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The Really-Does-End Edition Monday, February 8, 2021

Learning The Piano During Lockdown: How Tech Is Helping Me Cope, by Matt Hanson, TechRadar

So, eager to get on with learning the piano before the world really does end, I’ve gathered together some cool tech to help.

First up is the Lumi Keys, a stylish Midi keyboard that connects to the Lumi app, and teaches you how to play via videos and a Guitar Hero-like interface. The keys light up as the app teaches you basic piano skills and songs, and it’s one of the most beginner-friendly ways of starting out on a piano that I’ve seen.

Computer Music, by Brent Simmons, Inessential

I am now completely addicted to GarageBand. The pleasure of layering instruments together, picking their parts, and letting it play is every bit as intense as it was when I was 16 on that primitive gear.

Stuff

Add AirPlay To Your Classic Stereo With An Old Apple TV, by Dave Kitabjian, TidBITS

So if you’re interested in bringing your classic stereo system into the modern music streaming world without spending much, you could look for a used second-generation AirPort Express. Or you could do what I did, and press an old Apple TV into service. I did this because I had the Apple TV in the closet, making this project a fun alternative to an AirPort Express if you have one as well. I’d even lost the Apple TV remote; I’ll explain briefly how to work around that problem in the steps below.

Notes

iPhone Vs Camera: No Contest, by Om Malik

Just over five years ago, I made the argument that the iPhone (and its smartphone cousins) were killing the camera business. I occasionally update the data that shows the widening gap. With 2020 in the rearview mirror and Apple having just reported its quarterly earnings (over $111 billion in iPhone sales alone), I thought it might be time to update the data and share an updated chart to show the iPhone’s impact.

Hyundai, Kia Say They Aren’t In EV Discussions With Apple, by Sohee Kim and Kyunghee Park, Bloomberg

Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said that they aren’t in discussions with Apple Inc. on cooperating to develop a self-driving electric vehicle, following reports and speculation that they were working with the tech giant.

Bottom of the Page

Learning to play a musical instrument is not one of my bucket list. But I do hope I can continue to have good music with me for the rest of my life.

~

Thanks for reading.