Many Akai devices will soon support Native Instruments sound packs

Akai and Native Instruments are sort of like the Nintendo and Sega of music production. These long-time rivals offer many similar products, but some musicians get drawn to Akai’s MPC workflow while [...]

Native Instruments enters into insolvency proceedings, leaving its future uncertain

Music hardware and software manufacturer Native Instruments has entered into preliminary insolvency proceedings, according to a report by Create Digital Music. This is the company behind iconic softwa [...]

The 10 best things I saw at NAMM

The 2025 NAMM Show is over. Every year music gear manufacturers, ranging from iconic synth brands like Korg, to boutique guitar pedal makers like Walrus Audio, and even companies making fog machines a [...]

Akai just released a portable and relatively budget-friendly MPC sampler

Akai just revealed specs and other details about the MPC Sample after teasing the gadget earlier this month. This is a portable sampler and groovebox that looks eerily similar to Teenage Engineering&# [...]

Akai's MPC XL groovebox is the most powerful device the company has ever made

Akai just revealed its most powerful standalone groovebox, the MPC XL. For the uninitiated, the MPC has been around since the 1980s and pretty much defined hip hop from that era. The line has continuo [...]

Anker made a solar beach umbrella, because of course

Anker's empire is vast, spanning everything from cheap batteries to 3D printers, but more importantly, it's varied. Case in point, the company is introducing the Anker Solix Solar Beach Umbr [...]

The Morning After: Acer's huge 11-inch handheld gaming PC

Handheld gaming PCs are here to stay, and as the entire category grows and matures, things are getting bigger. Even bigger. Packing detachable controllers and a built-in kickstand, Acer’s Blaze 11 s [...]

Texas Instruments made a new flagship graphing calculator: the TI-84 Evo

Texas Instruments graphing calculators have helped many a student with algebra, pre-calculus and upside-down anatomical slang. Now, the company is back with an upgrade for the modern world, the TI-84 [...]

Giant radar ‘umbrella’ launches into space on mission to transform climate science

The European Space Agency (ESA) has blasted its Biomass satellite into space aboard a Vega-C rocket. The launch took place at 11:15 (CEST) today from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.  N [...]