Gary Noble Show

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Browse the Instagram Universe with Instagallery for iPad

When it comes to iPhone photography, some folks are Hipstamatics while others are Instagrammers. For the latter bunch there’s now a new app for iPad called Instagallery (iTunes link) that lets users do all kinds of fun stuff with the Instagram API.

Users can view all Instagram photos as a gallery on the iPad, see popular photos, or sign in to to see photos from those people they follow. They can view their own photos, “like” photos, read and add comments, see what users their friends follow, and more.

Instagallery was developed by InfinitApps, costs $1.99 and is available in the iTunes App Store.

Bruce Allen On Concert Promotion

I've been saying the same thing for years. In the US, without Don Fox's committment and belief I would not have broken BTO, Bryan Adams, Loverboy or Michael Buble. The same can be said for promoters around the world.

The problem is there seems to be an agency vs promoter battle. It is all about control. The agency wants to be the go to entity, but I've always believed that the person INVESTING the MONEY should have a large say in ticket price, imaging, ad spend and where to play.

However, too many managers have one mantra. GET THE MONEY!!!

I get it. We are all percentage guys. The big guarantees are tempting, but if it leads to empty seats and papering, what is it doing to an act's longevity as a major attraction?

I view my promoters as partners. If they make money, then my act will be making money. Just like the label, they are part of the team.

I do not believe that my artists' money should hinge on parking fees and concession sales. Those are false indicators.

My road staff and the promoter go over seating charts with a fine tooth comb. We try to scale the house correctly for the MARKET. Not the nation.

When you have a promoter as a partner, you know where to be on a tuesday night to maximize ticket sales. The Saturdays take care of themselves.

I talk to my promoters all the time. I'm always surprised how many managers don't. The promoter is investing in you and hopefully investing in the future. I know this sounds "old school" and it probably is. But is there anything wrong with all parties winning?

Bruce Allen

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Bob,

The only reason I have been able to stay in this business for over 40 years is because of the relationships I have with managers that believe in me.

Most of the agents today only talk to promoters for two reasons:

1. To get the biggest guarantee possible.
2. If there is a problem with the show, they can blame the promoter.

I really feel like promoters are treated like second class citizens.
Basically we've become the Rodney Dangerfields of the business...We get no respect!

Things have got to change if we all want to keep our business thriving.

Don Fox
Beaver Productions
New Orleans/Memphis

Time Warner Cable Says Sure To Cable TV on Your Tablet? New iPad App

Time Warner Cable is pushing the envelope on video and making some TV networks uncomfortable in the process. The cable provider's new iPad app allows subscribers to watch live shows -- much as they do on TV -- at no extra charge as long as they do it at home using a cable modem authorized by Time Warner Cable.

The plan is to also enable other tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy, and ultimately any device with a screen, such as a laptop or a phone.

The question is whether Time Warner's current agreements with cable networks permit this capability, and how ugly that will make the next round of carriage negotiations with the networks.

Time Warner Cable execs argue that their current deals with cable networks cover the capability because the app doesn't receive video over the public internet. The gatekeeper in this case is the wireless modem, which allows Time Warner to make sure that content is streaming to devices in the home of a cable subscriber.

The notion here is that now that TVs have internet connections and computer chips, increasingly there is little difference between devices. But Time Warner Cable's app has taken things a step further by providing live TV, which erases the difference between traditional TV and devices like tablet computers.

Comcast's Xfinity iPad app streams TV to subscribers -- but only includes individual shows on demand. Comcast has a slightly different stake in all this than Time Warner Cable. Comcast owns a large stable of cable networks, while Time Warner Cable is a pipe to the home. But Comcast still believes it has all the rights Time Warner is asserting right now. "Our rights cover any device in the home and we want to be on all of them," said spokesman Alex Dudley.

But the networks might not see it that way, wanting to control distribution outside of the traditional TV with separate agreements for "TV Everywhere" services letting cable subscribers log in and access content via the internet. Networks also want to distribute content to as many different paying distributors as possible, as well as directly to the consumer.

CNN Worldwide Names BET's Janet Rolle as New CMO

CNN Worldwide has tapped BET executive Janet Rolle as its new exec VP-chief marketing officer, filling the vacancy created last fall when Exec VP-CMO Scot Safon was assigned to run CNN sibling HLN.

Janet Rolle

Ms. Rolle has been exec VP-CMO of BET Networks since 2007. BET enjoyed its best ratings year ever in 2010. Ms. Rolle will join CNN later this month.

At BET, Kendrick Reid, senior VP-executive creative director for brand strategy, will oversee Ms. Rolle's duties while a formal executive search is conducted for her replacement.

CNN took the time necessary to find the right person for a key leadership role, CNN President Jim Walton said in a staff memo. "Janet's years of experience, her intelligence and her enthusiasm to be part of CNN convince me that she will make important contributions here as a thought-leader, innovator and steward of the CNN brand," he said.

CNN is struggling to regain ratings momentum following years of challenged prime-time ratings that ultimately led to the departure of CNN U.S. chief Jon Klein last September. New prime-time programs such as "Parker vs. Spitzer," recently rebranded as "In the Arena" after co-host Kathleen Parker left, and "Piers Morgan Tonight" have posted modest gains in their respective time slots, but CNN often ranks third to competitors Fox News and MSNBC in key dayparts and demos, and occasionally even trails sibling network HLN.

BET, meanwhile, recently celebrated its highest-rated original series debut ever with the premiere of "The Game," a former CW sitcom that relaunched on BET in January with 7.7 million viewers. Subsequent episodes have averaged 3.7 million to 4 million total viewers, thanks to a high volume of Twitter and Facebook activity.

'The Other White Meat' Finally Cedes Its Place in the Pen The National Pork Board has just hoofed out a new tagline

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It’s a little difficult to talk about pigs—we mean the literal ones—as big business, until you consider that pork cranked sales of $97 billion in this country last year and added nearly $35 billion to the GNP. Much of that has to do with dining public’s positive image about pork, which in turn, has a lot to do with a famous tagline—“Pork: The Other White Meat.” The five-word phrase was among the most successful rebranding moves in the history of the food biz.

Well, it looks like the pork folks are finally confident that, after 24 years, Americans have gotten the message because the National Pork Board has just hoofed out a new tagline. From here on out, it’s going to be: “Pork: Be Inspired.”

Yeah, we know. Doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it? (And do we really want to know who finds inspiration in swine?) But after a few minutes on the phone with the Pork Board’s PR guy, the strategy became clearer. Tagline No. 1—a creation of Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt, by the way—had basically been about reversing the public’s perception of pork as a slime-loving animal that eats trash and gives you trichinosis. With those myths dispelled, “we’re going toward a new target of people,” the spokesperson said. And who’s that? Home chefs, basically—or at least the 82 million Americans who slap a fresh chop in the pan each week. (As it turns out, that’s 28 percent of our citizenry.)

Time will tell if “Be Inspired” ends up inspiring as many people as the first tagline did. One thing’s certain: Plenty of restaurants and grocery stores fattened up their margins on that little marketing gambit.

ARC-1.1 Analog Recording Channel

The ARC1.1 is a outboard channel strip combining a mic/line preamp, equaliser, compressor and limiter in one box. It has primarily been designed for recording and processing the human voice and sports a host of features that have been inspired by suggestions from audio professionals from around the globe. The ARC includes tried and trusted elements from other Buzz Audio products plus some new innovations specifically developed for this unit. Whilst aimed at vocal recording and processing, the ARC is a useful tool for all sorts of recording and mixing applications. With all the connection and routing options available, the ARC may be used as a seperate Mic Preamp, DI Box, Equaliser and Compressor/Limiter (optionally with sidechain EQ), all at the same time.

http://www.buzzaudio.com/products/arc1.1.htm#comp

Spike TV Inks Tattoo Competition Series Six-episode InkMasters set to air this summer

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Spike TV is about to become the network with the dragon tattoo.

Pushing the contest show format into more, shall we say, esoteric, subject matter, Viacom's Spike has picked up the first-ever tattoo competition series, titled InkMasters. The six-episode order will feature five one-hour semifinal rounds, each of which will focus on different tattoo genres, plus a one-hour championship finale.

Set to air over the summer, InkMasters is produced by Original Media and Charlie Corwin is executive producer of the series. Original Media also produces Miami Ink, LA Ink, The Rachel Zoe Project, The Gayle King Show, Storm Chasers and BBQ Pitmasters.

InkMasters was one of two pickups at Spike; the other is Car Boss, an eight-episode series in which consultant Tom Stuker gives advice to ailing dealerships across the country. Scheduled to premiere ini 2012, Car Boss is created and developed by Vem Miller in association with Vem’s Sweatshop Media and produced by Ben Silverman’s multimedia studio Electus.

Photoshop Express 2.0 Introduces New Camera Pack In-App Purchase

Adobe’s Photoshop Express application for iOS has been recently updated to version 2.0, and introduces a brand new camera pack available through an in-app purchase. The camera pack costs $3.99, and for that you get three great features that promise to deliver professional results and better photos, including noise reduction, a self timer, and an auto review mode.

Find out more about these features after the break!

Reduce Noise

The iPhone’s camera certainly isn’t a bad one, but sometimes it will produce images that are grainy and full of little speckles, called “noise.” The noise reduction feature in Adobe’s new camera pack will smooth out these imperfections and provide flawless photos every time.

Self Timer

When you’re snapping a photo that you’d like to be a part of, use the self timer function to delay your camera’s shutter by 3 or 10 seconds, giving you time to run around and join the picture before it’s captured.

Auto Review

The auto review feature lets you to check out your photo after it’s snapped, allowing you to instantly delete any images you’re unhappy with without clogging up your device’s camera roll. It also means you can enjoy your photo before it disappears, and you don’t need to switch back and forth between the camera and your photo library before you get a shot you’re happy with.

Photoshop Express 2.0 for iOS remains a free application with access all of the features it previously had before the update, but now you can choose to enhance your Photoshop experience with this in-app purchase.

Latest MacUpdate Bundle: $50 for Parallels, 1Password, Civilization IV, App Tamer And More

The latest MacUpdate Bundle is just an insanely good deal. For $50, you get Parallels, 1Password, App Tamer, Divvy, TechTool Pro 5, Civilization IV, DVDRemaster Pro 7, and a handful of others. This is actually one of the best bundles I’ve seen in a while: the Windows VM machine Parallels and the incredible password manager 1Password are indispensable on my Mac, while App Tamer helps stretch my MacBook Air’s battery to iPad-like levels, and Civilization IV remains the best iteration of Sid Meier’s classic strategy game. Get get get!

Neve 5032 Mic Pre / Equalizer

The Neve 5032 is a mic pre / equalizer from the Neve Portico series of modules. It is a well built unit with a great sound and can be mounted horizontally or vertically in the optional frame. It retails for approximately $1800 and is worth every penny. I had the pleasure of working with the 5032 while working with Amy Winehouse and Salaam Remi at GeeJam Studios on the island of Jamaica. I had access to 16 channels of the 5032 that was housed in a Neve Portico 5088 console. Which is a great sounding console with tons of headroom. I used the 5032 to record drums, percussion, live bass, piano, vocals and both electric and acoustic guitar. The 5032 came through with flying colours no matter what I threw at it. I also used the equalizer section on mix down and even though its only a 3 band (low and high shelving with a variable mid-band) I was able to enhance the signal in a pleasing way. The unit is fairly easy to use and I especially like the silk function that seems to add a subtle vintage sheen to the signal.
Many thanks to the GeeJam www.geejamstudios.com staff especially Jon Baker (owner/general manager), Dale "Dizzle" Virgo (producer/engineer) and Tandra (engineer) for showing me a great time.

For further info check the website http://rupertneve.com/products/portico-5032/
The 5032 can be purchased at Sweetwater Sound for $1795 http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/5032PreEQH/

XILS- Lab introduces The PolyKB II Player

Much more than a simple player, this virtual instrument is also a fully featured real synth.

Eight fully customizable parameters that you can select, including ,ADSR values, Filter Cut Off and resonance, etc.

These parameters can also receive full automation via midi CC. In addition of all the real times controls already contained in the preset are made available to controllers present on the User Interface (I.e. the original Mod Wheel, After Touch, Velocity, LFO and envelope modulation assignments)
The PolyKB II Player ships with the same acclaimed 250 hi quality preset library as the original PolyKB II.
Its also fully compatible with our Analog Bags 1 & 2 Add On sound banks, as well as 3rd party sound sets.

Important to notice : the PolyKB II Player is protected with a serial number, no USB dongle required !

Until April 30th : Special launch offer !!!!

Equinox Sounds Releases 'Electro House MIDI Chords'

Equinox Sounds has released 'Electro House MIDI Chords', a downloadable collection that includes 30 MIDI chord progressions and melodies perfect for producers of Electro House, Minimal, Tech House and more...

'Electro House MIDI Chords' includes 30 MIDI chord progressions and melodies. This MIDI pack is perfect for producers of Electro House, Minimal, Tech House and more... These ear-catching melodies will make your tunes really stand out from the crowd.

You will also get the melodies in WAV and Apple Loops formats.

As these patterns are supplied in MIDI format, they will provide you with as much flexibility as possible. You can edit and transpose them, assign any sound you want and get your own and original melodic lines. The editing possibilities are endless as you can play the performances at any tempo or pitch without artefacts.

You can use these MIDI files as a jumping-off point to start your own track or base your production entirely around them as they are 100% royalty free!!.

Features:

• 30 MIDI Chord Progressions & Melodies
• 30 WAV Chord Progressions & Melodies
• 30 Apple Loops Chord Progressions & Melodies

Price and Availability:

'Electro House MIDI Chords' is currently available for $19.95 as a download. More information and demo available from the Equinox Sounds website: Equinox Sounds Royalty Free Products.

http://www.equinoxsounds.com/products.htm

Google revamps iOS search app

Google’s gone gesture-happy with a big revamp of its search app for the iPhone and iPad.

Previously known as Google Mobile App, the new and improved Google Search still offers quick ways to forage through the Web with your thumbs, voice, or camera. But new gestures bring flexibility to your search and the app’s interface: you can now swipe to the right to filter your search results for types of data like images, news, and discussions. A downward swipe will bring you back to the main search area with access to voice search and Google Goggles.

If you use other Google iOS apps, such as Google Voice orGoogle Translate, a large Apps button at the bottom of the main search area will let you quickly find and switch to those, as well as provide direct access some of Google’s Web services, like Google Reader or Gmail. You can rearrange and customize which apps appear in this list.

Google says it also made improvements other parts of the app, including Search with My Location, Gmail’s unread count, and more. The Google Goggles feature also now supports the iPhone 3G and iPod touch (Google is unspecific about which iPod touch, but I believe Google means the fourth-generation model, since Goggles requires a camera). And for those who find themselves confused by the new layout, Google even provides a handy help overlay to assist users in discovering all the features.

Google Search is available now in the App Store for the usual price of Google products. It’s a universal app that requires iOS 3.0 or later.