State Champ Radio technology
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Source: Reloop / Reloop
Change is inevitable. For DJ’s, the switch from analog (think: heavy…very heavy vinyl) to digital mixing has been a godsend to everyone in their orbit—except their chiropractors.
However, high-end DJ equipment has always been known for lasting for years, which presents a problem when you have a cherished mixer you ain’t trying to give up. (My Technics mixer used to be top of the line, damn it). Enter the Reloop Flux which basically allows any OG mixer the ability to use Serato to your heart’s content. In tech speak, it’s the “next-generation USB-C interface for using Serato DJ Pro with turntables, CDJs or other media players.”
Source: aqua / Hip-Hop Wired
For background, this mission started when I was tasked with DJ’ing at my college reunion weekend (shout out to UVA’s Black Alumni Weekend, Wahoowa!) and figured it would behoove me to get really acquainted with Serato in advance. Since my essential retirement from DJ’ing (more years than I’ll admit) years ago, I was always curious about that little device you would see connected to the back of mixers that connected to a laptop and pretty much deaded the necessity to lug around crates filled with records. Any skepticism of this new DJ paradigm was eventually and essentially dismissed when the great DJ Jazzy Jeff embraced the tech that made telling the difference between a DJ rocking a party with vinyl versus digital music files an impossibility.
But doing my Googles to see what was available to get back in the DJ saddle quickly turned into information overload. There are what seems like hundreds of products on the market that include mixers, turntables, CDJs and all types of hardware that make the old “two turntables and a mic” (and a mixer) look like a history museum installation.
Source: aqua / Hip-Hop Wired
So with no desire to drop hundreds of dollars on one of those pricey, Serato-ready mixers—for now—I figured that mixer thing-a-ma-jig (called an interface) that connected to a laptop would be easy, right? Not really. It turns out all the previous models (the RANE SL range, the Denon DS1, etc.) have gone the way of the Dodo bird and were discontinued. But, what is still on the market—and is actually relatively new since it was only released in 2023—is the Reloop Flux, and it makes for a clutch hub for a Digital Vinyl System (DVS) interface.
The good folks at Reloop were kind enough to provide a review model to Hip-Hop Wired, and the Flux checks all the boxes needed to get an old DJ back in the mix. Installation was relatively simple, and if you know your way around phono, line jacks and RCA chords, getting connected is a breeze. And even if you don’t, the instructions are right there on YouTube.
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Once you’re set up and Serato DJ Pro is running, the intuitiveness of the hardware and software combo is evident. The hardware is bus-powered, so once you plug it into your laptop, it lights up—there are signal flow LEDs for all inputs and outputs as well as a thru status indicator. It also has an AUX outlet to let you record your mixes, and there are three stereo inputs and outlets, which let you run a third turntable or media player if you’re nice like that. And if you want to get extra technical, it features 24-bit/96 kHz, high-quality digital/analog converters and ultra-low latency, which makes for club-quality sound.
Source: aqua / Hip-Hop Wired
The true beauty of the product is that after it’s plugged in, you can forget about it since it’s doing everything it needs to do. If your music collection is legit, you now have access to all your tunes via Serato DJ Pro, without having to rifle through your crates to get to that piece of wax; a simple search will suffice. And even if you don’t have that deep cut on MP3, you can click a passthrough button on the Flux that will let you play your conventional vinyl as well. Or, if you have a Tidal account, Serato lets you access the app’s entire music library—that’s just cheating.
With that in mind, the Reloop Flux is buttery smooth gateway for anyone trying to dip back into the DJ waters without breaking the bank. It retails for $449 and is a worthy investment that bridges the gap between the past and the future for you to get busy right now.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Apple Vision Pro
Not even Apple could make a big splash in the VR/AR space. According to reports, the company Steve Jobs built is slashing shipments of its latest product, the Apple Vision Pro.
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that the tech giant is cutting Vision Pro shipments to 400,000-450,000 units while the market predicts 700,000–800,000 units or more.
Apple’s headset allegedly flopping signals that the demand for the $3,500 headset was not as high despite viral photos showing people using it while walking the streets and celebrities boasting about it.
The decision to cut sales comes as Apple preps to release the headset overseas.
If you are one of the Apple fanatics hoping that a cheaper model will come, according to Kuo, Apple is considering ditching a more affordable version of the Vision Pro in 2025 as the company reviews the roadmap for the device.
In more Apple Vision Pro news, Frank Casanova, Apple Inc.’s senior director, who was leading the product-marketing efforts for Vision Pro, has retired.
Per Bloomberg:
Frank Casanova, who worked at Apple for 36 years in various roles, including helping to lead the expansion of the iPhone to new carriers, departed last week, according to his LinkedIn page. In 2019, he was named Apple’s first head of marketing for augmented reality before being tapped to lead the headset effort.
X Users React To The Vision Pro Reportedly Flopping
The news of the Apple Vision Pro reportedly flopping isn’t shocking to many people, especially because of the headset’s price and lack of comfort.
One user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote, “why are they surprised people don’t wanna spend 3.5k on VR ski goggles to avoid human interactions.”
Another person added, “Apple when they find out niggas don’t wanna spend 3 and a half K on some i robot goggles, when they can buy different ones for a quarter the price.”
Welp.
There’s always the Meta Quest 3; it’s affordable and does many of the same things the Apple Vision Pro does. I’m just saying.
More reactions to the Vision Pro flopping are in the gallery below.
2. Everyone’s reaction basically
3. According to the report they were very serious
4. That plan is reportedly in danger as well.
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Source: Anadolu / Getty / TikTok
Congress hasn’t agreed on much lately, but one they seem to be locked in on is TikTok’s threat to national security, so it’s no surprise the bill that could potentially lead to its banning passed.
Congress passed the bill on Tuesday, April 23. It calls for a national ban on TikTok if its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, can’t find a buyer.
As promised, President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on Wednesday, April 24. This gives the company nine months with a three-month grace period to secure a deal for the platform.
The U.S. government has been wary of the app since the Trump administration because of potential national security concerns related to its Chinese ties.
Security experts and lawmakers have been raising the red flag about the popular app kids use to partake in viral dance choreography and share hilarious videos because they feel the Chinese government can use ByteDance to access the 170 million U.S. users’ private information or spread propaganda.
It Will Be An Uphill Battle To “Ban” TikTok
While many are reacting to the news with the inclination that the ban will go into effect immediately, the new law could take months, possibly years, to get TikTok up outta here.
Per The New York Times:
The law would allow TikTok to continue to operate in the United States if ByteDance sold it within 270 days, or about nine months, a time frame that the president could extend to a year.
The measure is likely to face legal challenges, as well as possible resistance from Beijing, which could block the sale or export of the technology. It’s also unclear who has the resources to buy TikTok, since it will carry a hefty price tag.
The issue could take months or even years to settle, during which the app would probably continue to function for U.S. consumers.
TikTok Vows To Fight The Ban
Of course, TikTok vows to fight. Chief executive Shou Chew said in a video, “Rest assured, we aren’t going anywhere. We are confident, and we will keep fighting for your rights in the courts.”
We shall see.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Take-Two
Even with games like Grand Theft Auto V, the forthcoming GTA 6, and the NBA 2K franchise under its belt, Take-Two Interactive is the latest video game publisher that will reduce its workforce and drop projects.
Spotted on The Verge, Take-Two announced it will lay off “approximately five percent” of its global workforce and scrap several projects already in development.
In an SEC filing published Tuesday, the company said it was “streamlining its organizational structure, which will eliminate headcount and reduce future hiring needs.”
Take-Two says that its “cost reduction program” will see the company be subject to charges up to $200 million, hoping to save $165 million a year.
The website reports that Take-Two’s downsizing efforts should be “largely completed” by December 31st, 2024.
As for the workers, a 5% reduction in the workforce would amount to around 579 out of the company’s 11,580 employees, which Take-Two disclosed in a previous impact report.
There is no word on what departments the layoffs will happen in or what projects Take-Two will be cutting. GTA 6 will feel the sting of these cost-cutting measures.
Of course, the news is not sitting well with gamers who tire of hearing about layoffs in an incredibly profitable industry.
Oh, and we can’t forget that Take-Two Interactive is still working on purchasing Borderlands developer Gearbox from The Embracer Group for $460 million.
“They’re doing this a year out from releasing the sequel to the most commercially successful game of all time,” one user on X, formerly Twitter, said.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Follow his lead
9. It better not
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Source: Ramsey Cardy / Getty / MKBHD
YouTuber Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, has caused quite a stir with his recent review of Humane’s AI Pin.
Regarding reviews on your favorite tech items, the newest smartphones, smart cars, electric vehicles, and other new gadgets, no one is more revered than MKBHD. The tech enthusiast has become the go-to for all things tech, and his YouTube page has become the premiere destination for reviews, boasting over 18 million followers.
So it’s no surprise that his opinions can make or break an item’s reception by the masses; Brownlee’s latest review is a case in point.
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Humane’s new AI Pin arrived, and it’s not receiving any glowing reviews from anyone. However, MKBD’s in-depth analysis, in which he said it was the “worst product I’ve ever reviewed…for now,” has caused quite a stir on X, formerly Twitter.
In the video, Brownlee ripped the wearable tech, slamming it for being “too much of a pain to use” and noting that it was “bad at almost everything it does.”
The popular YouTuber said the device’s responses to commands were often slow and incorrect because the generative AI chatbot technology was not up to snuff.
He slammed the device’s battery life, pointing out that in his review, it could only last a couple of hours during heavy use.
His thoughts on the camera were no better, adding that photos taken by the Ai Pin “look pretty bad” and videos “look even worse.”
He Did Have Some Positive Things To Say
But his review was all negative; he did like the Ai Pins’ ability to save notes quickly and how it could be used for first-person videos, adding, “As a brand new product and a team trying to make something new — that I respect, I respect the attempt.”
But in the same breath, he also said the device has “a long way to go” before it hits the usable stage and that “never buy a product based on the future promise of updates to it.”
The Backlash From His Review
Following the release of his review, there was some backlash, most notably from internet personality Daniel Vassallo. In a post on X, Vassallo called out Brownlee, saying, “I find it distasteful, almost unethical, to say this when you have 18 million subscribers. It’s hard to explain why, but with great reach comes great responsibility.”
“Potentially killing someone else’s nascent project reeks of carelessness. First, do no harm.”
In response to Vassallo’s assertions, Brownlee wrote, “We disagree on what my job is.”
Of course, Vassallo’s comments opened up a discourse. Some pointed out the power of MKBHD’s opinion, and one person alluded to how he “bankrupted a company in 41 seconds.”
Some defended Brownlee. Philip DeFranco said in a YouTube video that Vassallo’s post on X was “one of the dumbest, braindead takes” he had ever seen.
MoistCr1TiKaL said Vassallo’s response to MKBHD’s review was “dogsh*t” and helped potential buyers steer clear of a “turbo ass” product.
It definitely sounds like Vassallo is a hater.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Just saying
3. Exactly, is this where we are at now?
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Source: Momodu Mansaray / Getty / Keanu Reeves
It’s not often that we get perfect castings in films, but according to X, Paramount got this one right.
Multiple sources are telling The Hollywood Reporter that Keanu Reeves and his iconic voice will bring to life fan-favorite character Shadow The Hedgehog in the highly anticipated film Sonic 3.
The news first reported by The John Campea Show comes after Paramount had a strong showing at CinemaCon last week in Las Vegas, where attendees saw some early footage from Sonic The Hedgehog 3.
In the footage, attendees were happy to see that Jim Carrey is back as Dr. Robotnik, who is now depressed and overweight after being defeated by his long-time nemesis, Sonic.
Robotnik regains his mojo after creating Shadow, who is, in every sense, the dark version of the Blue Blur and has similar abilities.
Following a lackluster trailer that first introduced a hideous Sonic The Hedgehog design that Twitter bullied the studio into changing, the first movie raced into theaters in 2020, earning a whopping $319 million at the box office and becoming one of the last theatrical blockbusters right before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down.
Sonic 2 arrived in 2022, introducing more characters like Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba), earning $404 million.
Reeves continues to stay quite busy in Hollywood, most recently starring in John Wick 4, bringing back Neo in The Matrix: Resurrections, reprising his role as John Wick in the upcoming spinoff John Wick Presents: The Ballerina, and a role in Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune.
Social Media Users Chime In On The Casting
Following the announcement, X, formerly Twitter, celebrates Reeves casting in the film.
“THIS IS GONNA BE THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” one X user wrote.
Another post read, “perfect casting.”
Some fans are disappointed because they wanted Star Wars star Hayden Christensen to voice Shadow.
If you ask us, this sounds like a win to us. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. We will be seated for this epicness.
3. Sonic fans we are eating
4. We would love to see it.
7. Howling
9. Yes, yes they do.
10. Continue to cook
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / X
If you got a blue checkmark courtesy of X, Elon Musk wants the world to know so.
Spotted on The Verge, premium X users are finding out they can no longer hide their blue checkmarks and are sharing a notification they are receiving informing them of the new X, formerly Twitter policy.
Last summer, Elon Musk’s lame version of Twitter made showing your blue checkmark optional after X introduced a new subscription feature, giving subscribers the once highly coveted sign that they were part of an elite group.
It’s unclear why X is now doing it, but the timing comes after many celebrities and notable people who vowed to never pay for X to keep their blue checkmarks, now have them after X began “gifting” subscriptions to users with high numbers of verified users.
Those users who received their blue checkmarks began hiding them after announcing to their followers that they had not paid for them.
So this feels like Elon Musk being a douchebag and telling his team to make that move to spite those people who are spiting him and his company.
The social media formerly known as Twitter has been a hot mess since Elon Musk reluctantly purchased it. He changed the name and then rolled out the subscription platform, which was immediately abused by scammers who used to verify fake accounts and fool people.
Some people with blue checkmarks became the target of online harassment and mass blocking before giving users with more than a million followers blue checkmarks.
X is an ongoing mess, but we will stick beside it until the wheels fall off like everyone else.
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Source: SOPA Images / Getty / Disney+
If you’re one of those people who enjoys Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ content at the expense of a friend or family member without having to pay, start counting your days.
You have until June to get your bank accounts in order and decide whether you want to continue sharing your Disney+ and its family streaming platform account with your homie or other family members.
Those allowing other people to use their Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ accounts will see a message telling them to add that person to their plan for an additional fee, of course.
Speaking with CNBC, Disney CEO Bob Iger talked about Disney’s plans to start cracking down on the popular practice of password sharing.
Per Variety:
According to Disney chief Bob Iger, the Mouse House this June will “be launching our first real foray into password sharing” enforcement. Iger, during an interview Thursday on CNBC, said the initial launch will be “just a few countries in a few markets” (he didn’t identify them) then “will grow significantly with a full rollout in September.”
The initial communications to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ customers will prompt password-borrowers to start their own subscriptions, the company has said previously. Later in 2024, account holders who want allow access to individuals outside their household will be able to add them for an additional fee.
When Disney+ begins its crackdown on password sharing, which it hopes will help achieve “double-digit margins, it will join Netflix, which has already begun doing so.
Netflix claims that its effort to crack down on password sharing has been successful in helping boost subscriber numbers.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / X / Elon Musk
It looks like Elon Musk’s X is giving blue checks back to the platform’s most popular users, and they are like, thanks, but no thanks.
Overnight, Elon Musty’s X, formerly Twitter, “gifted” premium subscriptions to some users on X, mainly those who vowed never to pay for the subscription service that gave users the “blue check,” along with access to other premium features.
Musk confirmed in a post on his bootleg platform that this is the case, writing, “Going forward, all 𝕏 accounts with over 2500 verified subscriber followers will get Premium features for free, and accounts with over 5000 will get Premium+ for free.”
Those who have gotten their blue checkmarks back to their names are taking to the platform to let their followers know they are still ten toes down on their initial stance and did not give Bootleg Tony Stark any money to get back their checks.
Acadmey Award-nominated actor Jeffrey Wright was one of those users who expressed that sentiment, sharing a screenshot of a notification from X that he was getting his complimentary subscription to X Premium.
In the caption for the post, he wrote, “Pay $8? Kidding. Help me. But don’t say anything too free speechy about me or my Garbage Tower of Babel shitsite.”
Netflix’s Good Times star also spoke on the matter, writing, “What happened? I didn’t pay for this. I would NEVER pay for this. When did the Blue Check mark start getting passed around again?!
Actor Mark Hamill, aka our guy Luke Skywalker, responded to Brown’s post, “I didn’t pay when it went away, & really didn’t care. Then, out of nowhere, it mysteriously reappeared. #whatever.”
Well, the sentiment remains thanks, but no thanks.
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Source: Renee Dominguez / Getty / Chuck D
Hollywood isn’t the only industry worried about the dangers of AI (artificial intelligence). The music industry is also weary of the technology.
Spotted on Deadline, the Artists Rights Alliance penned an open letter that garnered over 200 signatures from big names in the entertainment and music industry, calling on AI companies and digital streaming platforms to pledge “that undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists or deny us fair compensation for our work.”
The website reports that Billie Eilish, her brother Finneas, Nicki Minaj, the estates of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, Smokey Robinson, Katy Perry, R.E.M, Chuck D, Camila Cabello, J Balvin, and more have signed the letter that lives on Medium.
The letter calls on “AI developers, technology companies, platforms, and digital music services to cease using artificial intelligence (AI) to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists.”
It also points out that AI can be beneficial by adding, “Make no mistake: we believe that, when used responsibly, AI has enormous potential to advance human creativity and in a manner that enables the development and growth of new and exciting experiences for music fans everywhere.
“Unfortunately, some platforms and developers are employing AI to sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightsholders.”
The letter adds it wants to “protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists’ voices and likenesses, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.”
AI was a significant issue in the SAG-AFTRA and Writer’s Guild strikes, which lasted for several months before both entities agreed on major sticking points.
In the music industry, AI is used in production and mastering, while independent artists utilize the tool to help with songwriting.
