Computer Support Blog

As technology companies try to homogenize virtually all of their products, it is very easy to distinguish the professionals from the amateurs who simply enjoy the novelty of new gadgets.  A professional photographer does not want to take photographs on their smartphone.  A professional filmmaker does not want to rely upon a laptop computer to make their feature film.  In a similar vein, professional interviewers and musicians do not rely upon equipment that does eighteen different things; they utilize digital voice recorders.  One of the premiere digital voice recorders on the market is the TASCAM DR-100mk II. Read more »

Serious audiophiles know that the era of digital music has begun as a real mixed bag.  While digital music has made an immense library of music available in a way that virtually assures it will be accessible indefinitely, many times the basic audio files are not the highest possible quality.  When one does have a great system and appropriately dense music files, one frequently runs into the problem of having inadequate peripheral audio hardware.  Fortunately, companies like Klipsch exist to solve that problem.  One of the most impressive solutions to mediocre sound quality from digital music devices is the Lou Reed X10i Signature Edition Headphones. Read more »

Quite a few creative individuals find that the art they love and skills they develop through higher education are not immediately profitable.  As a result, the current generation of would-be playwrights, painters, and photographers have largely turned to the tech sector for income while they develop the craft they are passionate about in their spare time.  As such, they end up as bloggers, digital artists and software engineers while they work in their off-time toward their “big break.”  One such artist who is leading the dual life in the artistic and tech sectors is Michael Kaplan. Read more »

Despite the ongoing digital revolution, not all musical releases or even VHS videos have been transferred to the digital medium.  Not only is it disappointing to have to rebuy media one already has just to make it compatible with the latest technology, often consumers are forced to make a decision between upgrading and losing their beloved programs or recordings or keeping around old, outdated technology.  For those who have Apple mobile products with a screen, that is no longer a choice they have to make, thanks to the Cirago IPA8000 Composite AV Cable with USB. Read more »

Sometimes, new technologies require additional interactions with the company that produces them.  For mundane issues, virtually every company has a customer service department.  But for complex products, many companies have a department that focuses on the user experience with the product and they develop services that better meet the needs of customers utilizing their equipment.  In the case of Avid Technology, which makes quality audio and video production equipment, there is a Customer Success Department.  That department is headed by Jodi Sweeney! Read more »

With recent advances in computer technology – both industrial and personal computers – it has never been easier to use your computer to produce musical compositions.  The best musical tools for digital music production are flexible, versatile and have hardware that helps to eliminate noise.  It is a boon to find a system that has all of the important attributes of a great digital music recording tool that also is portable.  The Fast Track Ultra is one of the few audio interfaces that is portable and powerful! Read more »

No musical artist produces a track with the idea that the ideal format upon which it will be presented is a digital music player.  Digital music files often compress sounds, limiting the range and even editing out the richer tones of a composer’s work.  Musical artists today produce music to be heard over speakers at concerts and stereo systems and outside where the music can resonate and breathe.  While you cannot easily improve the quality of digital music files, you can easily upgrade from earbuds.  The Yamaha PDX-11 is one such speaker system that gets you closer to the sound the artists intended! Read more »

There is no denying that the Apple iPod is an iconic electronic device.  There is, however, some irony in the idea that Apple does not make some of the very best accessories for the iPod line of products.  In fact, some of the best manufacturers of iPod accessories are companies that traditionally manufacture stereo equipment.  Harman Kardon is a manufacturer of high-quality stereo devices and they have made some of the best iPod docks.  Their latest iPod dock, the Go + Play II, is one of the highest-quality iPod docks for audiophiles. Read more »

Since the fall of Napster, many legitimate digital music companies have sprouted up.  One of the most successful so far has been Spotify.  Spotify has a partnership with Facebook which allowed the company to easily promote its service and provide Facebook users with hours of free digital music each month.  The partnership between Spotify and Facebook was a great strategic move for Spotify; the digital music company attributes three million new subscribers to the Facebook connection.  Spotify is looking to build upon that by growth by spreading a similar Spotify widget throughout the Internet. Read more »

At one time, not that long ago, Internet users looking for a social media experience went immediately to MySpace. There, they could update their profile, post messages, and talk to their friends. The site was mainly a hit with teenagers, but featured a great space for independent musicians to get their music featured because of the large media section on the site.

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