Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts

Pinnacle My MP3 Pro Review

Pinnacle My MP3 Pro
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
The first problem I experienced with this software was it could not see my cd drive. I went to the Steinberg site (the company who supports this software) and found that there are quite a few problems with this software. I also searched their site for technical support and could not find any. Maybe it is there, but it was hard to find. I wanted to return the software but I bought it here (Amazon)....

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pinnacle My MP3 Pro

myMP3Pro combines high-powered MP3 encoding tools with professional audio mixing and editing tools!Use the Virtual Studio Tools to add effects and programming to your sound files -- add surround effect, reverb, echo and more MyMP3PRO offers the perfect mixing and editing environment for your digital music!

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Pinnacle My MP3 Pro

Read More...

Cubase Essential 5 Retail Review

Cubase Essential 5 Retail
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I am new to the world of music production. I needed a new hobby and reignited my passion of music I had when I was a child. My son taking piano lessons helped to reignite that passion, but onward to the review.
I was looking for an inexpensive, but fully efficient music production package. After a few months of use, I am confident I made the right choice for my needs. The price was decent, plus I had a $100 gift certificate :), but I would have still made the purchase. Here is what I like about this product:
*It is not intimidating - I downloaded a few demo versions of other software, and it looked like too much was going on at once. There were too many separate windows open that I didn't know what they were used for. With Cubase, you create a project and you are taken to the sequencer without all the extra windows, unless you open them up yourself.
*Great workflow environment - To continue from #1, I like that I am taken to the sequencer first. From there, I can add tracks, select an instrument, play and record. You can also add audio tracks and record vocals or external instruments. I just love the simplicity. I won't go into all the bells and whistles, but you can add effects, this has VST support, mixing features which I have only begun to explore, and great editing and recording features.
As I mentioned, I am new to the world of music production software and still learning Cubase Essential 5, so I am not able to provide a review that discusses all the features of this product. However, for my needs it is great and I would definetly recommend it. I took off a star because I think the manual could be better. Alot of the information just went over my head. They do have video tutorials on the install disk and youtube has been a big help with people uploading tutorials there. That is basically how I have been learning this software. Another note, and I won't fault the product, but I have had buggy instances. For example sometimes the metronome works and sometimes it doesn't, and also there have been times I have had to restart Cubase to recognize my midi keyboard even though I had already set it up in Device Setup. I am not holding this against the product because I have since started using a new computer and I no longer experience these issues. I am running Vista 32 bit on both computers, but the other computer is new and has more memory. I don't know if that is why I am no longer having issues or not, but I am glad the issues are gone!
One last thing, the higher end Cubase 5 or Cubase 5 studio is more expensive and has more features, but I am personally not looking to upgrade because of how good Essential is. I haven't gone through the full compare list, however the items Essential does NOT have that are included in Cubase 5 are Groove Agent One and VariAudio (which I understand is a great feature to edit vocals).


Click Here to see more reviews about: Cubase Essential 5 Retail

Steinberg Cubase Essential 5 is your gateway to the world of the Cubase digital audio workstation. With an easy, intuitive approach to composing, recording, editing, and mixing, Cubase Essential 5 shines with the same user interface and award-winning audio engine as the Steinberg Cubase 5 advanced music production system used by countless professionals around the globe.

Buy NowGet 23% OFF

Click here for more information about Cubase Essential 5 Retail

Read More...

M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 8 Review

M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 8
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I am running Pro Tools 8 with Windows 7 64-bit and it works great. Yes, there were a few MINOR bugs with the initial release, but Pro Tools has made it very clear that Windows 7 64-bit is not yet officially supported. Their latest update however works PERFECTLY with Win 7 64-bit. In fact, the application runs very smoothly with minimal stress on CPU and memory. I typically use a lot of tracks and plug-ins. To date, this is the best application I've used in terms of system stress and audio quality.
These bad reviews seems to come from rookies who aren't quite sure how to use Pro Tools. Newer audio production apps are geared toward home studio/rookie musicians. Because of this, these same rookies pick up Pro Tools because it's the "industry standard" and immediately go back to SONAR because it's too complex for them. Just give it some time - learn the application and you'll love it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 8

Pro Tools M-Powered 8 software puts the industry standard in audio/MIDI production on the fast track, letting you enter the powerful world of Pro Tools on your own terms. Pro Tools M-Powered has the same user interface as Pro Tools|HD and Pro Tools LE, all while expanding your creative hardware options to dozens of M-Audio interfaces. Session compatibility with all current versions of Pro Tools software means that you can easily move your projects between pro, project and mobile personal studios. And at just $299.95 MSRP, anyone can become a member of the Pro Tools community. Pro Tools M-Powered 8 is the serious music production choice for power, compatibility, options and ease of use--without spending serious money.

Real Pro Tools Pro Tools M-Powered is Pro Tools. There are actually three flavors of Pro Tools, all of which share the same user interface and file format. The primary distinction is the hardware they complement. Pro Tools|HD runs on elite DSP-powered Pro Tools|HD hardware. Pro Tools LE works with a variety of Digidesign hardware including the Mbox 2 family. And Pro Tools M-Powered delivers even more options via compatibility with dozens of M-Audio interfaces.
Produce with the Industry Standard--Anywhere, Anytime The combination of M-Audio gear and Pro Tools M-Powered 8 lets you work anywhere, anytime with the industry standard in music production software. Seamlessly collaborate with anybody running any version of a current Pro Tools system, including cross-platform between Windows and Mac OS X. Easily take your projects to just about any recording studio to have it mixed by a pro. Or take your pro studio projects home or on the road with you. With Pro Tools M-Powered, owners of most M-Audio interfaces instantly become members of the largest community of digital audio workstation users in the world.
Flexible and Portable--More Choices for You A wide variety of M-Audio PCI, FireWire and USB hardware interfaces are compatible with Pro Tools M-Powered software, giving you more options in where, when and how you work. Whether you need just a little I/O or a lot--or a desktop, mobile or hybrid system--you'll find the perfect solution with our PCI, USB/USB 2 and FireWire audio interfaces. Mix live and in the studio with the NRV10 interface/analog mixer. Experience compact productivity with an M-Audio audio interface keyboard. And DJs can enter the world of Pro Tools with our Torq products.
Easy to Use Elegance and power are the reasons why Pro Tools is used in the majority of professional recording studios around the world. At the same time, Pro Tools M-Powered 8 is very simple and intuitive. And once you know how to use one version of Pro Tools, you know how to work in any Pro Tools environment--from personal to pro studios. And if you want help, Pro Tools is supported by more educational materials and classes than all other DAW software put together.
Stunning New Look and Interactivity With a sleek new look, Pro Tools M-Powered 8 is as easy on the eyes as it is to use. All of the Pro Tools M-Powered functionality you know and love is still in place--now with double the inserts per channel, more customizability, easier access to editing options and more. Customize the toolbar to show only your favorite tools and rearrange them the way you want. Tile or cascade your window arrangement. Change the color of your channel strips, tracks, regions, groups, and markers to any hue. Navigate through sessions quickly using the Universe view. And with the QuickStart dialog, you can jump right into an existing session, quickly create a new session from scratch, or start from one of the new session templates.
A Well-Stocked Studio Pro Tools M-Powered 8 comes fully packed with a huge, comprehensive collection of music creation and sound processing plug-ins--giving you a well-stocked studio right out of the box. You get an incredible array of 70 DigiRack, A.I.R. and Bomb Factory plug-ins right out of the box, including EQ, dynamics, delay, reverb and many more. You can also create and play music with six groundbreaking virtual instruments from the renowned Digidesign Advanced Instrument Research (A.I.R.) group: the Mini Grand piano, Boom drum machine, DB-33 tone-wheel organ, Structure Free sample player, and Vacuum and Xpand!2 synths. See the complete list of bundled software.
As if that weren't enough, Pro Tools M-Powered 8 software also lets you take advantage of a variety of RTAS and AudioSuite plug-ins designed by the recording industry's largest professional third-party developer community. Track with powerful host-based vintage instruments from GForce and Way Out Ware. Polish your mixes with effects and mastering plug-ins from iZotope that surpass even expensive hardware. See more plug-ins from M-Audio, Digidesign and our partners.
Professional Recording, Editing and Mixing Pro Tools M-Powered 8 software enables M-Audio hardware enthusiasts to easily access the powerful recording, editing and mixing features of Pro Tools. Now with up to 48 simultaneous stereo tracks of 16- or 24-bit digital audio, and support for up to 96kHz sample rates, Pro Tools M-Powered 8 is an ideal companion for M-Audio interfaces and audio interface keyboards--whether you're recording solo or entire bands. And the optional Music Production Toolkit 2 expands Pro Tools M-Powered 8 to up to 64 mono or stereo tracks, and adds more effects and instruments, a multi-track version of Beat Detective and the Pro Tools MP3 Option.
Once you've finished your recording, you can fine-tune your performances with Pro Tools software's unmatched nondestructive editing tools. Shape sounds, compose parts, and add effects with RTAS instrument and effects plug-ins--then create polished mixes with professional mixing features and full mixer automation.
With Pro Tools M-Powered 8, your system has even more editing and mixing capabilities. Lock regions to the timeline to prevent them from being inadvertently moved or edited. Use the Automation and Controller lanes to view and edit track automation (such as volume, pan and plug-in automation) and MIDI CC data (such as velocity, pitch bend, and modulation) without changing track views. And with ten inserts to play with per track, you can now use more plug-ins than ever before.
Looping Tools Pro Tools M-Powered 8 features a variety of tools that make loop-based music creation faster and more imaginative than ever. In addition to importing REX and Acid files, the Loop Trim tool also makes it easy to turn audio or MIDI regions into loops. The Elastic Time and the new Elastic Pitch features make it a breeze to change tempo/time and pitch on the fly. As a result, you can integrate a wide variety of loops and audio files with your current session throughout the entire writing process. And DigiBase--the program's internal database--even has a Loop Preview feature that allows you to preview loops in sync, in real time, before bringing them into your session.
Transpose Audio with Elastic Pitch As a complement to Elastic Time, Pro Tools M-Powered 8 introduces Elastic Pitch, which allows you to you to effortlessly manipulate or correct the pitch of any audio region in real time, right inside the Edit window. Easily transpose an entire audio region in semitones--up to four octaves in either direction--without affecting its timing or tempo. Fix a less-than-perfect vocal performance by altering the pitch of individual notes in cent intervals. You can also create cool sound effects by linking pitch changes with time compression/expansion using the Varispeed algorithm.
Stretch Your Sound with Elastic Time Pro Tools M-Powered features Elastic Time, a powerful real-time tempo manipulation feature that makes it easy to change tempo or time on the fly. For musicians, composers and music producers, Elastic Time puts loop-based music creation in the fast lane, giving you the freedom to explore different tempos and experiment with loops and audio files that sync with your current session throughout the entire writing process. For post-production editors and engineers, Elastic Time makes it easy to stretch or squeeze audio tracks to fit video time frames, using high-quality algorithms that make your time manipulation virtually undetectable.
With Pro Tools M-Powered software, you can change the tempo and timing of loops, music, dialogue and other sound files without cutting up audio. Easily create loops from any audio file--even entire compositions--with the help of powerful tempo and transient analysis. Want to hear how a certain audio bit will sound in your song? The new Context Preview lets you quickly audition loops and audio files in sync with the tempo of your session. Even imported audio files and loops automatically conform to match your session's tempo.
Pro Tools M-Powered also makes it easy to perfect the timing of performances. You can improve errant beats by quantizing audio to your session's Bar|Beat grid--or to grooves extracted from other audio or MIDI performances using the Beat Detective feature, which offers better peak detection accuracy than ever before. You can also fine-tune "Elasticized" regions, with precision control over each individual beat, using the new warp track view and warp markers. You can even make the same precise changes across multiple grouped tracks while preserving timing offsets in multitrack recordings, such as with drums.
To ensure that you get the highest quality results, Elastic Time delivers some of the best-sounding processing in the industry. You can choose from several premium time-stretching algorithms on a per-track basis. You can even adjust the decay and processing window length to tailor the audio processing for each track, rather than settling for a one-size-fits-all algorithm.
Comp Tracks to Perfection Creating flawless performances is easier than ever with Pro Tools M-Powered 8. New track compositing features let you quickly and easily piece together the best possible version of a performance from multiple recording passes. Simply loop-record multiple takes on an Audio track, view and audition the takes in Playlist view, select the best parts from the track's alternate playlists, and copy them to the main playlist with a single click. You can also rate regions on a scale of one to five to help identify which takes you like the most when compositing playlists.
Advanced MIDI Production Pro Tools M-Powered software's fully integrated MIDI sequencer and editor allow you to record, edit, and mix up to 256 MIDI tracks alongside your audio tracks. Dedicated Instrument tracks combine the audio and MIDI elements of a given virtual instrument into a single channel strip to streamline your workspace. Launch your favorite instrument plug-in to get the sound you want. Engage loop recording to quickly develop a multi-layered drum pattern, then use Groove Quantize or Groove Templates to give it the right feel. Switch to MIDI Step Input to lay down a difficult passage. Turn on real-time MIDI processing to quantize your performance as it goes down.
Pro Tools M-Powered 8 also features a comprehensive array of new MIDI tools to streamline production with both virtual and traditional instruments. Gain extensive MIDI editing power through MIDI Editor windows, which can display MIDI and automation data for Instrument, MIDI and Auxiliary Input tracks. Work with new features that let you separate, consolidate and mute MIDI notes; scrub and shuttle through parts; view superimposed MIDI and Instrument tracks for easier arrangement editing; color code MIDI notes by track, type or velocity; audition velocity changes; and play MIDI notes when tabbing. Edit MIDI automation and continuous controller (CC) data through multiple Automation and Controller lanes. You can even watch your musical handiwork scroll by in real time during playback.
Score Your Music Based on the Sibelius notation engine, the new Pro Tools M-Powered 8 Score Editor window lets you view, edit, arrange and print MIDI data as music notation. Whether you want to compose music using the notation tools--or transcribe recorded, imported, drawn (with the Pencil tool) or step-entered MIDI data into notation--the Score Editor features everything you need and nothing you don't. Write parts on a single staff--treble, bass, alto or tenor clef--or grand staff. Place and edit notes, and edit the meter and key signature on a whim. Add chord symbols such as Dm7 and guitar chord diagrams to sessions. Transcribe MIDI parts in real time. Print out a score in its entirety or print only certain instrumental parts. You can even export sessions as Sibelius (.sib) files for further finessing in Sibelius.
ReWire Torq and More Fans of M-Audio Torq DJ software and other standalone applications can utilize ReWire within Pro Tools M-Powered for the best of both worlds. Simply send Torq software's output streams into Pro Tools M-Powered via ReWire for further mixing and processing. Pro Tools M-Powered also accepts MIDI directly from ReWire applications for recording controller data to a Pro Tools MIDI or Instrument track. With Pro Tools M-Powered and ReWire, the creative possibilities are endless.
Control Surfaces If you want the tactile feel of a pro console while enjoying the benefits of a personal or project studio, Pro Tools M-Powered supports both the M-Audio ProjectMix I/O and Digidesign Command|8. Both give you control over the software's mixing and transport functionality. ProjectMix I/O even incorporates a built-in 18 x 14 FireWire audio interface complete with eight preamps so you don't need any extra gear. If you're a DJ, Torq Xponent gives you a familiar DJ mixer surface combined with an audio interface and RCA outputs. And now with Pro Tools M-Powered 8, you can map plug-in parameter controls to almost any encoder on your controller, and access each track's ten inserts.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about M-Audio Pro Tools M-Powered 8

Read More...

Sound Forge 9 Review

Sound Forge 9
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
appearantly the last reviewer doesn't understand the simplicity of what a fully featured "audio editing" program is.
as of soundforge 1.0, you could mix vocals into music, ...all you do is copy it onto the clipboard, ...and highlight the area in the audio you want to mix the vocals into, ...and move it also to the cliboard, ...then choose the "mix" setting on the clipboard, ...make any required adjustments inside the dialogue box, ....and click paste.
the cursor should still be left precisley at the point you extracted the audio segment to be mixed.
this is "not" a multi-track recorder.
this is an "audio editing program", ...mainly oriented towards sound designers, ...audio engineer "mastering" specialists. ...and people who use hardware and software samplers who want to get closer, spiritually with the essence of their samplers.
you 'can' sync to video, ...but vegas might be a better option.
soundforge 9 also excepts any VST plugins, ...an insane value if you are already into music production/recording/engineering.
not to mention "noise reduction", ...how else would you get all that vynil onto your hard drive, and capture its origional sound quality?
this editing program is by far more powerful than "ANY" editing program featured in any software multitrack recording program or DAW, ...as well as "ANY" hardware sampler.
although it is meant to "edit" with the entent of dispersing its results onto other working software/hardware applications.
don't get pissed cause you bought a high quality turntable needle, but can't be a full fledged dj without two turntables and a mixer.
the only competition is Steinberg Wavelab.
i haven't used it, ...but it costs twice as much, ...and steinberg has caught up to its features with surround sound mixing, ...video audio syncing, ...vst implementation, ...noise reduction 2.0, ....as well as CD Architect, ...what a great program to create RED BOOK STANDARD commercially professional cds?
soundforge + waves plugins? ....full fledged mastering studio for the price of a few hundred dollars? ...incredible!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sound Forge 9

The Sound Forge® 9 professional digital audio production suite includes everything you need to quickly get from raw audio to finished master. Works with Windows® Vista™.System Requirements:Microsoft® Windows® Vista™ XP or 2000 SP4 900 MHz processor 150 MB hard-disk space for program installation 256 MB RAM Windows-compatible sound card DVD-ROM drive (for installation) Supported CD-Recordable drive (for CD burning) Microsoft DirectX® 9.0c or later (included on DVD-ROM) Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (included on DVD-ROM) Internet Explorer 5.1 or later (included on DVD-ROM) Format: WIN 2000XPVISTA Genre:PRODUCTIVITY UPC:855309736798 Manufacturer No:SF9000

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Sound Forge 9

Read More...

ACID Pro 6 Review

ACID Pro 6
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I looked at the Acid program several years ago and dismissed it because it was previously designed for loops only, and it wasn't as intuitive as I needed at that time.
A month ago, I worked through an Acid tutorial from Computer Music Magazine using the Acid Express program that is given free of charge from Sony on their website. Within a half an hour, I KNEW this program was a WINNER and I ordered it immediately.
I'm much more skilled at sequencing now than I was when I first looked at it. I couldn't believe how easy, useful, fast and fun it was to use. Now that Sony has taken some excellent steps toward making it a competitive DAW, I've switched from my linear DAW to Sony Acid Pro 6 for programming and sound design. The workflow in the program beats every single linear DAW by the sheer nature of it's design, and I've tried or used all of the major ones at one time or another.
This is an excellent program for general sequencing. Everything constructed in it can be exported to more complex software for finishing. The beauty of it is how quickly songs can be constructed compared to most DAWS, and how easy it is to learn to use. I've wasted more time editing to perfection in my other DAW, when the same functions take a split second in Acid.
It's a fine program and I highly recommend it. I'm looking forward to version 7 as I write this. This is NOT a full feature program that you can or should use to finish a commercial project. But it will take you to that moment of export faster and with less quirks and flaws than any linear DAW available today.


Click Here to see more reviews about: ACID Pro 6

In the world of digital music creation, ACID Pro software has always stood out from the crowd. Its automatic loop time-stretching and tempo-matching technology is second-to-none, and its straightforward pick, paint, and play functionality has helped make ACID Pro software the favorite loop-based music creation tool for millions of users worldwide. Now reformulated to add multitrack recording and full MIDI sequencing to its superior looping functionality, ACID Pro 6 software delivers a new formula for ground-breaking music creation: loops + multitrack + MIDI. Together, these key components add up to a full-featured professional music workstation unlike any other.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about ACID Pro 6

Read More...

Tune Plus V 2.0 Review

Tune Plus V 2.0
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I should have read the system requirements better. Requires iTunes. I wanted to use this on a laptop to manage songs and playlists without iTunes installed. My mistake.
Unfortunately, didn't get to try it out very much. DotNet FrameWork 2.0 gets installed along with it, and just kept getting errors when enumerating the iPod song list - supposedly a known problem.
What's ironic is that it needs iTunes already installed to run properly. So what's the $20 Tune Plus' point of existing, when the free product that it's supposed to replace/augment does a better job at almost every feature.
I guess if you wanted to download movie listings, weather reports, etc. this would be ok. (/shrug) I use my cell phone for this.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Tune Plus V 2.0

mediashopTM TunePlusTM 2.0 unleashes the power of your iPod player. Maximize your iPod player's abilities. Transferring music between your iPod player to your PC is now possible. Smart sync technology moves files that are new or have been modified to avoid repeated files taking up memory space. NEW! Media Manager allows you to change file properties of music, photos and videos on your iPod player. Backup essential files, music, photos, work documents and more. Organize files into batches to burn to CDs and DVDs. Don't let your iPod player's database get corrupted. TunePlusTM checks for and alerts you to any potential problems.

Buy NowGet 56% OFF

Click here for more information about Tune Plus V 2.0

Read More...

Tune Plus Review

Tune Plus
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Tunes plus is an orphan product which hasn't been updated in some time. It doesn't support Vista or the latest ipods. Be aware.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Tune Plus

Mediashop TunePlus turns the ultimate music player into so much more. Copy music from your iPod player to your PC Protect music in case of computer failure Automatically organize your files into batches for convenient burning to CDs and DVDs Sync Information Sync Microsoft Outlook contacts, calendar, emails, tasks, and notes with your portable iPod player Access critical information anywhere, anytime Download customized information, including local weather, news, movie showtimes, and daily horoscopes to review at your convenience Back up and carry your essential files with you Avoid losing critical information in case your computer crashes Simply drag and drop files or folders into TunePlus and it will sync them whenever you sync your iPod player Mediashop TunePlus will conduct smart syncs, only transferring files that are new or have been modified Select podcasts from any podcast source Listen to news, entertainment, sports, or any subject that interests you while on the go No pre-set directory limitations Updated podcasts automatically download every time you sync

Buy NowGet 66% OFF

Click here for more information about Tune Plus

Read More...

TunePlus 3.0 Review

TunePlus 3.0
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Just got this today. Installed it and followed set-up instructions for making it work with iTunes. However, it cannot find my iPod -- therefore, it is totally useless to me. I have no idea what the problem is, as my iPod is showing just fine in iTunes. But my iPod remains invisible to TunePlus. Can't do anything with it, then.


Click Here to see more reviews about: TunePlus 3.0

Unleash the power of your iPlayer with TunePlus 3.0.Maximize your iPod or iPhone'sabilities by transferring music and more from your player to your PC.
Get Music Off Any iPod TunePlus allows you to edit file properties of music, photos and videos on your iPod player. Backup essential files, music, photos, work documents and more.Burn files directly from iPod music player and organize files into batches to burn to CDs and DVDs. TunePlus also allows you to manage Podcasts by linking to any podcasting source
Protect Your Music Don't let your iPod player's database get corrupted. TunePlus checks for and alerts you to any potential problems.
Unleash the power of your iPod or iPhone Transferring music between your iPod or iPhone's player to your PC is now possible. Smart sync technology moves files that are new or have been modified to avoid repeated files taking up memory space.
Features:
Converts video to iPod format
Transfer songs from your iPod to your PC
Media Manager allows you to change file properties of music, photos and videos on your iPod player
Backup essential files, music, photos, work documents and more for instant portability and security
Organize files into batches to burn to CDs and DVDs
Burn files directly from iPod music player
Manage Podcasts by linking to any podcasting source
Utilize Media Manager to standardize and organize music, photo and video files in a central location
Syncs with Microsoft Outlook Email, Contacts, Calendar, Email and Notes
Access daily news, weather, movie listings and horoscopes on your iPod



Buy NowGet 69% OFF

Click here for more information about TunePlus 3.0

Read More...

Microsoft Plus Digital Media Edition Review

Microsoft Plus Digital Media Edition
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I wouldn't say that this is the ULTIMATE add-on for Windows XP. It has its share of the usual Plus! fluff (Plus! Dancers?) but I use some things (Analog Recorder and Sync & Go) on a daily basis.
The Analog Recorder functions as a slightly fancier version of the windows sound recorder, but the added features make it useful. Besides simply recording the audio to a windows media audio file, it has options to automatically set the input level and, the feature I find most useful, separate it into tracks based on silent pauses in the audio. It can also try to take out pops and hiss if you want, but honestly I can't tell the difference.
The Sync & Go feature only works with a Pocket PC. I think it also requires a memory card (even if it doesn't, it requires enough storage space that you'll want one.) The content you want updated each time you sync your PDA is chosen from a list of windows media player playlists and a meager list of audio and video (~15 min of video from nbc nightly news, a short video of msnbc headlines, npr's hourly news update, clips from comedy central, etc) that is then downloaded from the internet to your PDA. The selection could be better (I do enjoy Tom Brokaaaw's daaaily dose, however.)
I haven't used the other programs included, but I use Analog Recorder and Sync and Go so much that I consider the money well spent. It's a bargain if you don't want to pay for a more full-featured version of one of these programs.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Microsoft Plus Digital Media Edition

Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition delivers easy and exciting new ways to share your photos and enjoy your music and home movies. The software allows you to easily create vibrant photo stories with your own narration, music, and photo effects. Transform your PC into a full-featured party jukebox with visual effects, while protecting your personal information and restricting access to other applications. Copy your cassette tapes and vinyl records into clean, vibrant digital files using hiss and pop reduction, track splitting, and more. With Plus! Digital Media Edition you can harness the power of Microsoft Windows XP to showcase and manage media on your PC and Pocket PC.
Easily add your music, voice, and special effects to your digital photos to create vibrant photo stories. Small file sizes make it easy to share with family and friends via e-mail or the Web. Easily add special effects to your home movies with 50 effects and transitions for Windows Movie Maker 2. Get current news, music, and more delivered to your Pocket PC automatically in high-quality audio and video. Make your desktop the dance floor for amazingly lifelike 3-D characters that groove to your favorite tunes. Select from a variety of dance styles such as hip-hop, disco, house, salsa, and many more.
Turn your computer into a full-featured alarm clock, complete with your favorite tunes. Use songs or sounds from your music library, set snooze times, set multiple alarms, and more. Customize your personal schedule with different alarms for every day--or every appointment. Also, with Plus! Digital Media Edition you can personalize your Windows Media Player with high-quality skins. Manage Windows Media Player-compatible personal audio players in My Computer, just like CD-ROM and floppy drives. Easily and quickly view, drag and drop, transfer, and delete files between folders.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Microsoft Plus Digital Media Edition

Read More...