News from the web

Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson) I love October. As an avid baker and Halloween reveler, I usually spend the whole month whipping up my favorite fall desserts and packing in as many gnarly sci-fi and horror flicks as possible. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Things tend to be a bit out of focus for my kids. (credit: Baruk Feddabonn) I have to admit that my only experience of dyslexia is via family members. My youngest daughter has just started high school, and she's struggling with all the reading associated with three languages, an issue that bleeds over into all the other subjects. ...   Ars Technica

Gran Turismo Sport is a great racing game. What it's not is a simple PS4 port of the last GT game. Almost everything about this latest release is different from every game that has come before it in the series. There are way fewer selectable cars than the competition (and previous GT games). There aren't many tracks. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / A Los Angeles police officer wear an AXON body camera during the Immigrants Make America Great March to protest actions being taken by the Trump administration on February 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Jack Dorsey, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twitter. (credit: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg) As the public learns more about confirmed Russian troll accounts on social media platforms over the past few years, reporters have begun digging into any ties the sham accounts may have with major political or tech voices. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / A hyperloop test track built outside SpaceX headquarters. (credit: Megan Geuss) On Thursday, Maryland officials gave Elon Musk’s Boring Company permission to dig a 10.1-mile tunnel “beneath the state-owned portion of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, between the Baltimore city line and Maryland 175 in Hanover,î according to the Baltimore Sun. ...   Ars Technica

Google Earth For almost a century, aerial photographers have been documenting mysterious, millennia-old structures built from low walls of stone in the rocky lava fields, known as harrat, in Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. This desert region, blistered with volcanic mounds, is nearly devoid of life. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / HeLa cells, long after it was apparent they were trying to take over the world. (credit: Tom Deerinck/NIH) Normally, news involves something that is, as the name implies, new. But this week, attention was given to a problem in biology that is anything but new. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Protesters shout slogans against US President Donald Trump during a demonstration in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), also known as the Dream Act, near the Trump Tower in New York on October 5, 2017. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | Scott Olson) Verizon’s long-rumored live TV streaming service appears to be having some issues. Bloomberg reported this past March that the telecom giant was planning to launch an online TV service that would ostensibly compete with the likes of Dish’s Sling TV and AT&T’s DirecTV Now over the summer. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Ethanol Plant, Milton, Wisconsin. (Photo by Education Images/UIG via Getty Images) (credit: Getty Images) In an October 19 letter to corn-belt lawmakers, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt said that he won’t seek any rollback to biofuel blending rules, according to Reuters. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge (credit: International Fund for Animal Welfare) Why are humans so smart? We must have evolved in an environment that made more intelligent individuals likely to survive. ...   Ars Technica

How much will the second flight of the Space Launch System and Orion spacecraft cost? We don't know. (credit: NASA) This week, the US Government Accountability Office reported on progress the space agency is making to prepare the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, and launch systems at Kennedy Space Center for future missions. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge (credit: Thomas Trutschel / Getty Images) In the beginning of 2017, Twitter said it would take on harassment and hate speech. CEO Jack Dorsey said the company would embrace a 'completely new approach to abuse on Twitter' with open dialogue along the way. For months, though, the company has offered few details about what it would do, or when. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge (credit: Aurich / Thinkstock / Taito) Developers that want to stop cheaters in their Windows games are getting a little additional system-level help from Microsoft via TruePlay, a new API being rolled out through Windows 10's Fall Creators Update. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Bed bug feeding on a human. (credit: Getty | VW Pics) British Airways has apologized to a Canadian family who reported being feasted upon by a pack of bedbugs during an overnight flight from Vancouver to London earlier this month, CTV Vancouver reported. Szilagyi posted pictures of bites on her daughter's calves on Twitter. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge (credit: Oliver Morris/Getty Images)) In response to an Ars report on a court hearing in New York on October 17, New York City and New York City Police Department officials attempted to clarify the nature of the issues surrounding a lawsuit filed by the nonprofit legal defense organization Bronx Defenders. ...   Ars Technica

(credit: PROUnknownNet Photography) As the trend of backyard flock tending skyrocketed in recent years, so has deadly infections, the Associated Press reports. Since 2015, the number of Salmonella infections from contact with backyard poultry has quadrupled across the nation. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Matthias Müller, CEO of Volkswagen, at the Volkswagen Preview Night prior to the 2017 Frankfurt Auto Show. (credit: Sean Gallup | Getty Images) Well, this one will certainly set the cat among the pigeons. Via the Daily Kanban, we came across this video of Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller ripping Tesla during a panel discussion on the future of the automotive industry. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Marcus Hutchins, security researcher for Kryptos Logic. In May, he registered a domain name that neutralized the WCry ransomware worm. In August, he was charged with developing malware called Kronos. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Amazon's campus in South Lake Union, Seattle. (credit: Joel Rogers / Getty Images) Cities around the country are pulling out all the stops to entice Amazon to set up its second headquarters in their area. The online retail giant is taking proposals from around North America, and today's the deadline. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos. (credit: Dave Maass) Facebook is Struggling to live up to the responsibility it faces for adequately securing the vast amount of personal information it amasses, the social network's top security executive said in a leaked phone call with company employees. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / A New Caledonian crow uses a serrated leaf edge to pull grubs out of a hole in a log. (credit: Mark Sibley) Crows share an interesting set of behaviors with humans: they like to play, and they often use tools. We know that humans play to learn. When toddlers knock over a pile of blocks, they're developing the ability to build and measure objects in the real world. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / An officer demonstrates Axon Citizen, a new Web portal to submit data to police. (credit: Axon) Axon, the company formerly known as Taser, either wants to encourage helpful citizens or snitches—depending on how you feel about talking to police—to come forward. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / A Lyft-branded car picks up a passenger in San Francisco on June 20, 2015. (credit: Ramin Talaie | Getty Images) In September, we found out that Alphabet was possibly about to invest in the ride-hailing company Lyft. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / Droplets of a gallium/indium alloy. (credit: Collin Ladd, NC State University) The discovery of graphene—a one-atom-thick sheet of covalently bonded carbon atoms—inspired the research community to generate a variety of 2D materials. ...   Ars Technica

The 2014 Mac Mini. (credit: Andrew Cunningham) More than 1,000 days have passed since Apple updated its Mac mini hardware. Since then, Apple has launched the Apple Watch, AirPods, the retina MacBook, and the Touch Bar MacBook Pro. Meanwhile, the Mac mini has existed in a state of arrested development. ...   Ars Technica

Enlarge / SANTA ROSA, CA -OCTOBER 14: The ruins of houses destroyed by the Tubbs Fire are seen near Fountaingrove Parkway on October 14, 2017 in Santa Rosa, California. At least 40 people are confirmed dead with hundreds still missing. Officials expect the death toll to rise and now estimate that 5,700 structures have been destroyed. ...   Ars Technica

Greetings, Arsians! Courtesy of our friends at TechBargains, we have another round of deals to share. Today's list includes the usual slew of PC and laptop discounts, including savings on a Dell XPS Tower desktop, several Dell laptops, and even a Star Wars-themed Lenovo notebook. ...   Ars Technica

Blue Origin New space company Blue Origin has spent the better part of this decade developing a powerful rocket engine for use in its orbital rocket, New Glenn, and potentially other US-based launchers. ...   Ars Technica

Resomonics has released another update to its flagship library for Kontakt, Reflection. Version 1.7 is free for existing owners and contains updates to the filters for both the Layers page and [Read More]   KVR Audio

FXpansion has released three new Geist Expanders: Geist Expander: Modular Drums is a set of percussive content that takes advantage of the complex, diverse and often unpredictable nature of modular [Read More]   KVR Audio

ocenaudio, the free audio editor application for macOS, Windows, and Linux, has been updated to v3.3. Changes in v3.3.0: Add shortcut configuration for canvas. Fix UI for hiDPI on Windows. Fix [Read More]   KVR Audio

LoopLords has announced the release of Replikator, a plugin instrument inspired by the sound of Blade Runner's soundtrack originally composed by Vangelis. The VST/AU plugin instrument features [Read More]   KVR Audio

Rast Sound has announced the release of Inca Spirit Vocals, a new sample library for Kontakt and WAV, as the 5th installment of their World Vocals series. The library provides colorful and deep [Read More]   KVR Audio

Heavyocity Media has released Intimate Textures, a small ensemble strings virtual instrument, and the first installment in their NOVO Packs line. Intimate Textures is designed to combine the [Read More]   KVR Audio

AudioThing has updated Outer Space to version 1.1.0. New features/fixes: Added: Volume/Pan for each head. Added: Low/Hi Cut for feedback section. Added: Ducking. Added: Pre-Emphasis. Added: Rate [Read More]   KVR Audio

Numerical Audio has updated Italizer to version 1.1.0 including various improvements and a dedicated AUv3 Tape Echo unit. What's new: Tape Echo can now be used as a separate AUv3 effect independently [Read More]   KVR Audio

NUGEN Audio has announced a dither update for ISL 2st, its intelligent look-ahead brick-wall limiter that provides transparent true-peak limiting for all stereo and mono content, alongside a [Read More]   KVR Audio

Hora Music has announced that its first software, Treasure, an emulation of the famous Roland TR808 in VCV Rack modules, will be released in November 2017. It includes: All the TR808 drum sounds [Read More]   KVR Audio

Intua has updated BeatMaker 2 to v2.6.4. Changes since 2.6.2: Dropbox is back. Added Bluetooth MIDI support. Fixed iPhone 8/8+ UI glitches. Compatibility with iOS11. Older (32-bits) iPad/iPhones/iPod [Read More]   KVR Audio

solar3d-software has updated VCommander, the software editor/librarian for the Access Music's 'Virus' synthesizer product line, to version 4.0.4. They've added a useful feature to lock patches [Read More]   KVR Audio

Avid has updated Pro Tools to v12.8.2. An extensive list of what's changed is available in the Avid Knowledge Base at avid.force.com/pkb/articles/readme/Pro-Tools-12-8-2-Release-Notes [Read More]   KVR Audio

Audio Helper Project has updated Samplism to version 1.1.0. New Features: Added [Expand All] and [Collapse All] menus in the Library List view, the Tag List view and the Audio Unit List view. [Read More]   KVR Audio

SampleScience has announced the release of Thales Model I version 1.2.1. The updated version includes new features: LP/HP filter. Glide control for mono and legato modes. Revamped GUI. LFO waveform [Read More]   KVR Audio

NuSpace Audio has updated Muze to version 1.1.7. Maintenance Fixes: Added early modulation, balanced left and right reflection density, and improved performance to the Velvet Reverb. H-Mod will [Read More]   KVR Audio

Dmitry Sches has announced the release of Thorn, a new software synthesizer plug-in for macOS and Windows. Thorn is described as a modern synthesizer that is flexible and easy to use. The sound [Read More]   KVR Audio

Tritik has updated their free bitcrusher plugin Krush to v1.1.1. Changes: Fixed: wet/dry parameters not correctly recalled when linked. Fixed: automation of certain parameters not working in [Read More]   KVR Audio

XLN Audio has announced the release of the Boutique Mallets ADpak for Addictive Drums 2. Boutique Mallets is the first ADpak played with both felt mallets and sticks and is described as the perfect [Read More]   KVR Audio

Zero-G has announced the release of Ethera Soundscapes 2.0 – a major update to the original which delivers an extra 6GB of new content and new features. Packaging three instruments in one, [Read More]   KVR Audio

Vengeance Sound has updated VPS Avenger to v1.2.5. Added: Progress bar for function 'publish expansion'. Fixed: ARP muting itself on touching notes. Minor issue on loading NPoint Envelopes. [Read More]   KVR Audio

Maizesoft has updated Maize Sampler to v2.4.2. Changes: Added instrument level low pass and high pass filter. Fixed a bug where serial number is not correctly verified. Fixed audio glitch when [Read More]   KVR Audio

Applied Acoustics Systems has released Pivotal, a new sound bank for the Ultra Analog VA-2 synthesizer and AAS Player plug-ins in collaboration with sound designer Daniel Stawczyk. Pivotal presents [Read More]   KVR Audio

Seaweed Audio has announced that Fathom Synth has been updated with a new Phasor audio effect in version 1.0.15. The effect is built on eight separate phasing channels, each running independently [Read More]   KVR Audio

Matthieu Brucher has updated Audio ToolKit to version 2.2.0 with the major introduction of vectorized filters. This means that some filters (EQ for now) can use vectorization for maximum performance. [Read More]   KVR Audio

Rocky Mountain Sounds has announced the release of Majestica Vol 1 for Omnisphere 2. Here's what they say: Majestica is focused on hybrid live performance and studio-ready pads - ready for cinematic [Read More]   KVR Audio

Blue Cat Audio has released Plug'n Script 3.0, a new version of their scripting plug-in that can be programmed to create custom audio and MIDI effects or virtual instruments inside most Digital [Read More]   KVR Audio

iPhone, iPad / Education / Sheet Music & Tablatures: TEFpad is a tablature editor designed for the iPad that implements most features available in the TablEdit desktop program. It is also compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch. Just like TEFview for iOS, our free file viewer, TEFpad opens,...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Chords and Scales: This app displays guitar chord finger positions. They are computationally-displayed, so they are also compatible with things such as alternate tunings and fraction chords, and they have overwhelming search capabilities even when compared to our...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Controllers: The Piano Designer app helps you to personalize the sound of your Roland piano. Inside the instrument are many parameters that allow you to finely adjust the sound elements of the piano, much in the same way that an experienced piano technician fine-tunes an...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Drums: Here is an simple and handy music application that makes a real drum kit out of your iPhone! All-in-One Drums includes only professional Hi-Fi sounds and has an incredibly realistic graphic. The application suits musician amateurs as well as experienced...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Metronomes: Supper accurate multi division programmable metronomeâ€â€?Almost any kind of complex rhythms can be built up easily with six independent note divisions in conjunction with Multi Beat function. You can assign your choice of music note, polyrhythm setting,...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Tuners: Drumtune PRO is the only drum tuner app you'll ever need. The optimized drum tuner algorithm is more powerful than ever! Enjoy a fully revamped drum tuning interface and loads of new features and improvements. Drum tuning made fast & easy! Tune your full drum kit to...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Sheet Music & Tablatures: MusicReader is a digital music stand app for the Apple iPad. It makes it very easy to manage and use your sheet music: Real PDF Support - all settings / annotations are stored in the PDF. View your PDF sheet music. Convenient library to...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Drums: Drum Set Pro is a portable drum kit that you can take with you wherever you go. Whether you know how to play the drums or not, you'll still be able to rock out on these drums and have fun. Features: • 4 different drum sets to choose from Standard Set...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Sheet Music & Tablatures: PhonicScore lite is the award winning digital sheet music reader - the perfect tool for your collection of digital music sheets, learning and practicing piano, guitar, violin, voice or any other instrument.You can add, manage and view your own...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Rythme Mach. & Loops: Appendix A1 Dub Machine from the set A1 Instruments, a comprehensive set of drum kit sounds. The main screen is composed of 10 keys, buttons form a circular shape. The keys are made in soothing colors. Cymbals, drums and other percussion...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Controllers: Sound Byte Control lets you control a copy of Sound Byte running on a remote computer from your iPad. Now you can run Sound Byte for all your sound clip playback needs, without being tied down to your desktop or laptop computer. Note that this is a remote...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Portable Studio / Effects: Pro quality studio reverb effect. - Use it with Audiobus, Interapp Audio, iTunes music library and multichannel audio interfaces. Enhance and enrich your recordings and live sound with the perfect sonic texture of your choice. Record, process and export...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Portable Studio / Effects: Pro quality studio reverb effect. - Use it with Audiobus and Interapp Audio. Free version of the ultimate reverb for your iDevice (the AD 480 pro, more about it below). Features of the AD 480 free: one hour trial period of the pro features...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Portable Studio / Effects: Pro quality studio reverb effect. - Use it with Audiobus and Interapp Audio. The AD 480 basic is the small brother of the AD 480 pro, the ultimate reverb for your iDevice (more about the AD 480 pro below). Features: one hour trial period of the pro...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Portable Studio / MultiTracks: Create and save complete multi-track music projects on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch. Record, sequence, edit, mix and render complete songs. NOTE: There are two FL Mobile Apps in the store - 'FL Studio Mobile HD' and 'FL Studio Mobile'. These are...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / ToolBox: Essential guitar utilities, with a steam-punk themed twist! Guitar machine is the ultimate assistant for tuning, timing, and chords, for the steam-punkishly minded guitarist. Special Introductory Sale We love Guitar Machine so much, we want to share it with...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Drums: Street Drummer is more fun than any other music app in the whole Appstore. Try it out for yourself! Features: 8 different drums Includes bass drums, snares, toms, cymbals, high hat, and more! Choose between two percussion sets each with their own sounds...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Training: WHAT IS 'VOCALIZE IT'? It's an app created with 'lo studio del canto di Simone Moscato' to help who wants to exercise their voice without the need to have or know how to play an instrument. WHO NEEDS IT? A so dynamic and easy to use tool is designed for both...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Controllers: Want to make and remix music? If you love electronic music, you’ll love Launchpad. Enter an inspiring world of music creation and remixing on your iPhone & iPad. Launchpad is the number-one app for making and remixing electronic music. The new real-time...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Multi-Instruments: Have fun with ARK-1 Arabic Keyboard, 16 instruments with 21 beats to play along all in one APP. Record export and share your own music with the ability to apply Arabic Scales ~Features~: *16 real sound Instruments (7 Free, unlock all by one IAP):...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Tuners: Labor Day Offer, 25% OFF Tune your mandolin with precision and ease, within seconds! · The most accurate - displays the exact sound frequency in Hz. · Instant load and fastest tuning - the only tuner optimized for 64 bit. · Tuning fork - tune by ear if...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Training: About mo’rhythm djembe/dunun play along Mo’Rhythm Beginning African Drumming Play Along App is the brain-child of world-renowned percussionist Monette Marino. Designed to provide you with a platform to practice individual drum parts on your real...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Pianos: This funny app enables you to record a sound and play it on a piano! Awesome information: 1. For iPhone 5s and higher. 2. The recording lasts for a maximum of 3 seconds. No worries about filling your iPhone's memory if you forget to stop it! 3. The piano is...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Instruments / Drums: Rockin' Drums Free will have you rockin' from the moment you start playing! Utilizing the latest technology and decades of real drum experience, Rockin' Drums Free is perfect for drummers of all ages and experience. There are 14 different professionally...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Chords and Scales: Suggester is a tool to assist in the creation of songs and chord progressions. This app will help you find chords that work together. It is efficient and fun; use it to build musical phrases that will carry emotion through tension and release....   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Tools / Tuners: Tune your guitar, bass or other instruments with n-Track Tuner. Use this tuner in an easy, intuitive and free way with the integrated microphone of your smartphone. Downloaded over 5 million times! Just put your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad next to your instrument...   440Software

iPhone, iPad / Education / Games, Ear Trainig: 楽譜ãÂ?΋Â?™ã‚‰ãÂ?™ã‚‰èª­ã‚Â?るよãÂ?†ãÂ?«ãÂ?ªã‚‹ãƒˆãƒ¬ãƒ¼ãƒ‹ãƒ³ã‚°ã‚¢ãƒâ€îã ...   440Software