Amy. “I’ve always loved rap, but I grew up in a Christian household and wasn’t allowed to listen to stuff with a parental advisory sticker on it. So I knew I could rap in the shower, but I was so terrified about posting it online. It was actually Nick who hit the upload button and made me do it, and I’m still thanking him today.”
As for Nick’s instrumental background, “I’m a trained trombonist, believe it or not. I love playing trombone. There’s actually trombone all over the album. But I’m loving singing and playing piano right now. I also play cajon a lot, which is that drum I sit on. But singing and playing piano, when I get up on stage and do that, I feel like I’m at home.”
The dynamic duo have to get off the phone with me so they can board their plane for New York. “The SNL adventure starts tomorrow,” Amy proclaims. They’ve posted a still shot of the classic ‘Gotta have more cowbell’ sketch on the Karmin Facebook page, but any thoughts of trying to recreate Will Ferrell’s shining moment this Saturday are shot down by Nick for now: “I’ve got to work on my belly button hair a little bit more, and then we can go for it.” But Amy admits that “If they want us in a sketch, we’re absolutely gonna say yes.”
When Karmin releases its official debut album in April, fans can expect an entire record of original songs, with the possible exception of one sample in the works. “There is one song that we really want to take the chorus of and turn it into our own tune,” Nick teases, “but we can’t tell you what song it is yet. I know that sucks,” he says with a laugh. The album is called Hello, along with a song on the record of the same name which they can confirm is definitely not a Lionel Richie cover. “We thought it was a perfect title,” says Amy, “because it’s our introduction album. When you hear the songs in a row, you’re going to hear our story.”
KarminMusic.com • iTunes • Twitter • Facebook
Beatweek Magazine issue 112: Karmin and the best of Macworld-iWorld 2012
February 7, 2012 by Beatweek · Leave a Comment
Beatweek Magazine issue #112 highlights:
• Interview with Karmin, the YouTube cover song phenoms
• Macworld-iWorld 2012: the best in iPad and iPhone
• Interviews with Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Whiskey Avengers
• Star Trek: Next Generation on Blu-Ray reviewed
WWDC: iPhone 5 June release date likely despite 2011 iPhone 4S failure
February 7, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
“Given the extreme let-down and rumor-mill that was provided false on October 4th, how can you be so certain that this summer will be the release time of the iPhone 5 at the WWDC?” One skeptical Beatweek reader poses the question amid our prediction (and that of others) that the iPhone 5 will see its release date as soon as this summer. And it’s a fair question: Apple whiffed mightily on the iPhone 5 in 2011, first by letting the traditional twelve iPhone upgrade window come and go in the summer by not making a move, and then by only managing to come up with an iPhone 4S in the fall. Why should Apple now be trusted to deliver the iPhone 5 in a timely fashion in 2012? The answer, as it turns out, is a rather simple one…
When Apple failed to launch the iPhone 5 last fall, it didn’t go back to square one. Although it now must leave the iPhone 4S in the spotlight for a certain amount of time in order to save face and keep from giving its early-adopter users whiplash, the fact is that the iPhone 5 was almost ready to go last fall – and that was several months ago. It wouldn’t be shocking if the iPhone 5 is ready to ship right now, but Apple can’t get away with launching it a mere four months after the 4S. Moreover, the company must gear up to launch the new iPad first, which is expected to happen in March. The fact that the iPhone 4S is setting sales records and stealing significant marketshare from competitors means that Apple isn’t under extreme pressure to get the iPhone 5 out the door. But there’s no reason to believe it’ll sit on the iPhone 5 all the way until the fall, with the exception of one thing which could throw a monkey wrench in the works…
Best as anyone can piece it together, iOS 5 was intended to be the operating system for the iPhone 5. When it became clear that the iPhone 5 wasn’t happening, Apple apparently took whatever iPhone 5 features it could (A5 processor, improved camera mechanism) and stuffed inside the iPhone 4 body shell in order to create the iPhone 4S. That left iOS 5 as the new operating system for the iPhone 4S by default. When Apple launches the iPhone 5 this year, it’s not clear whether the company will attempt to include a fully revamped iOS 6 with it or whether it’ll instead go with an intermediary iOS 5.5 to accommodate the new hardware without completely rewriting the book. Apple’s decision in this department will dictate how much lead time it needs ahead of the iPhone 5 launch, as third party app developers must be involved in beta-testing any new operating system in advance of its release. If Apple goes the quick route on the iOS side, there’s no reason it can’t launch the iPhone 5 as soon as it wants. Expect Apple to use its June WWDC conference as a natural launching pad for the iPhone 5, thereby getting the iPhone back on track as a traditionally summer-released product and capitalizing on the marketshare gains made by the iPhone 4S before it loses momentum. Here’s more on the iPhone 5.
iPad 3 release date threatened by “troubled” China trademark hawker
February 7, 2012 by Bill Palmer · Leave a Comment
by Bill Palmer
The iPad 3 should see its release date in the United States and elsewhere in March of 2012 as expected. But China may be a different story, as a financially troubled Chinese company which makes monitors claims it owns the rights to the name “iPad” and is suing Apple for more than a billion and a half dollars while attempting to block the launch of the iPad 3 in China. Proview Technology, the company in question, says it registered the “iPad” trademark in China a decade ago, long before Apple’s iPad was unveiled. The company admits it’s in financial “trouble” according to Fox Business, and that it’s relying on a successful verdict against Apple to right itself from a cash standpoint. The company can’t realistically stop the iPad 3 from launching worldwide, but it’ll be up to the Chinese legal system to sort out the mess locally. In the mean time Apple appears to be eyeing March as the release date for the iPad 3 in the west, just as it’s launched the previous two iPad models in the spring…
The financial reality of the China situation is that Apple, which is the world’s largest tech company and has about a hundred billion dollars in cash on hand, could buy Proview for comparative pocket change just to make the whole thing go away – or give the company the cash settlement it wants in exchange for a clear legal grip on the iPad trademark. The situation has come to a head even as Apple is attempting to use the court system to get rival Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1, an obvious copycat of the original iPad from a hardware design standpoint, removed from shelves worldwide. The current iPad 2 looks identical to the original iPad from the front, but features curved sides and a thinner profile. Apple’s upcoming iPad 3 is still a mystery. While various internal specs have been quasi-confirmed or speculated on, no clear indicator of the external design of the iPad 3 has arisen from the rumor pile as of yet…
The lack of iPad 3 leaks is remarkable considering the significant amount of digging done in advance by rumor sites any time a major new Apple product is in play. The iPad 3 is expected to launch at a press event sometime in March, with a release date shortly thereafter. Those in the United States and other nations not affected by the Proview legal tussle should have no problem getting their hands on one, so long as Apple manages to manufacture enough initial inventory; last year’s iPad 2 launch was marred by a lack of initial supply. For those in China, or any other nation which the trademark battle spills over into, it may be a different story. Here’s more on the iPad 3.
