Tuesday 15 October 2013

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT COMPETITION: MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2014

Above: The Music Maker 2014 Premium interface with the Drum Engine and Power Guitar instruments of many brilliant authentic sounding virtual instruments! 
SYNAPSE CIRCUIT COMPETITION:
MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2014
#Magix #MusicMaker2014Premium #Competition

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! Apologies for the lack of articles lately! I have been fighting off a cold! The weather literally changes every 10 minutes!

Do you fancy having a go at making music on the PC? Do you have experience in making music on the computer and wanna put Magix Music Maker 2014 to the test? Now is your chance!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT ANNOUNCES THE MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2014 COMPETITION!

You can win Music Maker 2014 Premium, first prize. Or second prize, Music Maker 2014 Standard! There can only be 2 first prize winners and 2 second prize winners!!

JUST ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

CAN YOU NAME 5 INSTRUMENTS THAT COME WITH MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2014 PREMIUM?

Do you know the answer? Please send it to:

COMPETITION.SYNAPSE.CIRCUIT@GMAIL.COM


WINNERS
The lucky winners will be announced 26 November 2013

RULES

One entry per person!

PRIVACY
Your details will not be shared with any third party.

GOOD LUCK!

Stay tuned for more to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


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Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

Reallusion Announces Big Lens Update Includes Support for iOS 7


Reallusion Announces Big Lens Update
Includes Support for iOS 7

Reallusion announces updates to Big Lens app.
When it comes to creating great-looking images, it‘s all about focus. Big Lens gives you the ultimate in focus and filter tools for your iPhone. Whether you’re a novice or pro photographer, Big Lens is your secret weapon that will turn your iPhone/iPad into a professional SLR camera.


Main Features:
  • Smart Focus System. Simply use your finger tips to focus your images without any previous knowledge in Depth-of-Field. You can use basic geometric shapes or a lasso tool to auto-focus your target, or you can chose advanced mode to manually define your focus area. Smart Focus will then automatically refine your selection with precision.

·                  Change Background with Various Apertures. Adjust the aperture in Big Lens with a single gesture to instantly change the blur level of the out-of-focus area. Larger apertures blur the background more!

 

·                  Instant Smart-touch Focus/Blur. Be able to modify the focus and blur area with your fingers in no time. Use simple gestures to enhance and retouch focal areas to make the subject of your photos really pop!

·                  Edge Blur Adjustment. Adjust the blur edges by simply moving the blur edge slider. Beautify images and create a more natural feel by sharpening and smoothing your focus edge with one easy slider.


·                  Highlight Glare with Custom Shapes

Offer 9 unique lenses that allow out-of-focus light points to blur into shapes like hearts and stars (Bokeh effect). This great tool turns simple-looking backgrounds into atmospheric backdrops.

·                  Awesome Filter Effects. More than 24 filters that allow you to enhance color, increase contrast, or add Lomo effects. The result is spectacular filter simulation results right from your iPhone!

 

·                  Let There Be Light with HDR. Big Lens helps to capture colour and light depth as we see it in reality by including the High Dynamic Range (HDR) button for retaining graphic details that would otherwise be lost. The HDR function automatically adjusts light, contrast, tones, colors and more to bring original details back into your photos.

 

·                  Restore Last Session. Restore your last work session without having to open a saved project. Even if your Apple device turns off to save battery power or memory space. Big Lens will always keep a saved version of your last session and restore it upon restart. Never lose your work again with Big Lens.

 

  • Import High-res Images. No longer do you have to guess which pixel your friends are. With Big Lens, now you can work with higher resolution images imported straight from your onboard digital camera.
iPhone 3G users can import up to 2MP images, and Big Lens will optimize the images to 960x720 for editing and sharing.
iPhone 3GS / first generation iPad users can import up to 10MP images, and Big Lens will optimize to 3MP.
iPhone 4 / 4S / second generation iPad  users can import up to 12MP images, and Big Lens will optimize to 8MP.

To learn more about Big Lens, visit the iTunes Store, and download http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/big-lens/id470460905?ls=1&mt=8
or visit Reallusion to get more information: iphone.reallusion.com/

About Reallusion, Inc.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Reallusion is a leading-edge software developer providing imaging and animation tools for PC, Mac and mobile platforms. Reallusion development of core technologies and growing base of intellectual property firmly establish the company as power among emerging technology innovators, furthering their graphic and imaging embedded kernels to top-brand device manufacturers worldwide. Reallusion iPhone applications have been downloaded over a million times worldwide already. For more information, visit www.reallusion.com.
Take good care!

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Thank you for watching and reading!

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Synapse Circuit Dot Com

Thursday 10 October 2013

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT REVIEWS: INCOMEDIA WEBSITE X5 EVOLUTION 10


SYNAPSE CIRCUIT REVIEWS:
INCOMEDIA WEBSITE X5 EVOLUT10N
PRICE, £59.99
#Incomedia #WebsiteX5 #Evolution10

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! It’s good to see you! I hope that all is well with you as always. Oooh, the little bit of sunshine and warmth was all but gone today! It’s arctic outside!

Now you’d think that with all the social networking sites that there is no need for anyone to create a website but there are many reasons why you should! Here’s one of them...

WEBSITE X5 EVOLUTION 10, INCOMEDIA
If it were up to me everyone in the world would have a website! These social networking sites are useful but you can’t beat your very own personalized bit of cyber-real estate! You get to build your house in exactly the way you want it!

As with a majority of today’s WYSIWYG web design software there are a load of templates for just about every site imaginable just waiting to be altered. But the sad thing about templates is that many people don’t get to express themselves. The concept of design is so subjective and in some ways I do regret, well maybe regret is a strong word but I am very happy to have rid myself of “design” magazines! Seriously, who wants to read a designer wax on about his or her self importance? Just be yourself! You will learn design as you go along! I certainly did and what’s funny is that I hardly consulted the many magazines and books that I collected over the years. My tip is to look around and see what appeals to you!

STRAIGHTFORWARD
You can’t really go wrong with Website X5 Evolution 10; it is really created for the novice as the interface is menu driven in 5 easy steps:

1. Set-up your website name, add author details, web address, description, keywords and so on.

2. Add your pages – even if they are blank!

3. Page creation is where you add elements to your pages such as text (write text directly or import) social network widgets, YouTube video, images and so on.

4. Advanced settings is where you can create navigation menus, blogs, ecommerce for selling your stuff and much more!

5. You just export your site to transfer to your web host.

The interface is uncluttered and easy to undertand.

VERDICT
Incomedia Website X5 Evolution 10 is one of the easiest web design software out there which makes it perfect for beginners! At the same time there is a lot of scope for experienced web designers as it comes with a 240 page manual to explain the finer aspects of good design practice.

SCORE OUT OF 5

4 / 5

EXCELLENT VALUE!
Incomedia have produced a winning, cost effective and easy to use program. Realize your web design ambition today!

I hope you enjoyed this review. Stay tuned for more reviews to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


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Thank you for watching and reading!

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Synapse Circuit Dot Com

Wednesday 9 October 2013

SAMSUNG GALAXY ROUND: THE FIRST SMARTPHONE WITH A FLEXIBLE SCREEN!


SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
SAMSUNG GALAXY ROUND: THE FIRST SMARTPHONE WITH A FLEXIBLE SCREEN!
#Samsung #GalaxyRound

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! Yes, Samsung has done it! Samsung has beaten LG to be the first to release a handset with a flexible screen!

INTRODUCING THE GALAXY ROUND

Galaxy Round Spec:
NETWORK
2G Network   GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G Network   HSDPA
4G Network   LTE-A

Announced   2013, October

BODY           
Dimensions  151.1 x 79.6 x 7.9 mm (5.95 x 3.13 x 0.31 in)
Weight           154 g (5.43 oz)

DISPLAY      
Type   Super Flexible AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors
Size    1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.7 inches (~386 ppi pixel density)
Multitouch     Yes

SOUND        
Alert types     Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones
Loudspeaker   Yes
3.5mm jack    Yes

MEMORY     
Card slot microSD, up to 64 GB
Internal 32 GB, 3 GB RAM

DATA
GPRS Yes
EDGE Yes
Speed            HSPA+, LTE-A

WLAN           

Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
Bluetooth       Yes, v4.0 with A2DP, LE, EDR
NFC    Yes
Infrared port  Yes

USB

microUSB v3.0 (MHL 2), USB Host

CAMERA      

Primary 13 MP, 4128 x 3096 pixels, autofocus, LED flash
Features: Dual Shot, Simultaneous video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, panorama, HDR
Video  Yes, 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps

Secondary Yes, 2 MP, 1080p@30fps

FEATURES 

Android OS, v4.3 (Jelly Bean)
Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 800
CPU Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400
GPU Adreno 330
Sensors: Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, temperature, humidity, gesture
Messaging: SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS
Browser: HTML5
GPS Yes, with A-GPS support
Java    Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
Colours Luxury Brown with more colours to come
- ANT+ support
- S-Voice natural language commands and dictation
- Air gestures
- SNS integration
- Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
- Dropbox (50 GB storage)
- TV-out (via MHL A/V link)
- MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player
- MP3/WAV/eAAC+/AC3/FLAC player
- Organizer
- Image/video editor
- Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
- Google Search, Maps, Gmail,
YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa
- Voice memo/dial/commands
- Predictive text input (Swype)

BATTERY
              
Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery

IS THIS THE RUMOURED GALAXY NOTE 3 WITH A FLEXIBLE SCREEN?
The Galaxy Round is an interesting handset that will be released initially for the Korean market; there is no news as to when it’ll be available internationally.

But is this the much rumoured limited edition Galaxy Note 3 albeit with a flexible screen? It certainly looks that way then why not call it something like ‘Galaxy Note 3 Flex’? Then again it is missing the S Pen which is an integral part of the Galaxy Note concept.

A RUSH?
It looks as though Samsung are rushing product to pulverise Apple, exposing them as tired and unimaginative. Yes, Samsung did that with the Galaxy S2 right up to the Note 3. I would imagine that Samsung had to beat rival, LG into being the first to release a handset with a flexible screen. I am not too sure what I was expecting from Samsung regarding the flexible screen but I can’t say the Galaxy Round is it. This is not to say that I don’t like the Galaxy Round, as with all things new it takes some time to get used to. I guess it will be an entirely different thing in the hand!

Just like the Galaxy Gear smartwatch, the Galaxy Round is going to work its way into the consciousness of the masses! Well, it has yet to be released internationally and there’s a possibility that it won’t reach the UK or any other market outside Korea. I get the feeling that Samsung are already looking at a flexible screen display handset for the international market. From what I gather, Samsung aren’t yet able to mass produce flexible screens and once they have solved mass production we’re going to see yet another revolution in smartphone technology! I can see a massive wristband handset that features the flexible screen – I’d have one of those in a heartbeat! Then again, I would have all of Samsung’s high end mobile devices in a heartbeat!

I hope you enjoyed this introduction. Stay tuned for more reviews to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


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Thank you for watching and reading!

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Synapse Circuit Dot Com

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT REVIEWS: SERIF PAGEPLUS X7




SYNAPSE CIRCUIT REVIEWS:
SERIF PAGEPLUS X7
PRICE, £81.69
#Serif #PagePlusX7

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope your day was warm and eventful! London was blessed with yet another mild day! The Sun was out which is unusual for this time of year! Gosh! I can’t complain!

Hey, do you fancy yourself as a novelist? Would you like to create documents for professional publishing? Well, I have brilliant news for you in the form of...

PAGEPLUS X7, SERIF
PagePlus has long been my favourite DTP program; I have seen it grow from strength to strength over the years! Today PagePlus X7 is the DTP program of all DTP programs! Yes, I rate it above and beyond Adobe InDesign and Quark Xpress! Here’s why...

NO CONTEST
Readers, I am going to give it to you straight!

Adobe InDesign and Quark Xpress are undoubtedly great programs – they are an industry staple as you probably are aware. However, both Adobe and Quark have their heads firmly in the clouds in that they are trying to maintain that they spearhead publishing innovation and remain, for the most part, an expensive option for both paper and digital publishing. In truth Google has blown apart digital publishing due to providing inexpensive ways for the ordinary Joe or Josephine to create and publish content: YouTube and Blogger! Okay, with YouTube one requires a video recording device and an editor but aside from that miniscule outlay you are ready to go and upload your video for all to see!

Google have done something far more subtle and powerful than what Apple has done with the iPhone and notably the iPad. Google not only owns the most widely used operating system in the world, Android, they own YouTube and Blogger! So, if you were to create YouTube content you can do so knowing that the YouTube app is synonymous with today’s mobile devices. There’s no need for the recipient to download yet another app and good luck with trying to get people to download a new app!

With Blogger you can simply share your writing via email, social networking and free messaging apps! All done via the mobile phone!
Digital publications / apps are reminiscent of the CD ROM when the power of the Internet exploded and the CD ROM was one of the casualties. Speaking of the web... The web is one big application in itself as one can embed YouTube (and other videos), blogging resources and so on.

SO, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE SERIF AND PAGEPLUS?
Glad you asked! Thank you!

TO DO WHAT NO OTHER DTP SOFTWARE DOES.
The beauty and power of PagePlus X7 is that you can get on with creating publications designated for print and it won’t cost you the Earth! If you want to print off a flyer, brochure, letterhead, compliment slip, business card, magazine, etc then PagePlus X7 is all that you need! You can also create PDF documents that can be accessed from the web via a link from your website! You can also edit just about any PDF file with PPX7!

As you may have realized, I used to produce Synapse Circuit as downloadable PDF magazine (with Adobe InDesign) but each month the PDF got bigger in not only the amount of pages but in megabytes too! I think the last one was over 100MB which is too much for some people. Therefore I went Blogger and YouTube! Now my audience has grown greatly as a result – better than I had ever anticipated!

However, there are times when I need to publish documents at a print bureau and I reach for PagePlus every time!

Oh, let me mention that I used to output Synapse Circuit as a Flash based magazine in addition to the PDF as an option which you have probably seen already; I did this with Adobe InDesign! Sadly, one of the enduring legacies of Steve Jobs is that he helped to kill off Adobe Flash both on the web and mobile devices. This has caused many people to go over to YouTube – which is Flash based – and deliver what is essentially a TV program. I was tempted to create a more interactive experience by outputting to the Flash SWF format but thought the better of it for the reasons above and the hard work it would be to maintain with each issue!

This takes us to the subject of web design; PPX7 can also put out documents as basic web pages. Don’t expect to have all the functionality of Serif’s award winning web design program, WebPlus!

But, yes, print is where PPX7 excels over any other DTP program on the market today when it comes to creating documents to be printed professionally! PagePlus has never let me down yet! I will let you into a secret... I don’t bother calibrating my PC monitor in order to ensure accurate colour reproduction to avoid disappointment when the document is printed professionally! Serif’s PPX7 creates the sort of PDF that print bureaus prefer and the prints that I have brought to a bureau came out as intended! With the likes of Adobe and Quark you’re encouraged to be anal about colour reproduction that can lead to the purchasing of gadgets to aid calibrating the computer monitor and some of these gadgets aren’t cheap!

All you need to know about professional publishing is the CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) and Pantone colour values as that’s what print bureaus deal with. Let’s say you did not realize that you had to use CMYK (and Pantone) and you wanted to produce a document to be printed at a bureau, all you’d have to do is create a PDF-X3 (X3 is the latest bureau standard and new to PagePlus X7) and change the colour value from the customary RGB to CMYK! Easy! You’ll probably notice a slight change in the colour temperature during the colour conversion process but result shouldn’t come as a shock.

Another scenario is that you produced a PDF-X3 document with the RGB colour value and brought it to a bureau the chances are that the operator will alert you and seek to charge you a sum for the conversion process when it is not necessary! The operator should do the conversion for free! So, if you know that you are going to require the services of a print bureau you ought to make sure that the document is outputted with the CMYK colour value.

eBOOKS
Another great aspect of PPX7 is the ability to publish eBooks that can be sold via Amazon! Yippie! This was also a feature in the previous version (X6) and it has gotten better with X7!

The ability to publish to the eBook format is a great boon to independent writers and if I had the time I would definitely write my first novel, output it to an eBook and sell it via Amazon! You should have a go too!

Again, PPX7 excels where Abobe and Quark costs too much when it comes to eBook publishing.

NEW FEATURES
PagePlus X7 brings a host of great new features such as a new start-up interface that allows you to start new documents with or without the great body of templates available, access tutorials, news and tutorials.

Charts - charts have been added that can come from table contents and spreadsheets.

Tables - tables can flow to another page.

Accelerated graphics technology makes it easier to render documents with large graphics within a document.

PDF-X3 output (as discussed above).

Export as picture with previews in different image file formats.

Another feature that I have noticed is that the import of video is better in that it looks more professional and allows for the display of a “poster” image taken from the video itself. The video is supposed to include a player but that aspect is not working yet and that will most likely come with a software update. Importing sound still needs some work in that one would want to specify a graphic / image file to represent the sound; the option to add a player is there but like the video player it is yet to be implemented.

VERDICT
Serif PagePlus X7 is definitely a must have for DTP publishers dealing primarily in print. Sure, PPX7 is not geared towards creating these newfangled apps outside of eBook publishing and I do believe I have discussed why creating such applications i.e. digital magazines is a waste of time, such magazines look good and can show off design skills but often they mimic a physical paper magazine and – to me – that defeats the purpose of a decent handset and / or tablet. One video can do it all. Personally, I have found that many people do not care for clever designs and prefer to read text from a blog, RSS feed and website! I don’t know about you, but I do not see the point in paying for a digital magazine. That said, I can’t help but wish for an option for PagePlus users to output documents in a HTML 5 based app that is essentially a website in app form that allows the creator to use YouTube video, audio players and so on. The app would be available for Android and iOS devices; it would be ideal to give the reader another possibility of subscribing to a blog / website.

SCORE OUT OF 5

4 .7 / 5

SUPERB VALUE!
Serif PagePlus X7 represents superb value for money and should be considered as more than just a home / small business tool.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Stay tuned for more reviews to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


Please enjoy the video below! Feel free to leave some comments and subscribe!



Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com

Monday 7 October 2013



SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
INTRODUCING PRODAD HEROGLYPH V4 PRO TITLE SOLUTION
#ProDAD #HeroglyphV4

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! I hope that you had an awesome weekend! I sure did! I can’t believe the wonderful warm weather we are experiencing in London, UK! I hope it lasts for a good while to come!

Hey, do you have aspirations to create content for your own YouTube channel? You might wanna check the following out...

PRODAD® LAUNCHES GREATLY ENHANCED HEROGLYPH® V4 PRO TITLE, TRAILER ANIMATION SOLUTION
proDAD’s Heroglyph V4 Pro Gives Professional & Hobbyist Video Editors New Tools for Adding Creative Titles, sub-titles, credits, trailers, travel route animation, and more to their productions.

proDAD, the highly acclaimed developer of digital video effects and image enhancement technologies today announced availability of it’s much anticipated Heroglyph V4 Pro video title, teaser, trailer animation solution for Windows-based Non-Linear Editing (NLE) applications.  Video titling animation apps are often complicated; requiring use of key-frames and other time-consuming manual processes.  Heroglyph V4 Pro streamlines the titling process by placing the complexity “under the hood” and giving users simple wizards & FastStart templates for common projects, delivering highly creative, broadcast-ready results in a fraction of the previous time.

Heroglyph V4 Pro’s Main Features:
  • ·    500+ Professional-grade FastStart templates & elements perfect for common titling needs in broadcast news, documentary, wedding, sports, major video productions, and much more;
  • ·    Unlimited combinations of effects and animations for all major project types and full resolution, real-time preview of changes and adjustments to a project, no rendering to see changes – a Heroglyph V4 exclusive feature!
  • ·    Fantastic auto-generated handwriting script animation – proDAD developed a font for animating hand script text & symbols by simply typing the desired text and symbols. No more complicated drawing or key-framing;
  • ·    Greatly simplified Travel Rout animation – simply insert a map, click and draw to animate a travel route with many options for timing, effects animation;
  • ·     Wizard-based assistance for creating Travel Route animations, Video Walls, Slideshows, and new auto-animated handwriting script
  • ·     32-bit and 64-bit plug-in support for seamless integration with popular NLEs from Adobe, AVID, Corel, Grass Valley, MAGIX, Pinnacle Studio, and Sony;
  • ·     32/64-bit sand-alone titling app for those who use non-supported NLEs or who just desire a stand-alone app;
  • ·      New streamlined Windows ribbon-style interface gives instant access to key features with minimal learning curve;
  • ·     Optimized for today’s multi-core, multi-thread CPUs;
  • ·         AFFORDABLE!

“Our Heroglyph customers asked us for more simplicity and a straight-forward workflow, in addition to new great features and possibilities to make their creative dreams come true” said Andreas Huber, proDAD’s Managing Director. “Heroglyph V4 Pro is the result; fulfilling those dreams for everyone – for Pros to save time and deliver excellent output quality; and for video enthusiasts to create more professional looking productions– and for all of them – affordability.”

Price & Availability
Heroglyph V4 Pro is currently available as an electronic download from the proDAD online shop and popular resellers for an MSRP for £199.99 *.  Heroglyph 2.6 & Heroglyph 2.6 Rapid customers can upgrade to Heroglyph V4 Pro for as little as £106.80 *via the proDAD.com web store only.  Physical boxed product is available from Amazon.com.  Learn more at www.prodad.com

About proDAD:
proDAD develops and distributes innovative video effects solutions for creative video editing and multimedia applications. Founded in 1990, the company serves the international market with numerous renown, and award winning products including Adorage® and VitaScene® video effects products, Heroglyph® video titling, and Mercalli® video stabilization + rolling-shutter correction plug-ins.  proDAD cooperates, on the developmental level, with leading creative software developers including Adobe, Apple, AVID, COREL, Grass Valley, MAGIX, and Sony. proDAD’s headquarters are situated in the southwestern German town of Immendingen, Germany, and maintains branch offices in the US and Japan.

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAYS...

...Previous versions of Heroglyph have been outstanding – indispensable for serious video production and I am looking forward to bringing you a review of this latest version very, very soon!

Watch this space!

I hope you enjoyed this introduction. Stay tuned for more reviews to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


Please enjoy the video below! Feel free to leave some comments and subscribe!

 


Thank you for watching and reading!

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Synapse Circuit Dot Com

Friday 4 October 2013

MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2014 PREMIUM REVIEW

Above: Drum Engine and Power Guitar are two very exciting instruments of many!

Above: The Mastering Suite 4 making your final mix sound awesome!
SYNAPSE CIRCUIT REVIEWS:
MAGIX MUSIC MAKER 2014 PREMIUM
PRICE, £89.99
#Magix #MusicMaker2014Premium

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! How was your day? I trust that it was good, no? Well this review of Magix Music Maker 2014 Premium just might cheer you up!

Once upon a time to make music one would have to invest some serious time and effort in learning an instrument. My, how things have changed... Now’s your chance to shine in the musical limelight!

A MAJOR DEAL!
Where do I begin? Ah! Yes... The trouble with a majority of good music software is that they are primarily aimed at musicians and therefore it helps if you have a bit of all round knowledge on composition and production. Then there are the music making software of a bygone era where they were very, very simplistic and relied predominately on sample loops in the key of C Major / A minor; such music making software proved to be somewhat limited – even the non-musician would eventually throw in the towel on the idea of music composition. It wasn’t all that bad because the dedicated pushed such software to the point where they were able to become digital DJs, remixers, producers and even composers! But we are talking about the rare dedicated few!

Standing very high above the simplistic sample loop re-composition software was the groundbreaking Music Maker software by Magix. Music Maker was so advanced back then for a myriad of reasons:

1. In addition to sample loops Music Maker had a set of musical instruments that had interfaces to enable the non-musician to create original music patterns.

2. The ability to add image files such as JPEG and video on to a track.

3. The interface as a whole replicated the physical studio with an excellent mixing desk and effects.

4. Music Maker was competitively priced.

5. Music Maker not only took on the form of an advanced interface before Steinberg’s Virtual Studio Technology (VST) and Propellerhead’s Reason, it was quick to utilize VST thus making it supremely powerful by adding a vast range of free and commercial instruments and effects.

All of the above is why Music Maker has stood the test of time whereas as the others are gone - disappeared.

A COMPLETE STUDIO
In essence Music Maker 2014 Premium is a complete audio / visual studio and this latest version remains cutting edge.

YOUR ADVANTAGES
More than 6000 Sounds & Loops
10 different Soundpools (sound loop collection)
Unlimited tracks
Vocal Tune
Power Guitar – can be downloaded once the software has been installed.
Electric Piano
DN-e1 Synthesizer
Drum Engine
Vita 2 Sample Player
BeatBox 2
Loop Designer
Vandal SE guitar amplifier
Share tracks online
VST support
Full version of MAGIX Music Studio 2 included
Additional Premium Advantages
Pop Brass
Vintage Organ
Jazz Drums
Mastering Suite 4, incl. Auto Mastering
Analog Compressor
Revolta 2 Synthesizer
5.1 Surround Mixing
Live Performer
Music Editor 3

Let’s take a look at the some of the new additions...

POWER GUITAR
The Power Guitar does what it says on the tin and adds realistic guitar instruments to the mix as it were. I like it very much in that it is useful for chord riffs; it’s basic but definitely useful. It has a set of brilliant sounding effects to with it. Also, there are a range of guitar sounds based mainly on Rock and there is one Reggae guitar instrument which is not bad.

BASS MACHINE
As you have guessed, the Bass Machine is a synthesizer for making bass patterns. And yes, it has the (in)famous ‘Wobble’ bass that’s all the rage with Dubsteppers! The Bass Machine sounds great! It’s a wonderful synth!

DN-E1
The DN-e1 synth is very unique and contains 256 fantastic sounding instruments (programs) ranging from bass, lead, pad and percussive. You have a further 128 programs to store your own sound programming which is easier than you’d imagine.

The rest of the advantages on that list are pretty much self-explanatory so I will cut to the...

BASS MACHINE
As you have guessed, the Bass Machine is a synthesizer for making bass patterns. And yes, it has the (in)famous ‘Wobble’ bass that’s all the rage with Dubsteppers! The Bass Machine sounds great! It’s a wonderful synth!

MASTERING SUITE 4
Mastering Suite 4; what is “mastering”? Ok, this is potentially a vast area that I will attempt to simplify as much as I can... Here goes...

When you lay down musical tracks i.e. bass, drums, guitar, etc it is ideal to bring out the best possible sound where you can hear all the individual components working together in a sonic harmony. Of course some musicians / DJs like to accentuate the bass in Dance music. Rock / Metal musicians have a tendency to pay attention to the guitar and other music genres / styles have a certain sound that is desired. Music Maker 2014 allows you to achieve any sound you desire at the mixing stage.

After you feel that the mix is right you will want to add some extra polish to the overall sound of the finalized mix. Does that make any sense? Good! You might want to finalize your track for the purpose of creating an audio CD. Music Maker 2014 Premium can help you achieve this. These days it is common for the finalized track to be as loud as possible without distorting and this type of processing is known as a “Master”. Naturally, the whole procedure is known as “Mastering”.

Arguably – and I say that with relish – Music Maker 2014 Premium makes the subject of mastering very, very easy! The argument element comes into play when listening / reading the ranting of “professionals” who will insist that mastering is a craft not too dissimilar to turning lead into gold - what with the argument being that physical gear (effects) can’t be replaced by software (effects) and therefore is not as good. In any event it’ll take you less time to produce a high quality professional sounding track than to argue about it. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding and Music Maker 2014 Premium is very tasty indeed! Magix has an automated mastering option that senses the nature of the composition and imposes an optimal overall sound; it’s not bad. I personally prefer to tweak the Mastering Suite based on some of the presets.

THE EVOLUTION
As Music Maker (Premium) evolves it leans towards the more experienced computer musician which is largely because faithful users of previous versions have evolved with each incarnation. Therefore, Music Maker is now on par with music software that can cost considerably more! At the same time there are elements that allow the novice or non-musician to create original music; there’s great scope for the non-musician.

You can do so, so much with this remarkable music / visual program that it is only limited to your imagination. Great music compositions can be had from cutting up sample loops, for example, to sound like something completely different!

VERDICT
Magix Music Maker 2014 Premium is an inspirational music / multimedia composition tool that is unparalleled in its price range. The support for VST (virtual instruments and effects) is even better than the previous version (as you’d expect).

I think the price, £89.99, is right for what it is: phenomenal! It contains fine balance between musicians and non-musicians thus it can be used by just about anybody with a mind to make musical compositions! Once again, it is not limited to music as it does image files and video too! It is feasible to record a track and add a video to accompany it!

Music Maker 2014 Premium would make an ideal gift for a teenager expressing an interest in music and music production.

It’ll certainly make a great gift to yourself if you are a musician or are serious about music composition on the PC.

On the other hand there’s a standard version of Music Maker that costs only £59.99 and may be more suited to your needs. This is what you’re getting:

More than 3000 Sounds & Loops
6 different Soundpools
Up to 99 tracks
Vocal Tune
Power Guitar - can be downloaded once the software has been installed.
Electric Piano
DN-e1 Synthesizer
Drum Engine
Vita 2 Sample Player
BeatBox 2
Loop Designer
Vandal SE guitar amplifier
Share tracks online
VST support
Full version of MAGIX Music Studio 2 included

It’s pretty powerful but I do recommend the Premium version as it gives you the Mastering Suite (4) to make the final mix sound indistinguishable from today’s music CDs.

SCORE OUT OF 5

4 .5 / 5

EXCELLENT VALUE!
Both Music Maker 2014 Standard and Premium come with Music Studio 2 Standard with a value of £49.99.

I hope you enjoyed this review. Stay tuned for more reviews to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


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Thursday 3 October 2013

INTRODUCING INCOMEDIA WEBSITE X5 PROFESSIONAL 10!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
INTRODUCING INCOMEDIA WEBSITE X5 PROFESSIONAL 10!
#Incomedia #WebSiteX5

Good late evening, Synapse Circuit Readers! Do you know what I am doing right now? I am drinking a delightful herbal tea. Mmmmm... Say, are you interested in web design? Have you used a WYSIWYG web design program and found yourself a little frustrated with the limitations? I don’t know about you but I hate to program anything to do with websites. It’s funny, as the world is consumed with advanced technology it seems that the area of web design seems somewhat backwards what with all the “backend and app programming”. It’s not for me. If you feel the same way then this program could be what you’re looking for, WebSite X5 Professional 10.

Check this lot out...

Incomedia launches WebSite X5® Professional 10, the new software that is revolutionizing the way Web professionals work 
Ivrea (Italy), 2nd October 2013 – Incomedia officially announces the release of WebSite X5® Professional 10. The new web editor revolutionizes the way professional web developer’s work.
Incomedia, a company with many years experience of web site creation software development, has released WebSite X5® Professional 10. This new software is designed to meet the needs of web designers and SMEs for creating web sites and mobile sites. It is even complete with App. 

“We are very excited to expand our product range and also to target the business sector with the new WebSite® X5 Professional 10” said Incomedia CEO Federico Ranfagni. We have many years  experience which we have drawn on to create this new product. We have developed a software program able to meet the needs of Web professionals. We are aiming this product not only at web designers but also independent professionals and those who have to develop a web site for their company or corporation. They need agile and flexible tools that quickly lead them to outstanding results. We are convinced that WebSite X5® Professional 10 is the answer. The tool will radically change the way these professionals work.”

WebSite X5® Professional 10 is a unique software program. This brilliant combination of simplicity and power actually revolutionizes the way a professional web site is created by placing code and technical aspects in the background, behind the contents and layouts. The logical and intuitive WebSite X5® Professional 10 interface cuts the time needed for learning and development. Its vast range of available functions and possible customizations lets web designers tackle any project and give free rein to their creativity. The captivating, complete and professional result is a state of the art web site, able to meet the needs of any customer.

The advantage in choosing WebSite X5® Professional 10 is therefore obvious. It saves time and resources so professionals can handle a larger number of projects without jeopardizing the quality of the web sites they create. The result? More satisfied customers for a higher overall gain.  

First-Rate Functions:
“WebSite X5® Professional 10 comprises everything professionals may need to develop their projects, be it a corporate web site, a blog, an e-commerce site or a mobile site," explained Federico Ranfagni. "In this way they don't have to use outside expertize and they can quickly get professional results. In addition, we have provided features that are  incredible added value for any project!”

Some of the most important features of WebSite X5® Professional 10 are:
•           Mobile App – WebSite X5® Professional 10 is the only software that lets professionals create a site complete with a Mobile App without having to develop the App. The App is ready and available for free download from both Apple Store and Google Play. Simply anchor it to your project and invite users to download it to stay abreast of the news published on the site. With the ability to send Push notifications, the App is also an effective system for actively promoting any news or activities.

•           Mobile Web sites – The sites created are automatically optimized for viewing on mobile devices. Everything works correctly while browsing on smartphones and tablets (including the online store). Touch gestures are fully supported to ensure a fantastic surfing experience.

•           Dynamic content – WebSite X5® Professional 10 is not a CMS, but integrates its most important functions. It lets several people edit content such as text and images while working directly online.

All this is thanks to the use of Dynamic Content. The author of the site, who always has total control over the project, can use it to create pages on which the users he authorizes can make updates.

•           Online store – With WebSite X5® Professional 10 you can set up a complete online store and define all the key elements: importing products and catalogue creation; setting shipping and payment methods; buying process configuration; availability and promotion management through discounts and coupons, etc. 

•           Database integration – It is possible to integrate the web site with one or more databases for sending e-mails, registration to use restricted areas, plus management of posts on Blogs or Guestbooks, or purchase orders coming from the online store. The operation is simple and lets you also manage data with a dedicated online control panel. 
  
•           Analysis and Optimization – WebSite X5® Professional 10 optimizes the pages, images, videos and products of the store in order to best index them on search engines. Furthermore, with the advanced project analysis function, optimizations are still possible prior to publication online.

WebSite X5® Professional 10 includes a web hosting service with web space, bandwidth, databases, e-mail addresses and unlimited site hosting for 12 months.

For more information on WebSite X5® Professional 10: http://www.websitex5.com/professional
For more information on Incomedia: www.incomedia.eu/en

Availability and Pricing:
Incomedia WebSite X5® Professional 10 is now available from £169 from http://www.websitex5.com/en/store.html

About Incomedia:
Incomedia, founded in 1998, is a leading independent developer and publisher of multimedia software for the PC.

Incomedia’s flagship product WebSite X5, currently sold in over 40 countries through a well-established network of International distributors, resellers and retailers, was developed with the aim of bringing high-end website creation software at affordable prices to home, business and education users. The software is designed specifically for users who want to publish high-quality websites and online shops, with a professional look and feel in just 5 simple steps. http://www.incomedia.eu/en/index.html

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SAYS...

...WebSite X5 Professional 10 looks like it could come to the rescue of frustrated ambitious web designers looking to create more professional sites for business especially!

Review coming soon!

I hope you enjoyed this introduction. Stay tuned for more reviews to come.

Watch this space!

Take good care!


Please enjoy the video below! Feel free to leave some comments and subscribe!



Thank you for watching and reading!

Please check out the Synapse Circuit website for video, i-PDF and more! 

Synapse Circuit Dot Com