Avid has revamped its M-Audio Oxygen collection of USB-attached MIDI controllers. Each keyboard features DirectLink technology, which maps controls to production suites including Pro Tools, Cubase, Reason, Logic and GarageBand. Models are divided into 25-, 49- and 61-key versions.
iSkin has launched new ProTouch keyboard protectors for the MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The skins come in three different forms: the Classic, FX and Vibes. Each is made of silicone and designed to prevent dust, food, liquids and hairs from affecting a keyboard, along with general wear. They can also be used to diminish typing noise, and make cleaning easier through handwashing.
KB Covers has launched the ClearSkin Ultra-Clear Keyboard Cover for the Mac. The new keyboard cover is made of 0.1mm clear plastic and is designed to protect the user’s keyboard from dust, dirt and spills. ClearSkin fits tightly against the laptop and still allows the lighting from backlit-keys to come through. As the cover gets dirty users can simply peel the plastic off their Mac and wash it with soap and water before placing it back on.
KB Covers has introduced its KB Keyboards, a new line of application keyboards based on Apple’s aluminum designs. The series displays shortcut keys for Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pro Tools and Media Composer. A special Midnight Keyboard utilizes black keys, and is meant to resemble the new MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards. With the exception of the Midnight model, each keyboard combines icons and colors to help users find shortcuts.
Complementing Apple's new desktops is a new wired keyboard option. Simply called the Apple Keyboard, the device is a cheaper alternative to the existing wired model; gone is the numeric keypad, which does however provide the benefit of a smaller size. The design is modeled after Apple's aluminum wireless keyboard, which has always omitted the keypad.
Some users attempting to download and install the Mac OS X 10.5.6 update are are running into critical errors, discussions on Apple's support forums reveal. The most common problem consists of crashing or hanging, whether in the middle of an install or immediately thereafter. The crashes may be accompanied by kernel panics, though the contents of these panics can vary.
iKey has unveiled its latest rugged keyboard, the BT-87-TP, which offers wireless connection using Bluetooth. The keyboard is fully sealed and meets NEMA 4X specifications that require resistance from water, dirt, dust, ice, and corrosives. Designed for industrial use, the silicone covering allows the device to be submerged and disinfected. A touchpad has been integrated into the ABS polycarbonate case to offer an alternative to a standard mouse.
Corallo Software has updated VirtualKeyboard to version 3.5, adding numerous upgrades, including Spaces compatibility, a Universal Access zoom button and support for non-Roman alphabets such as Cyrillic. The software's main aim is to provide a point-and-click keyboard interface for users with disabilities; it can also be used as a teaching tool, however, and for kiosks. With VirtualKeyboard running, mouse-clicking on keys will send the keystroke to the active application. It handles Shift, Command and other modifier keys as well.
Dell company executives announced the re-design of keyboards for the new Latitude notebook. The new keyboards offer backlit keys, enhanced tactile feel, new key spacing and other features. The new Latitude project began two years ago with the engineers and designers first focused on developing a world-class keyboard. All aspects were considered and improved to offer better feel and usability.
M-Audio has released two new digital keyboards with built-in audio interfaces for songwriters and performers. The ProKeys Sono 61 and ProKeys Sono 88 are designed for keyboard artists who write, record and/or perform their music. They are compatible with MME and Mac OS X Core MIDI and require a minimum of a 1GHz G4-based Mac with 512MB RAM and a native USB port and are compatible with Mac OS X 10.3.9 and higher. The two keyboards differ primarily in the number of keys available, the 61-key ProKeys Sono 61 retails for $450 and the 88-key ProKeys Sono 88 retails for $550.
iSkin today announced its ProTouch silicone keyboard covers are now using Microban antimicrobial protection, which helps to inhibit odor and stains from surfacing on the products from sweat and dust. The Protouch line of protectors for the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air, as well as for the aluminum and older model Apple keyboards all contain the protective substance. ProTouch skins are available ranging from $25 to $35, depending on the model.
IK Multimedia has announced the release of SampleTron, the second virtual instrument to be released from the Sonik Instruments range. SampleTron is a virtual instrument workstation featuring the a complete collection of authentic 'Tron' and other vintage keyboards instrument samples. The library includes 17 rare instrument sounds, together with a "Powered by SampleTank" engine, offering sample-based virtual instrument plug-in for every popular DAW and also as a standalone application for Macs The Tron anthology includes 2 GB of sounds, 640 presets and 260 multi-samples from 17 Mellotrons, Chamberlins , and their derivatives like the Optigan , Rhythmaster and more.
Apple has today officially been granted several patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office, among them two for some long-standing technologies. Of these the most important is Touch pad for handheld device; while its wording refers broadly to a "pocket sized handheld computing device," it is illustrated specifically with an image of the first/second-generation iPod, which had a manual control wheel with rim-mounted buttons. The patent application is more recent than that player, however, having only been submitted in March of 2006.
M-Audio today unveiled two new portable digital pianos, as well as a rack-mountable 8 x 8 audio MIDI interface. The Fast Track Ultra 8R features an MX Core DSP mixer and eight Octane-enabled preamps, and delivers connectivity through a single USB 2.0 connector. M-Audio advertises that the Ultra 8R low-noise, high-gain preamplification, and near-zero latency. M-Audio is selling the Fast Track Ultra 8R for $650, and will be available during the second quarter.
Apple recently won eight iF Product Design Awards at the CeBIT 2008 show in Hanover, Germany, out of nine products that were submitted for consideration. Out of 2771 products shown at the conference, 821 of them were considered for the awards, according to SetteB.IT. Apple's iPod nano, Classic, and Touch were among the winners, as well as the iPhone and Bluetooth headset. The standard USB and Bluetooth keyboards, and Apple's aluminum iMac also won accolades.
Anyone who uses a computer should learn to type, but not everyone has the time to learn. To teach typing, Ten Thumbs Typing Tutor offers a self-paced program that guides users from learning proper finger placement to measuring typing speed and accuracy. While designed for beginners, the program can also help intermediate typists improve their skills as well. Multiple users can create their own accounts and the program tracks the progress of each person. Ten Thumbs Typing tutor can even adapt to different keyboard layouts (such as the Dvorak layout), as well as foreign language keyboards.
A second Apple patent application, published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office, shows a new keyboard design that may change how some future Macs operate. Each key in the new layout has multiple OLED lights, which are tied to application-specific integrated circuits; the lights can form symbols specific to a command, and may in some cases be animated, across individual individual keys as well as whole groups. An unspecified form of tactile feedback may also be present.
