Chances are most of us are quite familiar with YouTube. YouTube is the largest video channel on the Internet with more than 1 billion users visiting each month after all. We can enjoy a variety of videos on YouTube like comedy, pranks, interviews, tutorials, and live events.
I bet you have been enjoying countless of hours in YouTube. So, here we’ve put together 5 handy tricks to make YouTube more enjoyable for you.
Recommended Reading: More YouTube Tricks
Why did Americans drop the ‘u’ from British words like ‘humour’ and ‘behaviour?’ What about ‘theater’ vs. ‘theatre?’ Siobhan Thompson explains the spelling divide between the two nations.
Here’s another song I composed this week. “Early Morning Songs” a relaxing ambient soundscape. This Collection of Ambient Music is Perfect for your daily Meditation and Relaxation. ~ Enjoy
I love wires. You might even say I dream of them. But it’s time to stop thinking of MIDI as being a wire. MIDI has always been transport independent; that is, it’s a protocol that can run over anything.
Apple has been doing more than anyone lately to exploit that potential, building wireless MIDI capabilities into iOS and (with the upcoming Yosemite) OS X. Now, here’s where wireless starts to look appealing – when you go mobile. Bluetooth is now capable of more reliable, low-latency, easy-to-configure setup than before, which means you might want to wipe your brain of your previous impressions of what going wireless means. We’ll do a full test as this stuff comes out (I’ve just received a PUC, and need to do some proper performance testing). But here are some previews of some of the tricks this setup can pull off. And they all work today – well, in some form, though not always on released software.
‘Wej,’ at top (pronounced ‘wedge’), is the most ambitious Bluetooth MIDI-based solution. Cable lovers, it’s blasphemy. All MIDI and even all audio communication from the iPad is wireless, using bluetooth MIDI and AirPlay, respectively. Instead, you use the connector on your iPad exclusively for power. The Wej base station performs other functions, instead:
1. It powers and connects wired USB MIDI devices – acting as a hub for controllers, connecting them to iOS (or OS X) over Bluetooth MIDI.
2. It connects to external audio.
3. It acts as a sticky stand, propping up your iPad and keeping it from slipping.
4. It lights up in disco patterns, synced to your music. (An app controls the patterns.)
The packability of Wej is perhaps the coolest bit. There’s an Arduino inside, so you can reprogram its functions. Those 48 ‘ultra-bright’ LEDs are programmable. (For instance, you could … turn them off. Sorry, imagining this being slightly blinding in some situations. Okay, you might also come up with cool effects.)
http://preorder.retronyms.com/hacks.html
And MIDI and USB, disco lights aside, are quite functional. You can reprogram MIDI functions, for making your own arpeggiators, filters, and the like. The USB ports are proper USB host ports, so they work not only with USB MIDI devices but gadgets like joysticks and keyboards, too.
I would still prefer cables for recording or rigorous live performance work, but as a sketchpad to keep on your desk daily, or as part of a larger live rig, I think it could be appealing. (I’m also guessing a lot of people are underestimating the quality of wireless performance these days – the iPad’s sometimes-buggy WiFi notwithstanding.)
It’s US$99 on preorder, assuming they get enough preorders, via the talented iOS developer Retronyms.
Here’s a new track I composed last night. Relaxing ambient soundscape the ‘Colors of the Fall’. This Collection of Ambient Music is Perfect for your daily Meditation and Relaxation. Enjoy
Because batteries have a limited shelf life , that flashlight you’ve been saving for an emergency might not actually work when you need it to. So instead of stocking up on candles, grab a couple of these tiny emergency lights from Eton that simply need you to add water to keep them lit for three full days.
(Via Gizmodo.)
Spotify is no longer content to just compete with radio, now they’re competing with the idea of even owning music. Spotify is one of the best web services going. With an awesome free plan and an even better paid one, Spotify has edged out rivals such as Rdio to become the dominant music streaming service. Listening to music with Spotify used to be a slightly strange experience. While you could create playlists, it was a poor method for building a proper music collection like your iTunes library. Also, while you had access to thousands of artists, there was no easy way…
Read the full article: Spotify Your Music Collection: The End Of iTunes
(Via MakeUseOf.com.)
If you’ve downloaded the iOS 8 and found some compatibility issues in your device, here’s a tutorial on how to downgrade to iOS 7.1.2. Are you still in the iOS 7 ecosystem? I also wrote about the 8 Things You Should Know Before Upgrading to iOS 8 to help you decide whether to stick with your current iOS or upgrade.
Honestly, I love the new and improved features of iOS 8, but for a few hours of testing it, one of the biggest caveats I found is that it drains my battery faster. The solution? I scouted the Internet for sources to revert to iOS 7.
Downgrading to iOS 7.1.2 is still possible as of press time, unless Apple stops signing the firmware file. So, better hurry, and keep in mind that performing the downgrade is at your own risk.
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As your MacBook ages, your battery performance decreases — that’s just a fact of life. But if you correctly calibrate and maintain your battery, it’s possible to improve performance and put off replacing it for as long as possible. Calibrating Your MacBook Battery If you have a MacBook or a MacBook Pro, you should calibrate your lithium-ion battery once a month. According to Apple, MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and MacBook Airs released after mid-2009 are pre-calibrated and don’t require calibration. Other laptops, however, can benefit from a calibration. Batteries have internal microprocessors, and properly calibrating them will keep your onscreen battery display accurate and your…
Read the full article: Calibrate & Maintain Your MacBook Battery For Best Performance
(Via MakeUseOf.com.)
Ian Scott 
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