by Lidia Paulinska | Jan 31, 2016
January, NAMM 2016 – His ideas and techniques influenced other musicians and innovators. His curiosity led him to the two most important parts of his career: music and electronics. This year, the Les Paul Foundation celebrated the 100th anniversary of the man who made a generous contribution to the music industry. Here are some facts about his life and accomplishments learned from the visit at Les Paul Exhibit, inside the big truck& trailer parked in front of the convention center in Anaheim during the NAMM 2016 show.
He was curious.
Les Paul (real name: Lester William Polsfuss) was born in 1915 in the small city Waukesha. As a kid he loved the music that came out of the radio and the phonograph. He wondered how they worked. Radio had only been around a few years and was just becoming the big thing. At age 10 he built his own crystal radio, that didn’t need a battery or electricity. And he was hooked forever. Soon he learned to play music on his guitar that he bought when he was about 11. He wondered if he could make it louder.
He was persistent.
As a young man of 26, Les went to Gibson with his solid body electric guitar, nickname “the log”. Despite its sweet tone and lack of feedback, Gibson turn it down, calling it a “broomstick with pickups on it”. Les spent the next 10 years trying to convince Gibson to build a solid body guitar. Les’ friend Leo Fender developed a solid body electric and gave Les a prototype. Les took the Fender Telecaster to Gibson, along with “the log”. “I believe the solid body guitar is going to be important, and if you don’t do something, Fender is going to rule the world.” Les finally persuaded Gibson to design what became one of the most famous guitars in the world, the Les Paul Standard.
He never took “No” for an answer. For a year, Les and his wife Mary Ford played different arrangements of “How High the Moon” everywhere they performed. After observing the audiences’ reaction, they recorded the one that had the best response. When Les told Capitol Records he wanted to release it, Jim Conkling, Capitol’s Vice President, objected. “There are already 85 records on “How high the Moon”, and none have made it.” But Les insisted it would be a hit. Capitol released the song around the end of March, 1951, and in two weeks it was its first number one hit as a duo, and it stayed on top for many weeks.
He had passion for music and electronics.
Today, computers make it easy to record multiple tracks, overdub and add effects. But Les had to figure out how to do it himself, inventing recording techniques so he had sound different from all others electric guitars players. He converted his garage into a recording studio and audio workshop.
When Capitol Records released the recording “Les Paul The New Sound” in 1948, modern music changed forever. Les Paul’s use of multiple overlaid audio tracks and innovative audio effects created a sensation with the listening public and musicians around the world. Les had truly created a “New Sound”.
Having the opportunity to learn about music and electronics at the same time was terribly important because it led him to the marriage between the guitar and the amplifier. Les’ Ampex 8-track machine “The Octopus” was seven feet tall and weigh 250 pounds. The Octopus was married to the mixing board Les dubbed “The Monster”. In 1956 Les told radio listeners that the audio signals were multiplied by the magic box called the “Les Paulveizer”. He was a Recording Wizard.
by Lidia Paulinska | Jan 28, 2016
January, CES 2016 – With a theme of a summer time Beach Blowout the Pepcom Digital Experience event took place before doors officially open for CES 2016 in Las Vegas. 225 exhibitors were showcased their various products and services to the press representative hoping to attract the media eyes on their new innovation or on the update to previous version of the product. Most of their products were electronics or accessories marketplace. There were some debuts along them and some products which already got the recognition. All of them were worth to see and have the editors get a chance to put their hands on them.
The list of exhibitors held at the Pepcom Digital Experience event we stopped into along with a short description what they brought to CES 2016 in alphabetical order below:
Aerodrome – owner and operator of teaching airports for commercial drones, discussed the groundbreaking of the world’s first droneport.
Amped Wireless – showcased their latest, award-winning innovations in long range wireless solutions.
Antenna79 – showed the new one-of-kind R79X iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6/6s Plus cases, which contain a multi-patented, micro-thin antenna that automatically couples with your phone to expand and extend your phone’s antenna.
ARM – mobile and IoT experts showcased the latest ARM-based connected devices (smartphones, wearables and IoT).
Atmel – showed the latest wearable devices to its secure, connected ZigBee-to-Wi-Fi lighting system, Wi-Fi camera, and force sensing technology on a large touchscreen.
BACtrack – showcased new developments for its award-winning BACtrack Mobile smartphone breathalyzer; featuring Bluetooth connectivity and iOS and Android compatibility.
Beddit – showed convenient and clinically proven sleep tracker that makes any bed a smart bed and helps improve sleep by combining an ultra-thin sensor placed under the bed sheet with an App on an iPhone and Apple Watch, or Android device.
Belkin- showcased a variety of new technological innovations. The Linksys brand introduced a new lineup of Wi-Fi MU-MIMO and Cable Modem solutions, while Belkin debuted new USB-C accessories and charging solutions for smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.
Bitdefender – presented its new product – BOX. As a hardware – cloud – mobile apps play, BOX is the all-inclusive cybersecurity solution packed into one smartphone controlled device that protects every device connected to the Internet.
BLACK+DECKER™ – announced SMARTECH™ Technology, which merges DIY with technology for Power Tools, Home Products, and Outdoor Products.
Bowflex – showed the first-ever smart dumbbells with advanced 3DT™ technology designed to guide users through each exercise while tracking reps and weight lifted, and wirelessly transferring data to a free mobile app.
Canon – displayed its latest products offerings in Digital Imaging solutions.
Carl Zeiss Smart Optics – launched the first curved and stylish data glass lens with unobtrusively integrated optics for augmented reality applications.
Chamberlain – demonstrated their latest strategies for creating a safer and more connected home, including the next phase in their partnership with Nest.
CooperVision – believes that it’s time to change the perception that digital eye fatigue — experienced by seven in ten adults living in the United States – should be considered “normal.”
D-Link – displayed a range of exciting new products across its home networking, home security and home automation product lines.
Dell – showed the newest additions to its consumer and commercial product portfolios, including sleek notebooks, versatile 2-in-1 devices, gaming systems, and displays.
Delta Faucet Company – made its debut CES/Pepcom appearance to showcase its latest innovation as it relates to smart home technology and water.
DocuSign – showcased its smart contracts and payments prototype co-developed with Visa for its Connected Car Initiative. The payment app revolutionizes auto-leasing and buying by making it 100% digital so consumers can sign a lease, select insurance and more right from the driver’s seat in the showroom.
Epson America, Inc. – showcased the WorkForce ET-4550 EcoTank printer, which comes with up to two years of ink in the box; the Home Cinema 1040 and Home Cinema 1440, MHL-enabled home theater projectors featuring high brightness, Full HD 1080p and high contrast.
EyeLock – showcased iris identity authentication developed for end-points across the Internet of Things.
Garmin – showcased its latest GPS navigation and wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle.
GE Lighting – showcased its Bluetooth-connected LED product family – C by GE, designed for sleep and everyday illumination.
HARMAN – JBL and Harman Kardon showed the next generation in wireless audio.
Hunter Fan Company – the manufacturer of ceiling fans, debuted two Wi-Fi enabled fans at CES: the all-new designs, named Symphony and Signal, retail for less than $400 and can be connected with other Wi-Fi enabled devices in the home.
Hyundai – showcased an augmented reality owner’s manual app called Virtual Guide.
iBaby Labs – presented Connected Home at its best with iBaby’s IoT solutions – from baby monitors and home monitors to air quality trackers.
IEEE – featured out-of-this-world technologies through truly unique AR/VR environments.
LifeProof is unveiling the newest addition to the waterproof case line.
Lutron Electronics – a leading manufacturer of energy-saving light, shade, and temperature control solutions, showcased new features of its HomeKit-enabled Caséta Wireless system, an affordable, expandable, smart home solution available in both DIY and “do it for me” options.
Master Lock – showed its new line of Bluetooth Smart Padlocks, a new level of convenience and security that turns your smart device into a key.
Moshi – debuted on-ear headphones, and presented stylish tech-savvy bags and new portable batteries.
Nest – showed it’s full family of products.
Nikon Inc. – showcased its latest DSLR, Nikon 1 and COOLPIX cameras as well its NIKKOR lenses and accessories.
OSRAM SYLVANIA – showed the newest additions to its smart connected LIGHTIFY® portfolio, including the industry-first LIGHTIFY Switch and Outdoor Flex RGBW Strips.
Performance Designed Products (PDP), the #1 third party accessory manufacturer in North America introduced a new product for the gamers.
Petcube – maker of the Petcube Camera that allows owners to watch, talk to, and play with pets on their iOS and Android devices unveiled early details of Petcube Protect: a new cloud-based subscription service that gives owners peace of mind when it comes to their pets and their home property.
Plantronics – showcased its top 2015 products including the CES Innovations Award winning BackBeat SENSE and Voyager Focus UC.
Rambus – showcased its revolutionary Lensless Smart Sensors, a revolutionary new approach to optical sensing that delivers on package, power and price by replacing traditional lenses with tine diffractive optics.
Raumfeld – extends its product portfolio of WiFi speakers to include TV and movie sound with the introduction of the world’s first WiFi sounddeck for use as both a television and music sound system. A new soundbar with innovative flat wireless subwoofer was presented.
SanDisk – showed its latest mobile memory solutions with supersized capacities for fast and easy content transfer and expanded storage for all popular mobile devices and its brand new, rugged portable SSD for techies who need fast, reliable storage on-the-go.
Schlage – showed its most advanced lock system offerings to date, Schlage Control™ Smart Locks and The Schlage Sense™ Smart Deadbolt providing smart home access for both renters and home owners.
Seagate – showcased the company’s latest storage offerings from both the LaCie and Seagate branded product lines.
Shure – showcased the newest additions to its robust listening portfolio, including its exclusive innovation: the premium KSE1500 Electrostatic Earphone System—the world’s first Sound Isolating™ electrostatic earphone and amplifier system, for use with portable and traditional media players—and the new standalone Shure SHA900 Portable Listening Amplifier, designed for use with premium-quality headphones and earphones.
TomTom will be showing its new GPS fitness watch with on-board music – TomTom Spark, its action camera that enables footage editing and sharing in minutes – TomTom Bandit, and its new Golf GPS watch – TomTom Golfer.
Toshiba – showed its latest innovations in PC and Branded Storage.
TP-LINK – showcased the next evolution of 802.11ad wireless technology, products for the smart home and its comprehensive line of innovative routers.
TripIt – showed new additions to trip planner services.
TYLT – unveiled several new wireless chargers capable of charging 3X faster than the pre-2015 standard.
Wacom – showcased the power digital stationery, turning notes into text files with the brand-new ink-to-text conversion.
WD – showed new products, including the My Cloud Mirror Gen 2!
Whirlpool – showed the completely and intuitively re-imagined, pantry-inspired shelving system in the Whirlpool® Smart French Door Refrigerator that uses space more efficiently among with leading French Door Bottom Mount refrigerators
Withings – showed the connected health revolution products.
ZAGG – highlighted its latest mobile keyboards and portable power and introduced new products for audio lovers and social media users.
Zolt – featured the world’s smallest, lightest and smartest multi-device laptop charger, capable of charging today’s laptops and two mobile devices simultaneously.
by Lidia Paulinska | Nov 28, 2015
The two-day KTech – KGlobal@Silicon Valley 2015 symposium and expo organized by the Korean Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning along with KOTRA Silicon Valley; was dedicated to promote Korean technology and its ties with Silicon Valley. The event took place on November 12-13, 2015 at Marriott hotel in Santa Clara, CA. The opening remarks were delivered by Yong Soo Kim, Assistant Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning, ChangYup Na, Managing Director of KOTRA in Sillicon Valley, Jong-Lok Yoon, President of National IT Industry Promotion Agency, Congressman Mike Honda from 17th District of California and Dongman Han and Consul General of Republic of Korea in San Francisco.
The main theme of this year event was “Automated Future: Human + Technology”.
The first keynote speaker Curtis Sasaki, Vice President of Ecosystems and IoT General Manager from Samsung Electronics stated that in 2020 many of our devices will be connected. Sasaki who worked in the past at Apple and Sun Microsystems, and today at Samsung, the most recognizable brand from Korea, described some effort and the products that company offers: Samsung Sleepsense, the sleep monitor, Samsung Gear S2, stylish and smart watch, and Samsung gear VR. According Sasaki, next area where we should expect a lot of traffic is VR (Virtual Reality). And VR is not just for a gaming but may also conquer other territories such as real estate, where surprisingly, people are willing to buy a house without visiting it or in education where the technology can offer the VR tour of the world in every school. Samsung applied the VR in their smartphones, like the Galaxy 5, and just headphones are needed to get a VR experience. In his summary, Sasaki pointed out the challenges that society faces nowadays and summarized the solutions: IoT can be a catalyst, partnerships are critical, technology and innovation are moving at an even faster pace than in the past.
A world experienced wide robotics revolution – stated second keynote speaker Rodney Brooks, Founder, Chairman and CTO of Rethink Robotics – sustaining growth in the face of demographic inversion. Brooks is convinced that time for the robots to interact with humans in the daily life is now. As he described it: It knows what you mean and it does what you want. Radical rethinking of manufacturing strategies is underway. The time is now because of convergence of Industrial Internet (Intelligent devices networked into intelligent systems), Additive manufacturing (Changing the economics of scale), Near-shoring (Benefit of low-cost outsourcing is eroding), Digital revolution (Cheap sensing, cheap computation, pervasive connectivity). As the population enjoys long life expectancy the robotics is going to get pulled into in home for elder care and find it use in the aging population. Brooks showed the statistics from Europe, 1950 when the population reaches 349.8 million and life longevity was 80, in Europe 2050 the population will be 401 million with life longevity to the late 90. The speaker reminded the audience that the first commercial robot was developed was in a GM factory in New Jersey in 1961. Today robotics represents baxter, research robot; the product of robust and growing developer community sharing code and applications, uses the Unified RobotDesriptor Format (URDF) for collaboration across groups, uses open source ROS framework, the standard in academia and corporate research, complete robotics platform with low-level control for custom application development, interface for custom end-effector development.
The keynote speakers set the mood for a vibrant Automated Future: Human + Technology panel discussions over the next two –days of KTech symposium. Meanwhile more than 35 Korean companies in security, wearables, big data, e-learning, hardware and software were presenting their solutions for the world at the expo area along with international job fair at the Marriott hotel in Santa Clara.
Photos of the event can be found at: https://brightblueii.com/photos/ktechsilicon-valley-2015/
More information at the website: http://www.ktechsv.org/
