David Pollitt

Auditorium

// February 17th, 2009 // View Comments // Fun, Guest Blog, Music

Auditorium is a unique Flash based game that is both visually and aurally stimulating.  The purpose of Auditorium is to guide the flow of colored audio particles  into the appropriate audio containers that are sporadically placed in a vast, empty environment.  Upon filling these containers, the colored audio particles transform into sound.  Each container corresponds with a different instrument, and with enough light, the containers will play in a symphony.  Through the use of directional arrows, attracts, repels, deflects, and rabbits, the audio particles can be routed around or through obstacles that include color spheres, divides, portals, and black holes.

Confused?  The game is surprisingly easy to learn.

Officially in full release, Auditorium is available for $10.99.  For this, one will receive 70 levels that are spread across 15 different acts.  However, the trial version available on the website was quite extensive while the game was still in beta.

If you find yourself needing help to complete a certain level, youTube has an extensive collection of videos to help you here.  And if you do not have the appropriate version of Flash, the latest is available here.

A. Greeman

MeetInBetween.us

// February 5th, 2009 // View Comments // Guest Blog, Technology

MeetInBetween.us is an online resource that utilizes Google Maps to find the midpoint between two addressees inputted by the user.  After entering the two locations, the user can select a location to meet, which range from restaurants, bars,  coffee shops, hotels, or malls.  If David; who lives outside of Minneapolis; and I; who live outside of Duluth; wanted to meet for lunch, it might look like this:

After agreeing on a place to meet, directions to the location are made available to each person.  I can see this being potentially useful for users of Craiglist.

-A. Greeman

Review: Soundcloud

// February 3rd, 2009 // View Comments // Guest Blog, Music

As an aspiring producer, one is always looking for an effective medium to market their music.  It is imperative that one’s music ends up in the right persons hands.  CDs are obsolete.  Yes, there is MySpace, but does one really want to subject potential label representatives to our seizure inducing profile and questionable friends?

Enter Soundcloud.

Soundcloud is what Facebook is to Myspace.  With a refreshingly  clean aesthetic, SoundCloud  provides users a the ability to upload and disperse their music, quickly and easily.  There are currently two types of accounts: producers and labels, which both include a free basic account and several Pro accounts that range from $126 to $767.  Of course with a Pro account one is provided with additional uploads, support, and in the Pro Standard and Pro Max accounts; branded drop-boxes.  This makes sense for labels, as prospective producers can simply drag and drop completed tracks into a desired label’s drop-box.

With a free account:

• You can send up to 5 tracks per month. Deleting tracks after you uploaded them will not affect this limit.
• Only the 10 latest uploaded tracks are shown. Older tracks are saved, but hidden as long as you don’t upgrade to a PRO account.
• You can create 3 sets. If you downgrade from a PRO account, older sets will be saved but hidden.
• Your contact lists can contain max 20 users in total. You can still have an unlimited amount of followers, and you can follow up to 2000 people (this limit also exists for PRO accounts).
• Your DropBox only shows the latest 5 tracks. Older tracks are saved but hidden as long as you don’t upgrade to a PRO account.
• Basic stats works just like in the PRO Light account.

I have been using SoundCloud for about a month now, and have enjoyed many innovative functions.  The embeddable audio widget is both customizable to suit the color scheme of the site hosting, and supports embedding in email, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Twitter, Delicious, and StumbleUpon.  But perhaps the greatest feature that SoundCloud introduces is a time coded comment system.  To further explain, while listening to a track, one is able to leave a comment at a specific point during the song.  Sadly, comments can only be made by users.  One is also able to track the progress of both labels and artists that they like, introducing a social networking feel.  A user is also provided with schematics of total listens and comment amounts over time.

Like most start ups, bugs do exist.  The site, and at times the upload widget, are cumbersome at times.  There have been several instances where the site has been down for maintenance.  Furthermore, SoundCloud is somewhat obtuse in the explanation of what constitutes an upload.  Is it the act of placing a song into a drop-box, or is it simply uploading a personal track to your profile?

Ultimately, if you are a producer, SoundCloud is a fantastic medium for sharing your work.  The paradigm shift away from CDs has already begun, it is now just a question of where the pendulum will end up.  SoundCloud will only become more relevant with time.

Check out my SoundCloud profile here.

-A. Greeman

Guest Blog Wednesday featuring Andrew Greeman – Why hello there…

// January 28th, 2009 // View Comments // Guest Blog

Hi.  My name is Andrew Greeman.  Some of you might know me, others may not.  So, perhaps a quick introduction is in order.  I am 22 and live in the frigid city that is Duluth, MN.  I met David at UMD, where we were both Management Information Systems majors.  I have since graduated from UMD.  During the day I am an IT Intern at IKONICS Corporation, which specializes in photo chemical etching.  But at night, I am an aspiring DJ/Producer in a group named Arsenal, or alone as Peruvian White.

I look forward to offering my reviews and opinions on the current state of technology, music, art, and anything that I find interesting.

Check me out at:

http://www.myspace.com/arsenalbangs

http://soundcloud.com/peruvianwhite

Enjoy