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Onyx Ashanti has sent us over a demo of his beatjazz controller, and we have to marvel at the direction he’s taken with this custom electronic music machine following more modest efforts. Onyx’s 3D-printed interface receives inputs from a voice / breath-operated synth in the headgear, while the two handheld controls incorporate accelerometers, joysticks and pressure-sensitive buttons. Using this kit and his own software, Onyx is able to create live digital music with an amount of control you would only expect from desktop-based production software. We’ve embedded two videos for your attention after the break — a demo of his latest flashy build complete with lightsaber-like effects, and an earlier live performance that really shows what the beatjazz controller can do.

Continue reading Onyx Ashanti’s beatjazz music machine does everything, looks good too (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Wearables

Onyx Ashanti’s beatjazz music machine does everything, looks good too (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner is the hottest bird in aviation, and while the American-made airliner has already taken flight with passengers aboard, it has yet to land with US-flag air carrier livery along the fuselage. Japan’s All Nippon Airways was the first to take delivery, with the premier pair making their way from the assembly line in September of 2011. Last year Japan Airlines made its first scheduled voyage across the Pacific in a Dreamliner of its own, and we were fortunate enough to fly roundtrip on a domestic ANA flight leaving from Tokyo a few months later. But now the 787 is making its way to an American carrier. As the first US airline to operate the plane, United Airlines is about to take delivery of its first of 50 Dreamliners, which will join the carrier’s fleet to service both existing and new routes, such as Denver to Tokyo, which is set to launch in late March of next year.

We traveled to Boeing’s Everett, Washington factory today for a first look at United’s aircraft. While the Dreamliner looks physically identical to ANA’s plane, the on-board experience is decidedly different from what we saw in Japan. Though the Dreamliner has a very similar layout to United’s bigger 777, it feels roomier thanks to larger windows with dimmable shades, expanded overheard bins and higher ceilings. There’s plenty more to see, though, so jump past the break for a video tour of United’s new mid-size flagship, and a closer look in photos.

Continue reading Boeing prepares to deliver United’s 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour (video)

Filed under: Transportation

Boeing prepares to deliver United’s 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While its austere naming structure may not endear itself to alliteration fans, KDE 4.9 has arrived with a raft of improvements designed to impress Linux users. It’s the first release since the formation of the KDE Quality team, tasked with improving the overall slickness of the desktop environment. You’ll find changes to Plasma Workspaces, the application stack, the Dolphin file manager and Okular, which can now save and print PDF files. If you’re eager to upgrade, the source code is available at the source link and is dedicated to Claire Lotion — a KDE contributor who passed away earlier this year.

Filed under: Software

KDE 4.9 arrives, wants to show off its stability originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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