Favourite Computers, Consoles & Mobiles

A list of all my favourite computes, phones & games consoles I’ve mostly owned or used at school & college, in order of purchase / initial use … Computers Commodore PET (1977) The Commodore PET was the first computer I learnt BASIC in the school computing club (1981) The first program I wrote was an animated Christmas card as part of a school competition, I was quite proud of it. We were meant to showcase all of our programs at a public school event however I forgot to take the tape with me to school, I was truly gutted. I also mislaid the tape at home so have lost all those initial programs I wrote :( ...

Tracking Health Data

Blood Testing Thriva - highly recommended, picks up on critical things even my local GP didn’t - they even dismissed the readings saying these ‘at home’ tests are not accurate and just trying to make money out me ! It turned out that the Thriva readings were 100% accurate and flagged some potentially serious conditions. Thriva is a health-tech company that offers at-home blood testing and personalized health advice. It aims to empower individuals to proactively manage their health by providing insights into their overall well-being. Understand your internal health, stay ahead of chronic diseases, and extend your healthspan with home blood tests and actionable next steps. Cholesterol (lipid profile), creatinine, cRP, ferritin, folate, free testosterone, hbA1c (diabetes), liver blood test, omega 3 & 6, total testosterone, vitamin B12 (active), vitamin B12 (total), vitamin B9 & B12 (active), vitamin D Note: These at-home blood tests are not a substitute for professional medical care. Health Apps (iOS) Apple Health Apple Health is a comprehensive platform designed to help you manage and understand your health data. It collects information from your iPhone, Apple Watch, and compatible third-party apps to provide a holistic view of your well-being Fitness and Activity Steps, distance, and calories burned Workouts: Type, duration, intensity, and calories burned Heart rate: Resting, active, and workout heart rate Sleep: Duration, sleep cycles, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels Exercise minutes Stand hours Health Metrics Body measurements: Height, weight, body mass index (BMI) Vital signs: Heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels Reproductive health: Menstrual cycle, fertility, pregnancy Nutrition: Calories consumed, macronutrients, micronutrients Medications: Name, dosage, schedule Medical ID: Emergency contact information and medical conditions Additional Features Mindfulness: Meditation and relaxation sessions Environmental factors: Noise levels, air quality Health records: Medical history, immunizations, allergies Megafit-Health Fitness Tool Measures & tracks the following weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat %, body fat weight, body water, bone mass, rate of subcutaneous fat, visceral fat levels, basal metabolism body age, muscle mass & resting calorie consumption data Requires a smart scale Syncs to Apple Health app Zordai Syncs to Apple Health app Health Suppliments While it’s best to obtain nutrients from food, supplements can be beneficial in certain cases. ...

List of links for best DJ gear, controllers & software

Here is a list of useful links for the best DJ gear, controllers & software 2024 Best DJ controllers 2024: Hands-on control for Serato, rekordbox, Traktor and more - our expert picks Best DJ Gear 2024: 11 best DJ software for mixing and playlisting in 2024 Best DJ plugins of 2024: Free software and apps for DJing Best DJ Software - Top 5 Choices for Digital DJing 2024 Best Pioneer DJ Gear 2024 The best DJ controllers in 2024 The Ultimate Guide to the Best DJ Setups in 2024 for any Budget! 2023 Best DJ Gear 2023: 9 of the best DJ Controllers under $400 Best DJ Gear 2023: 8 of the best Standalone DJ Controllers in 2023 The 10 best DJ software available in 2023

SpaceX Starfactory

About The SpaceX Starfactory is the heart of Starship production, located within the Starbase complex in Boca Chica, Texas. It’s goal is to mass produce Starship rockets, with an ambitious target of one Starship per day! This vast facility manufactures and assembles Starship vehicles, including both the Starship spacecraft itself and the Super Heavy booster that launches it. The Starfactory is still under construction, but with ongoing expansion it’s expected to reach its full production potential soon. SpaceX views Starfactory as crucial to achieving their long-term goals - regular space travel and missions to Mars. By streamlining Starship production, they hope to dramatically increase launch cadence and make space more accessible. ...

IK Multimedia - Pianoverse

About I already have a ridiculous amount of piano libraries already and I honestly don’t need anymore. However, IK Multimedia’s Pianoverse pianos sound fantastic, also the UI is great and I love the effects, couldn’t resist ! https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/pianoverse/ Individual pianos are $99.99 Pianoverse MAX currently $299 (total value $800, save $500) You get all 6 Pianoverse pianos available now plus 2 more scheduled for release Pianoverse - Concert Grand YF3 Pianoverse - Royal Upright Y5 Pianoverse - Black Diamond B280 Pianoverse - NY Grand S274 Pianoverse - Gran Concerto 278 Pianoverse - Hamburg Grand S274 Pianoverse - Liberty Upright (coming soon) Pianoverse - Black Pearl B200 (coming soon) YouTube Videos Pianoverse - The only piano instrument you’ll ever need Jordan Rudess Pianoverse Gran Concerto 278 piano virtual instrument sound demo IK Multimedia Pianoverse Sound Demo and Walkthrough Into The PIANOVERSE From IK Multimedia | Is it truly the only virtual piano you will ever need?

Roland Fantom EX

About The Roland Fantom EX is a series of professional-grade synthesizer workstations aimed at musicians and producers. It’s known for its versatility, high-quality sounds, and powerful features. Here’s a breakdown of its key characteristics: Sounds Diverse sound library with over 7,000 tones covering various musical styles. Roland’s sound engine technologies like ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) for realistic analog sounds, ZEN-Core for sample-based sounds, V-Piano for superior piano tones, and SuperNATURAL for rich and expressive acoustic instruments. Access to premium sound content through Roland Cloud for further sonic exploration. Hardware and User Interface Comes in three models: Fantom 6 EX, 7 EX, and 8 EX, differing in the number of keys. User-friendly interface with a combination of buttons, knobs, sliders, and a large, dynamic color touchscreen for intuitive control and sound shaping. Option to personalize the interface with custom images. Workflow and Features Onboard sampling and composition tools for creating and arranging musical ideas. TR-REC step sequencer for programming drum beats and rhythmic patterns. Real-time recording with piano roll editing for capturing and editing musical performances. RGB pads for triggering sounds, samples, and launching clips. Various effects processors for adding depth and character to sounds. Here are some additional points to consider ...

Geoffrey Hinton

About Geoffrey Hinton is a big name in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly when it comes to artificial neural networks. He’s a British-Canadian computer scientist and cognitive psychologist who’s achieved some major milestones: Pioneering Deep Learning: Hinton’s research helped lay the groundwork for the resurgence of deep learning, a powerful technique that enables computers to learn from vast amounts of data. This has led to advancements in areas like image recognition, speech recognition, and natural language processing. Backpropagation Advocate: He was instrumental in reviving the idea of backpropagation, a learning algorithm that allows neural networks to adjust and improve their performance. Academia and Industry: Hinton spent time at both the University of Toronto and Google (until 2023), where he co-founded the Vector Institute in Toronto and worked on Google Brain, a deep learning research team. Awards and Recognition: His contributions have been widely recognized. He’s a recipient of the prestigious Turing Award, often called the “Nobel Prize of computing,” among many other accolades. Interviews [2024-06-15] Twitter https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1801976488251814048 ...

Yamaha Montage M

About The Yamaha Montage M was released in the UK on 10th October 2023. It is the next-generation flagship synthesizer from Yamaha, building on the success of the original Montage. It boasts several improvements and new features designed to enhance the sound, control, and workflow for professional keyboardists. Here is a summary of the key aspects of the Yamaha Montage M Three Powerful Engines - Like its predecessor, Montage M features three sound engines: AN-X, AWM2, and FM-X. These engines offer a vast sonic palette, allowing you to create warm vintage analog tones, cutting-edge FM sounds, and ultra-realistic acoustic instruments. Increased Polyphony - A significant upgrade is the 400-note total polyphony, a jump from the original Montage’s 256 notes. This allows for more complex and layered sounds without worrying about dropped notes. New AN-X Virtual Analog Engine - This engine offers a fresh take on virtual analog synthesis, providing more detailed control over sound shaping. Improved User Interface - The Montage M features a redesigned user interface with new easy-edit pages and shortcuts, making sound creation and editing more intuitive and efficient. Additional Knobs and Encoders - More physical controls give you more immediate access to tweak parameters and add dynamics to your performance. VCM Rotary Speaker Effect - This new effect accurately emulates the classic sound of a Leslie speaker cabinet, adding warmth and movement to organ and electric piano sounds. Powerful USB Audio Interface - The Montage M functions as a 6-in/32-out USB audio interface, allowing you to record audio directly to your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for seamless integration into your studio workflow. Overall, the Yamaha Montage M is a premium synthesizer workstation offering a powerful combination of sound quality, versatile sound engines, improved control options, and seamless studio integration. It caters to professional keyboardists who demand the best in performance and production capabilities. ...

Unitree G1 - AI Humanoid Robot

The Unitree G1 is a new AI humanoid robot that significantly undercuts the price of competitors like Tesla’s Optimus, offering advanced capabilities and impressive stability. It starts at only $16k ! With a range of motion and speed that surpasses many of its rivals, the G1 uses cutting-edge technologies such as imitation and reinforcement learning to perform tasks with high precision. This robot’s development highlights Unitree’s rapid progress in the robotics industry, promising more accessible technology and potential applications in various fields. ...

Chatbots & Large Language Models (LLMs)

Amazon Amazon Lex by Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Lex is an AI service from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that allows you to build chatbots and voice assistants for your applications. these chatbots can understand and respond to users through text or speech, making them useful for various tasks like customer service, providing product information, or collecting data. Amazon Q by Amazon Web Services (AWS) Amazon Q is a secure AI chatbot is designed for businesses. ...