Sample and mastering site LANDR has unveiled a new subscription-based DAW app called Chromatic that makes it easy to piece together artist-created loops into all-new creations, the company announced. The company has partnered with artists, session players and others who created "inspiring playable instrument loops, vocal hooks, one-shots, and soundscapes," along with a story behind the sounds. You can then use those samples in any way you like to create your own tracks. 

Chromatic is as much about the interface as the capability, according to LANDR. It gives users access to content across genres of music through color-coded mood boards, so you can "quickly audition or earmark individual sound sets" and incorporate them into your workflow. At the same time, they're matched to the tempo and key of any project. 

"As an instrument, Chromatic lets you explore, play, and manipulate original sounds created by artists and producers, making them your own," says LANDR CEO Pascal Pilon in a statement. "We've developed Chromatic to bring the human element back into your virtual studio, a unique way to collaborate and engage with the creators of your favorite tracks and musical styles."

Artists who contribute the loops will receive royalties for when they're used. However, for certain specific artists and labels, LANDR will support splits on works created with their sound sets. "With this unique arrangement, Chromatic will serve as a foundation for emerging producers to collaborate with featured artists, resulting in a split release and promotion of a new work made with their Chromatic content." This presumably means that Chromatic users would share royalties on commercial releases with select, high-profile loop creators. 

Chromatic is LANDR's first instrument, and a move towards a trend of subscriptions toward virtual instruments. A recent example is Output, which recently unveiled a similar subscription-based product called Arcade. Auto-Tune also offers a subscription, and Splice recently launched two vocal VST plugins that are behind subscription walls, as well. 

Chromatic is now available as a free download with access to the full library of royalty-free sound sets at $10 per month. It's also offering an "All Access Pass" at $10 per month for six months and $15 per month thereafter, with royalty-free access to the sample library, AI-assisted mastering, music distribution on sites like Spotify, Sessions collaboration and more. 

If there’s one thing we should all admire about Elon Musk, it’s his knack for helping folks part with their hard-earned cash. Tesla yesterday launched Cyberwhistle, a $50 whistle designed with the same angular lines as its forthcoming Cybertruck. The company is happy to explain that the Cyberwhistle is a “premium collectible” hewn from medical-grade stainless steel. Sadly, not long after Musk tweeted a link to the sale page, the whistle sold out, but there’s hope another round will be available at some point in the future. Or, if you’re really, desperately in need of one of these, you can find pre-orders being scalped for around $300.

— Dan Cooper

Barnes & Noble releases its first Nook GlowLight e-reader in four years

It’s apparently the first of many new Nooks in the pipeline.

Barnes & Noble

Given how slowly e-reader technology moves, it’s not a massive surprise it’s been four years since Barnes & Noble last touched the GlowLight. The fourth-generation model gets a thinner and lighter body, a USB-C port and 32GB storage, but that’s about it. Most of the spec list, from the month-long battery life to the 6-inch 300DPI e-paper display, remain the same. Plus, the price of $150 puts it a little way beyond the Kindle Paperwhite in terms of cost, but if you want to swerve Amazon and Kobo, this is likely your best bet. B&N CEO James Daunt has also said the company plans to revive the range, so keep a look out for more new Nooks in the coming months.

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Urtopia e-bike is basically a computer on wheels

It’s a tech-heavy e-bike from China.

James Trew

As Engadget’s Editor-at-Large James Trew writes, e-bikes are normally little more than a bike with a motor slapped on the back. Chinese brand Urtopia, however, has decided to make a futuristic rideable with features you’d expect to see on a car. That includes an integrated display, fingerprint reader, GPS, 4G, an integrated alarm and mmWave sensors for nearby vehicle detection.

Sadly, James wasn’t able to try some of those features on the prototype he rode, and control of the lights is voice only, which is problematic when you’re on a busy highway. That said, his overall review was positive, with the light weight, fun riding style and added features putting the gloss on a very good bike. Worth saying, however, is that the Indiegogo pre-order price of $2,000 is likely to skyrocket when the hardware is retail ready, so if you’re eager, dive in soon.

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Spotify's 2021 Wrapped is here to chronicle your year in music

With color-coded Audio Auras and a quiz about your listening habits.

Spotify

It’s December, and that can only mean one thing: Spotify Unwrapped is upon us, allowing us to humblebrag (or not) about our music taste. Fire up the app and you’ll be able to find out your most popular artist, what genres you particularly love and how long you spent listening to tunes this year. You’ll also get an Audio Aura, a color chart explaining what your most listened-to music moods are — I got Melancholy and Energy, which sounds about right for me. At the same time, Spotify has announced the most popular artists on the platform, with Bad Bunny taking the top spot for the second year running.

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Microsoft will be required to disclose sexual harassment cases after shareholder vote

Despite the company advocating against the move.

Microsoft investors have passed a resolution requiring the company to publicly report how it handles sexual harassment cases. The tech giant had planned to make some of these details public anyway, but shareholders pushed for more specific disclosures. As a consequence, the Windows maker will also have to offer details about investigations into any executive misconduct. Investors pushed for the rule change after reports emerged concerning co-founder and former CEO Bill Gates’ conduct during his tenure.

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The best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy

Bag yourself a hybrid in the run-up to the holidays.

Dana Wollman

Our Buyer’s Guide has turned its attention to 2-in-1 machines, which operate both as a laptop or tablet when required. Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low cast an expert eye over the market, finding the best equipment for every type of user. We won’t spoil the results, but suffice to say, there’s a big pile of great devices in this list that is sure to delight many. And there’s just about enough time left in the year for you to drop hints to your nearest and dearest about what you want.

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The biggest news stories you might have missed

Nothing's 'Black Edition' brings a modern touch to its funky Ear 1 buds

Digital car keys arrive on Pixel 6 and Samsung Galaxy S21

Verizon and Bang & Olufsen made soundbars with Android TV built-in

HTC Vive Focus 3 gets more accurate hand tracking in new update

Sony's $9,000 drone for its Alpha cameras is available for pre-order

Microsoft is testing a few ways to improve Windows 11's Start menu

Recently, Amazon introduced a feature that allowed Alexa to hear certain types of sounds, called Custom Sound Detection. Now, it's adding two new specific Alexa sound detectors for "water running" and "appliance beeping" that can be used to set up routines or reminders. It also rolled a number of other new features for things like prescription refills, ultrasound motion detection and more. 

It was already possible to have Alexa identify those two specific sounds, but the new update means you won't have to bother training it. With the new features, you can use the Alexa app to send a notification when the washer beeps to indicate your laundry is done. It can also remind you to turn off the sink of someone accidentally leaves the water running. 

Along the same lines, the update includes the introduction of ultrasound motion detection for routines on select Echo devices. At its September event, Amazon said that a feature would arrive to fourth-gen Echo and Echo Dot devices, designed to use an "inaudible ultrasound wave" to detect if there are people in a room. With the new routines, you can use Alexa to turn on lights when motion is detected near the device, for instance, or lower the thermostat when no motion is detected. 

Another new feature allows Amazon Pharmacy customers to ask Alexa to refill prescriptions and get proactive updates when they're delivered. "You can also ask Alexa to call Amazon Pharmacy to connect with an Amazon Pharmacy customer care representative who can answer questions on topics like prescription status, account, billing, and also drug information and side effects," Amazon said. 

Other new features include "preference teaching" that lets you teach Alexa which food or sports you like, dining suggestion ("Alexa, what should I eat?"), a TikTok video launcher, conversation mode ("Alexa, join the conversation") and hands-free audio calls using Verizon Number share. Amazon also announced that customers can now pre-order the Echo Show 15 and have it ship on December 9th. The new features are now rolling out to Alexa devices, though some may be region-limited. 

Last year, Apple focused on quarantine life for its App Store Awards. For 2021, it's continuing that concept with a focus on "connection" as its trend of the year — basically, things that brought us together even though we're still dealing with a global pandemic. That trend award was bestowed upon five apps, including familiar names like Bumble and Among Us!. But the niche winners are even more interesting: there's EatOkra, an app that helps you find black-owned restaurants; Canva, which helps anyone create pro-grade designs; and Peanut, a social network focused on connecting women to find support throughout major life events.

You'd probably be surprised by some of the winners for Apple's mainstay categories too: the Apple TV app of the year was the boxing streaming service Dazn, something I've admittedly never heard of. The Apple TV game of the year, Space Marshals 3, also came out of seemingly nowhere. But the strong review scores for both of those apps make it clear that users genuinely enjoy them.

While the App Store Awards are very much a marketing exercise, it's also a useful way to highlight some of the best apps users may have missed. (And I'm sure developers appreciate the recognition, and the aluminum App Store icon they can display on their shelves.) LumaFusion, the best iPad app of the year, makes complex multi-track video editing easy to do with your fingers. And Carrot Weather, the best Apple Watch app, looks like a truly unique watch face.

Apple

Here are the rest of Apple's App Store Awards for 2021: 

• iPhone app of the year: Toca Life World

• Mac App of the year: Craft

• iPhone game of the year: League of Legends: Wild Rift

• Mac game of the year: Myst

• iPad game of the year: MARVEL Future Revolution

• Apple Arcade game of the year: Fantasian (the incredible RPG from the creator of Final Fantasy)

Qualcomm is expanding its lineup of ARM-based chips for Windows and Chromebook with Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and 7c+ Gen 3 platforms. In addition, the company aims to power handheld gaming devices using Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 chipsets.

Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3, which builds on last year's Gen 2, is the first 5nm PC platform, according to Qualcomm, which designed it with ultra-slim and fanless laptops in mind. It says that moving to a 5nm process node and other optimizations allowed for improved Kryo CPU performance while sustaining similar power consumption levels as Gen 2 chipsets. The company claims the chipsets will deliver up to 85 percent improved performance compared with the previous generation and up to 60 percent better per-watt performance than x86 chips.

Along with 5G and WiFi 6/6E connectivity, the platform is said to offer multi-day battery life, upgraded camera and audio functions and chip-to-cloud security. Systems with 8cx Gen 3 chipsets will be able to take advantage of "29+ TOPS of AI acceleration," which Qualcomm claims is three times the performance of "the leading competitive platform." The AI acceleration could speed up tasks like face detection and background blur on calls. In addition, Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 supports up to 4K HDR camera quality, and as many as four cameras.

Qualcomm also says 8cx Gen 3 will offer up to 60 percent improved performance over previous-generation chips during GPU-intensive tasks thanks to the Adreno GPU. You'll be able to play games in Full HD at up to 120 fps, and Qualcomm claims the platform is optimized to let folks play up to 50 percent longer "than certain competing platforms."

Qualcomm

As for Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3, that platform's designed for entry-level PCs and Chromebooks, and it emerged only six months after the previous generation. It too supports 5G, both sub-6 and mmWave, thanks to the inclusion of the Snapdragon X53 5G Modem-RF system. You can also expect Wi-Fi 6 and 6E support. Qualcomm says the 6nm 7c Gen 3 platform will deliver up to 40 percent improved CPU performance and as much as 35 percent improved graphics performance over the previous-gen chipsets.

ARM-based Windows machines haven't exactly set the world alight, and it remains to be seen whether Qualcomm can help the Windows on Snapdragon platform turn the corner with its latest, more powerful options. Devices with Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 and 7c+ Gen 3 chipsets are expected to debut in the first half of 2022.

Qualcomm

Elsewhere, Qualcomm is making moves in a new chipset category: gaming handhelds. It says the Snapdragon G3x Gen 1 Gaming Platform will support game streaming from consoles and PC, cloud gaming services and Android games and apps. The Adreno GPU can run games at 144 fps and at 10-bit HDR, according to the company, while the FastConnect 6900 system offers 5G mmWave and sub-6 and WiFi 6/6E connectivity.

To show off the platform, Razer collaborated with Qualcomm on a handheld gaming dev kit that's available to developers starting today via Razer's website. The device features a 120hz, 6.65-inch OLED display with 10-bit HDR support, four-way speakers and a built-in controller. The device can even be used for live streams that include audio and video feeds from players, since it has a 1080p 60 fps camera and dual mics.

Should Snapdragon-powered handhelds come to market, they'll be vying against the likes of the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, smartphones and tablets. It's a competitive sector, but one that's growing rapidly, so there might be room for devices with Qualcomm chipsets to carve out a niche.

Qualcomm

Microsoft isn't ready to backtrack on Windows 11's major design changes yet, but at least it's testing out a few new ways to customize the OS. With the latest Windows 11 Insider build (22509), you can have the revamped Start menu show more pinned apps, or more recommended apps and files, in addition to the default mode which balances the two. That's not a return to the Windows 10 Start menu that some diehard users have been clamoring for, and really, it's unlikely Microsoft will ever relent. Windows 11 prioritizes minimalism, and a busy Start menu filled with all of your apps doesn't really fit that mould.

Microsoft

Among other changes, the Insider build will also bring the date and clock back to the taskbar on additional monitor screens, something that was inexplicably removed in Windows 11. Microsoft notes that tweak isn't going to appear for every Insider user, oddly enough. It's a shame Microsoft isn't exploring more ways to customize the taskbar—losing Window labels has made my desktop cleaner, but harder to navigate compared to Windows 10. 

 The new Windows 11 Insider build will also it easier to use the Edge web browser while using Narrator, Microsoft's built-in screen reader. You can also expect to see more options moving over from the aging Control Panel, and into the cleaner Settings app. That includes Advanced Sharing settings, like Network Discovery and File/Printer Sharing. You'll also see more details about your printers and scanners within the Settings app.  

Barnes & Noble hasn't done as much lately to push e-readers forward as some of its rivals, but it's starting to catch up. TechCrunchnotes the bookseller has launched the Nook GlowLight 4, its first entry in the mid-tier e-reader line since 2017's GlowLight 3. A lot has changed in four years, if not as much as you might think — this is as much about dragging the device into the modern era as anything.

The Nook GlowLight 4 is billed as "sleeker" than the GlowLight 3, with a smaller overall profile, better page-turning buttons and a more comfortable hand feel. It's the first Nook e-reader with USB-C, and storage has quadrupled to 32GB. However, you'll still see a 6-inch, 300DPI e-paper display and a claimed one-month battery life. This is more for Nook newcomers, or those upgrading from particularly old devices.

The GlowLight 4 ships December 8th for $150. That could make it a tough sell against the 6.8-inch Kindle Paperwhite, the water-friendly Kobo Libra 2 and other mid-tier e-readers. It's a viable alternative if you don't want to attach yourself to the Amazon or Kobo ecosystems, though. Also, this is as much a declaration of intent as a new product. Barnes & Noble chief James Daunt said the company planned to "reinvigorate" the Nook line in the months and years ahead — this may just be one of the opening salvos.

Microsoft has unveiled Teams Essentials, a version of Teams aimed at small businesses. It's a standalone product that nestles between the free Teams plan and the features that come with a Microsoft 365 subscription.

Teams Essentials costs $4 per user per month. It includes unlimited group meetings for up to 30 hours and as many as 300 participants, compared with a 60-minute time limit and a maximum of 100 participants on the free plan. Users also get 10GB of cloud storage — twice as much as those on the free tier — and integration with Outlook and (soon) Google calendars.

Other features from the free tier are included, such as access to Office web apps, chats with colleagues and customers, file sharing, polls and group projects. Meetings, chats, calls and files are all encrypted. Users can send meeting invites to someone who doesn't have a Teams account — they just need that person's email address. Virtual backgrounds for calls, Together mode (which displays attendees in the same virtual space) and live closed captions are also available.

It's a little less expensive than Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which costs $5/month per user (increasing to $6 in March), but the savings can add up. That plan's features include meeting transcripts, real-time translations, mobile versions of Office apps and 1TB of cloud storage per person. 

Teams Essentials is available from Microsoft's cloud partners or directly from the company.

Over the last month, Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy S21 have noticed the Amazon Appstore doesn't work with Android 12. And we say it doesn't work, we mean it's almost entirely broken. Most people report they can't run any of the software they've downloaded from Amazon. Yet others say they don't see any apps when they visit the marketplace. An Amazon forum post spotted by The Verge succinctly captures the situation many Appstore users find themselves in after installing Android 12.

"My rain radar app from the Amazon Appstore is still happily running and giving me alerts via notifications, but I can't actually see them because it is being prevented from running full screen by the Amazon Appstore's failure to run properly," said forum user Lovingboth.

Amazon has yet to say when it plans to fix the problem. The company only added a notice to the top of the Appstore about the Android 12 issues earlier this week. "We're excited about Android 12 too," the notification says. "Unfortunately we're working through some issues. Thank you for your patience as we get your Appstore back."

As Liliputing points out, the Appstore's problems with Android 12 likely stem from incompatibility between Amazon's built-in DRM and Google's new operating system. "We are aware and working to resolve an issue impacting app performance and launches for the small number of Amazon Appstore users that have upgraded to Android 12 on their mobile devices," an Amazon spokesperson told The Verge. "This issue does not impact Amazon Fire Tablets or Fire TV devices."

With Android 12 only available on a handful of devices and most using the Play Store to download their apps, it's not a problem that affects many people. Still, it's one that's poised to become more widespread as the update rolls out to more devices, particularly if Amazon doesn't work quickly to resolve it.

A few months later than originally planned, Sony has opened pre-orders for its first drone for professionals. The company says the Airpeak S1 is the smallest drone that supports a full-size, mirrorless Alpha camera.

The debut model in the Airpeak line works with several Sony cameras, including the Alpha 1, Alpha 7S series, Alpha 7R series and Alpha 9 series. The company says the S1 has proprietary technology that supports smooth movement at high speed and provides stable wind resistance in service of helping cinematographers and photographers to capture high-quality footage and photos from the sky.

Sony claims the S1 can fly for up to 22 minutes au naturale, and up to 12 minutes with a heavy payload, such as the Alpha 7S III with a FE 24mm F1.4 GM lens. The drone has a top speed of just under 56mph.

The Airpeak Flight app for iOS provides real-time status info and updates on the hardware. With the Airpeak Base web app, users can create advanced, repeatable flight plans, manage the drone and camera and troubleshoot issues. There's also a dual operation mode, which allows one person to control the drone and another to operate the camera and gimbal. Both users can see what the camera is capturing.

The Airpeak S1 comes with two sets of propellers, two rechargeable batteries and a controller. Sony has shaved $1,000 off the previously announced price — the drone now costs a still-eye-watering $9,000. The S1 should ship on December 24th, so it might arrive a little too late to be an extremely generous holiday gift.

There's an optional cloud service called Airpeak Plus that offers extra storage, enhanced geofencing tools and flight log importing and exporting. It costs around $300 for 12 months.