There is more than one tablet coming out this year and two of them really got me interested. But first, here are the specs for the iPad. The ExoPC and the HP Slate are set to release in 2010. Both of them run Windows 7 and that is already saying a lot. It says that they will run FL Studio along with any other Windows App.

The ExoPC supports multitasking. It has an Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz processor, 2GB of DDR2 memory, a 32GB SSD, an SD card slot, WiFi and a 1.3 Webcam. No real specs on the HP Slate yet, but it has a camera as well.

So, already, the iPad is not the most appealing choice for a sampler or producer. The iPad does not look like it will stack up to these competitors. What is cool about this situation is that none of these devices is out yet, so there is an element of mystery…

Stay Tuned!

The processor runs at 1GHz, which will be plenty considering the dedicated manner in which the iPod Touch, iPhone and now the iPad run.  There is no word yet on exactly how much RAM the iPad has, hopefully this information will surface soon.

The iPad is essentially a big iPod Touch, which has had an impact on the way one can sample, record audio and make music on-the-go. We are very curious to see what will arise on the iPad in the next year or so! We will be on top of it.

FingerBeat is a virtual instrument designed for creativity & self-expression. Inspired by retro synthesizers & samplers, the development of FingerBeat was influenced by Dance Music & Pop Culture from the last decades.

Hopefully it records with the Alesis Pro Track XLR-MIC Support!?!?

Here is a short list of the FingerBeat features:
- Low latency pads
- 8 Pads/Channels with Volume, Balance Mixer + Mute functions
- 6 Pattern blocks per Kit
- 6 Themed Skins + User Photo option using iPhone camera or gallery.
- 16 Kits “x8 User”
- Built in sounds + kit templates
- 16bit 44Khz Sampler using internal microphone
- Demo Patterns
- Ability to use microphone* with external speaker source
* iPod Touch First Generation requires a peripheral microphone
to use sampling & singing functionalities

[Download FingerBeat ($3.99) via iTunes]

Drum Kits is the first programmable drum machine with 160 mixable tracks and a completely new approach to rhythm composition.

Check out more details here after watching the vid!

Drum Kits is the first programmable drum machine with 160 mixable tracks and a completely new approach to rhythm composition.

It allows you to compose beats and patterns by touching dots on the screen.

It turns your iPhone/iPod Touch into a drum sequencer and recording studio. This can be useful for single guitarist like my friend Dre who uses traditional drum machines to play along his string-picking melodies.

Just by tapping on the screen, you create a drum beat. You have 16 banks, up to 160 tracks, from 40 to 200 BPM. It contains 50 sample rhythms, such as hiphop, drum&bass, disco, jazz, salsa, merengue, techno, house, etc.
It has 16 different sampled drum kits on board, rock, techno, drum&bass, break beats, jazz, brush, hiphop and many more. It’s an easy to use music rhythm composition tool that let’s anyone create drum patterns.

The app is $3.99/2.99 EUR after a 3-day free trial period so go on ahead, download it and try it out!

I’ll have Mr. SB write up a simple review of this app so stay tuned for that!

As shown in the video, samples can be recorded directly into individual pads. Take a look!

The release of the latest OS update for the iPhone (OS 3.0) will further add to the advancement of the mobile music making scene as a number of new features have birthed into a pocket near you.  The iPhone/iPod Touch series continues to grow into becoming an integral component of the New Music Production Recording environment, found in todays Pro-Indie music studios across the globe- regardless of its miniature size.

As we’ve shown in our Alesis ProTrack Review Series, the possibilities are virtually unlimited, as you can for instance:

- record your band’s guitarist on the go while in your tour bus/van to then later listen to it before your live gig.

- record your friends’ vinyl record turntable with your iPod into a full .WAV file for sampling, or just to simply listen to it as you would an MP3.

- make music with the amazing Intua Beatmaker and NoiseIO applications while waiting for a movie to begin or while on the road to your live gig.

3 POINT OH

Now with the release of the latest OS 3.0 for the iPhone, I am certain it will (and continue to) add value and inspiration to all of your musical works.  Amazingly enough, you can now record, edit and upload video…on the go with the new iPhone 3G S….Behind the Scenes/VIP Fan Videos anyone? Wow!!!

Additionally, you can also record Voice Notes and create a BackStage Music Journal for your Fans and Subscribers to listen to.

As mentioned, the possibilities are virtually unlimited.  Apple has done it again – it’s that simple!

There are a lot of “small” midi controllers, which you can fit in a backpack, but usually that will take up most, if not all of the space. KORG has made a valid effort to eliminate this problem. The Nano Series are ultra-portable and offer three layouts. Pads, keyboard and faders.

We would see this very useful for triggering in Reason on a laptop, since the qwerty keyboard cannot. Also adding some functionality on your desktop setup right in front of your standard keyboard. Maybe one of these can solve a kink in your work flow.

Sure no problem. The ProTrack Handheld Stereo Recorder for iPod. 2 Phantom Powered XLR inputs (16-bit, 44.1kHz). 2 cardioid condenser microphones. 2g Touch compatible. Two legs running to the store. 

Alesis (click specs) has seemed to answer a prayer, ours. This will make you forget all about a phone or VOIP mic for use with ipod, or possibly even adapter cables of any kind. This could be it.

Plug your 1/4 inch and XLR studio cables and record into ipod with iprorecorder,Hopefully other apps are or will be compatible with this as well. 

It’s sells for $234.99 Canadian downtown Toronto at Moog Audio.

Definitely worth some research in comparison with what you are looking for in a recording device for the ipod Touch 2g. If this works the way it says, we can spend time recording and not time finding out how to record (works with other ipod models, check Alesis link and click specs).

We will have more when we can get our hands on one.