SoundCloud’s free “auto-mastering” audio tool is more of an auto-turd

Enlarge / An artist’s rendering of SoundCloud and Landr’s new, free “auto-mastering” computer system at work. (credit: Sam Machkovech / Jason Scragz)

First, the robots came for our factory jobs, then for our fast-food jobs. Now, they’re aiming their laser-guided sights at… music-recording engineers?

On Thursday, the audio-processing company Landr (founded in 2014) announced its partnership with the hugely popular self-publishing music platform SoundCloud. SoundCloud users can now have their original tunes processed and “optimized” for free by Landr.

This news promises a different kind of audio-related snake oil than we’re used to at Ars. We’ve seen plenty of products advertising instant audio benefits, from cords to pre-amps to DACs, which largely target music consumers. Landr flips its sales pitch by targeting music creators.

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SoundCloud’s free “auto-mastering” audio tool is more of an auto-turd

Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro international variant now surfaces in Wi-Fi certification

Remember the Samsung SM-A910F that was spotted on Zauba earlier this month? The device is alleged to be the international variant of the Galaxy A9 Pro (SM-A9100) that was launched in March. The latest news is that the phone has received Wi-Fi certification from the WiFi Alliance (WFA).

Not only the standard model, but a dual-SIM model of the device is also now Wi-Fi certified, effectively suggesting that their launch isn’t far off.

There’s currently no information on the pricing as well as exactly which regions will get the Galaxy A9 Pro, although Europe seems to be on list…

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Samsung Galaxy A9 Pro international variant now surfaces in Wi-Fi certification

4 maps you’ll need even when you’re not lost for direction

These crowd sourced maps provide useful life hacks on the road -from the location of the nearest ATM to the clean loos in the area. – Source

4 maps you’ll need even when you’re not lost for direction

These startups deliver fuel to your doorstep in US

A new crop of startups in the US is trying to make fuel sta tions obsolete. Tap an app, and they’ll bring the fuel to you, filling up your car while you’re at work, eating breakfast, or watching Netflix. Filld, WeFuel, Yoshi, Purple and Booster Fuels have started operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Nashville and Atlanta. But officials say driving around in a pickup truck with hundreds of gallons of gasoline might not be safe. – Source

These startups deliver fuel to your doorstep in US

3 women hailed as heroes after thwarting alleged date rape attempt

Three women enjoying a quiet dinner in Santa Monica Thursday night went from their cheese platter to heroically thwarting an alleged date rape attempt.

One of the women, Sonia Ulrich, shared the incredible story on Facebook in a post that has since gone viral.

SEE ALSO: Climate change threatens iconic sites worldwide, but one country is trying to hide

Ulrich describes how she, along with friends Monica Kenyon and Marla Saltzer, were dining at the restaurant Fig at the Fairmont when Kenyon spotted a man at a nearby table putting something in his date’s drink without her knowing.

Image: …

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3 women hailed as heroes after thwarting alleged date rape attempt

Secret tape reveals why Australia is losing vital climate science jobs

Remarks made by the head of Australia’s peak science body in a secret recording will do little to assuage fears the country will lose much of its climate science capacity amid severe budget cuts.

The Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was thrown into turmoil in February after reports that hundreds of climate scientists would be made redundant. The change is being led by the organisation’s new CEO, Larry R. Marshall, who has made little secret of his desire to concentrate on science that can be commercialised.

SEE ALSO: …

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Secret tape reveals why Australia is losing vital climate science jobs

Samsung shows off its next-generation smartphone display: 5.5-inch, VR ready with 806ppi pixel density

During last week’s Display Week festivities in San Francisco, Samsung showed off its next generation smartphone display. The 5.5-inch screen is “VR ready” and features a resolution of 2160 x 3840. That works out to a pixel density of 806ppi, which is 44.7% higher than the pixel density found on today’s displays. Those who had a look at the screen commented on how bright and clear it looked, but noted that it ran at a slow frame rate indicating that more work needs to be done before the screen is released.

Don’t expect to see the display employed on the Samsung Galaxy Note 6 (or Galaxy … – Source

Samsung shows off its next-generation smartphone display: 5.5-inch, VR ready with 806ppi pixel density

Merriam-Webster said the hot dog is a sandwich, and people are furious

It’s an age-old debate: is the hot dog — a meat tube resting in a partially-sealed bread pocket — a sandwich?

Would-be sandwich arbiter Merriam-Webster thinks so. And the Internet is not pleased.

SEE ALSO: We taste tested convenience store food so you don’t have to

It all started with this haughty tweet, which purported to celebrate all the sandwiches we’ll eat over Memorial Day weekend.

But Twitter saw Merriam-Webster’s hidden agenda: to settle a debate that just isn’t ready to be settled.

Others brought other carb + meat combinations into the mix. What about a taco? A gyro? A quesadilla? …

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Merriam-Webster said the hot dog is a sandwich, and people are furious

Samsung S Health update: compare steps with friends, easier heart rate monitoring and more

Health has become an important staple in Samsung‘s smartphone business model. They are one of the very few to use heart-rate sensors in their smartphones, as well as supporting Bluetooth blood pressure monitors, blood glucose monitors, scales and more. It all gets recorded through the S Health app, which continues to get better and is getting a significant update today.

Likely the coolest improvement is that S Health is getting a little more competitive (though some of you may actually not like that idea). Users can now compare their step counts with friends, as well as put this data up against their own age groups. You can even challenge friends to reach certain activity levels. To make step counts more accurate, the app can now combine steps measured by multiple S Health-compatible devices and applications.

See also: 10 best health apps for Android8

Also improved is the ability to measure your heart rate. In essence, it is made easier with a feature you can turn on from the app. After it has been activated, one can go ahead and place a finger on the heart rate sensor, turn the device around and let the phone work its magic.

Users can now also export heart rate, blood pressure and glucose data as HTML, XLS and PDF files. In addition, it’s possible to sync data with the CareSens N Bluetooth glucose meter. And of course, there’s your usual bug fixes and performance improvements.

Go get your update from the Google Play Store now. And don’t forget to hit the comments to let us know how these new features are treating you! Will you be competing with your buds?

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Samsung S Health update: compare steps with friends, easier heart rate monitoring and more

Dashbon Flicks – projector and Bluetooth speaker with up to 56 hours of battery life

In the world of mobile projectors, it seems every manufacturer is focusing on making their units more portable. This is great for those who really prioritize mobility, but size cut-downs do come linked with sacrifices. I have yet to see a mobile projector with good sound, for example; and lackluster battery life is another factor to consider.

Enter the Dashbon Flicks, a projector that might finally meet a hardcore road warrior’s standards. It is pretty large at 5.31 x 11.77 x 6.52 inches, so you can’t exactly throw this in a purse, but a backpack will probably work.

There’s a built in RGB LED-lit widescreen projection display in there, featuring Texas Instruments DLP technology. It has a 1280×800 resolution and 10000:1 contrast ratio. And a 100-inch projection can be achieved at only 8.4 feet.

See also: Best portable projectors5

Dashbon also managed to throw in two large, full-range speakers, as we as a subwoofer, making for what could be the best-sounding mobile projector in the market. Of course, this also means the unit can be a great standalone wireless speaker. It does feature Bluetooth 4.0 technology and can wirelessly connect to any compatible handset up to 33 feet away.

As for other ports, this speaker has anything any projector could need. You can take advantage of HDMI, microUSB, USB, a 3.5 mm audio jack and a power port. Oh, and that full-sized USB port is for charging other devices, like smartphones and tablets. It pretty much doubles as a massive portable battery.

Now, let’s talk about the most important factors: battery life and pricing. This may be one of the best mobile projectors around, but it’s also certainly not the cheapest. There are two models, one has a 140 Wh battery and costs $599, while the beefier 280 Wh unit goes for $699.

The smaller battery model offers 4 hours of projection or 28 hours of Bluetooth playback. Meanwhile, the 280 Wh iteration will keep you entertained for days with 8 hours of video or a whopping 56 hours of Bluetooth sound.

It is looking like a very tempting option, right? Are any of you signing up?

Check out the Dashbon Flicks website – Source

Dashbon Flicks – projector and Bluetooth speaker with up to 56 hours of battery life

Unicorns along the Wasatch: Utah’s flourishing startup and enterprise scene

Silicon Valley has traditionally been the startup Garden of Eden, but it’s no longer the only game in town. Utah — specifically Salt Lake City and its ecosystem — has become a formidable breeding ground for startups, even developing its own unicorn herd. Read More

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Unicorns along the Wasatch: Utah’s flourishing startup and enterprise scene