In all seriousness, though, from the day Apple publicly announced it, my feeling has been that this device could be groundbreaking with the right software. The video below demonstrates just how powerful and remarkable iPad software can be. In the video, Robert Scoble interviews DJ Rana Sobhany, who demonstrates the software she uses with two iPads to create music.

In order to get the full context, you have to watch the whole video. However, I’ve attempted to summarize below just how amazing software on the iPad can look and feel:

• 3:00: Demonstration begins for the Korg software
• 5:20: Explanation of what the Looptastic app does
• 6:10: Demonstration begins for how she puts it all together
• 6:50: Notice as she adds more music on the left iPad, she uses two fingers to drag two different things into the mix.
• 8:00: Again multiple simultaneous finger interactions with the controls.
• 15:44: Demonstration of using audio effects like the high pass filter

What I find amazing about this demo is that how obviously simple it is to use this software. When she drags things in from the musical palette, the motions she uses look completely natural and it’s obvious she doesn’t have to think about how to get where she wants.

At the beginning and end she makes the point that iPad applications are going to get better now that developers actually have iPads. The initial influx of apps were created using Apple’s software simulator that runs on a Macintosh computer. While it gives you a good idea about sizing of controls and such, there are many lessons you learn once you pick up the iPad and try to use an app. In the case of the Korg app (the first she demonstrates), it is obvious that the developers were seeking to mimic a “real” (i.e. hardware) component by having things like dial controls. Although they look cool, such controls will likely morph into other controls that are easier to control on the iPad (for example, sliders).

You can follow Rana Sobhany on Twitter or visit her website, destroythesilence.com.

If you don’t have flash on your device, you can view the video on YouTube with this link. Why didn’t I just embed the YouTube video? Damian Kulash, Jr., one of the guys in the band, wrote a very interesting article on a fan forum a few days ago that did an excellent job of explaining the intricacies of the music industry’s DRM machine. Today Kulash followed up with a tremendous New York Times Guest Op-Ed.

Honorable Mention Albums for 2008
• Greatest Kiss by Kiss: I used to view with disdain those who purchased “The Best of” or “Greatest Hits” albums. As I’ve grown older, I come to recognize that sometimes the career anthology is the most economical way to “own” a band. Kiss is an excellent example for that approach. While never a fan (in fact, I hated them when they were proclaimed to be “bigger than the Beatles”), I do enjoy many of their songs. Several years ago I picked up an excellent tribute album called Kiss My Ass that I played incessantly for a time. Thus, when this album popped up as a two dollar special on Amazon one day, I couldn’t resist. I now have all the classic Kiss I will ever want including “Rock and Roll All Night” and “Beth“. Party on, Wayne.
• Greatest Hits by Styx: I know it’s not uncommon for people of my age to have a nostalgic love for Styx but I think my fondness probably extends beyond that of the average fan. When I was young my brother, Kent, loaned his cassette player stereo to me and my sisters for a time and included some of his cassettes. One of those cassettes was The Grand Illusion, which became one of the first albums I appreciated as a whole. Later it would be one of the first to arrive from the RCA Music Service (later to become BMG Music Service) along with Pieces of Eight and Cornerstone. Although I greeted the arrival of Paradise Theatre with the same enthusiasm that I had given their earlier work, it signaled the eventual departure of Styx from my life. Kilroy Was Here was even more disappointing and came at a time when my musical horizons were expanding. The fact that I never even bought that album says everything about my respect for it. Over the years I’ve encountered a number of Styx fans more rabid than I which only had the effect of reminding me of the pretentious excess of their work in the 80s. Finally, I came to realize that I missed the “album tracks” from The Grand Illusion and that I should have it in my CD collection, so I put it on my wishlist for a time but never purchased it. Eventually, after I reconsidered my position on the retrospective anthology, I investigated anthology options for Styx and found this gem. It has five of the eight songs from The Grand Illusion as well as the good songs from the albums that preceded it. Sure, it’s got the requisite 80s hits, but I suppose I can forgive them for that. The only downside is a new song called “Show Me The Way” which is totally unrelated to the Frampton song and is one of the few songs that I have unchecked in iTunes so it never plays again.
• The Jimi Hendrix Experience Box Set by Jimi Hendrix: I’ve purchased Electric Ladyland at least three times and recorded it more than that. I own all the studio albums, two live albums and several of the albums that have been released posthumously. I’ve paid for movies on VHS and DVD. I’ve sought out numerous documentaries and read several books. I am a lifelong fan of Jimi Hendrix. I offer that as context and an excuse for what follows: unrepentant raving about a box set release aimed at a niche market. When you listen to an alternate take and can tell the difference from the released song, it’s a sure sign that you know an artist’s work too well. I think it is only with that sort of rabid allegiance that one can enjoy a box set such as this. Even so, there are a few things here that the average fan can enjoy. For example, there are two separate versions of “Little Wing” that made me fall in love with that song all over. Alternate takes and live versions abound and there are all manner of previously unreleased songs including some great covers like “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Like A Rolling Stone“.

(switch to chat client)

Mick: dude

(wait 30 seconds and then send text message: “Are TMBG really playing at Jackie’s work?”)

Jonathan: yeah
Mick: Ooops, just sent you a text message
Jonathan: yes they are
Mick: holy shit
Jonathan: beavo powells
Mick: admission?
Mick: what time?
Jonathan: free
Jonathan: i can call her
Mick: please
Mick: G is a huge fan

They Might Be Giants at the Beaverton Powell's

Jonathan: let me see if she answers
Jonathan: oh man that would be cool then
Mick: Cedar Hills Crossing?
Jonathan: yes
Jonathan: 4:30 free
Mick: [explitive deleted]!
Jonathan: they are playing songs from a kids thing they do..
Mick: omg
Jonathan: jackie said there are 100 people there
Jonathan: mini drum kit and mini stage
Jonathan: from a book called “kids go”
Mick: 100 already?
Jonathan: TMBG are a big band
Jonathan: free show
Jonathan: of course 100:)
Mick: think if we get there in 40 minutes we will get in?
Jonathan: i dont know
Jonathan: sorry
Jonathan: traffic is less bad today since its a holiday
Mick: awesome
Mick: no need to apologize
Mick: the boys are hopping
Mick: we’re leaving in 5
Jonathan: haha good luck

(run to the other side of the house yelling, “Get dressed, we’re going to Beaverton!”)

Graham got a little bored at the Scout meeting. Luckily, he brought along his iPod which was freshly loaded with his new CD by Chameleon Circuit. All of the music is Doctor Who themed which is pretty cool. That Graham found it on his own is even cooler. My son, the nerd.

My mother, who was sitting beside me, told me Graham had stepped backwards off of the stage, which is three to four feet high. Later, Graham would tell us that his foot had been caught in the four inch gap between the stage proper and the curtain rod that extends all around the stage. After watching a few people walk down to the scene with medically-trained purpose, I decided I better investigate myself. Graham was still laying on his back, holding his head and crying a little. Someone was checking his eyes for dilation and asking him questions related to head concussions. He was sweating but it was sort of humid in the auditorium. I suggested to him that we go sit outside and get some fresh air. After a bit, he agreed and Tina took him outside while one of the medical people took me aside and told me about concussion symptoms we should watch for during the next 24 hours.

I returned to my seat next to my mom and watched Thomas play with the fifth grade orchestra (to help them keep the beat). Tina and Graham came back in after awhile and Graham reported that his side hurt. After some discussion, we decided that Tina would take Graham to the doctor or the emergency room after consulting with his doctor. The doctor recommended that she take him to the Emanuel ER because they have a pediatric ward. Four hours later the ER doctor told them that he had bruised ribs, some soft tissue damage to his ankle and a slight concussion. Graham is staying home for a couple of days and has a vicodin(!!) prescription for the pain. He still has a headache today and his ribs are sore. Also, he tells me he is bored.

Thomas’ portions of the concert went off much better and nobody was injured. Grandma Ring especially enjoyed Serenade for Strings by Mozart while I really liked hearing the Halo theme again. They finished with “Shrek’s Nightmare” which was really fun and involved screaming. Thomas played in both the Advanced 7th & 8th Grade Orchestra and in the prestigious Chamber Orchestra, for which he arrives an hour early to school every day.

Thomas has also been playing music at home quite a bit recently since we helped him buy an electric bass and amplifier. He picked the Epiphone Thunderbird and we got a 10 watt Acoustic amplifier. We should have waited until school was out because he’s been spending almost every waking moment downloading tablature from the internet and playing it on his bass. He’s helping to pay for the bass by mowing our lawn this summer, a task I’m very glad to delegate to him. Thomas continues to be active with Boy Scout Troop 820. For the second year in a row his troop captured the Top Troop award at the annual Camporee competition. We’re very glad for his participation and the great influence that the older boys have on him and his friends.

As I mentioned earlier, I invited my mother to visit so that she could see the boys play and the timing was also right for her to be here for Graham’s 10th birthday. After mulling his options, he chose to get a new bed for his birthday. He also shocked his Grandma by insisting that we eat at Sushiville for his birthday lunch. Grandma is not very fond of sushi but she was a good sport and even took us all (including Uncle Buddy) to see Up, the latest Pixar film, at Cinetopia. It was tremendous and one of the best stories I have ever seen with no dialog or narration for the first part of the movie. We’ve also been to see Terminator: Salvation and the new Star Trek movie in recent weeks. We don’t go to the movies very often so this will likely signal an upcoming drought of movies in the very near future.

At the start of April, my employer decided that they would finally close the Vancouver office at the end of the month. If you recall, they laid nearly everyone in the office last August but held on to a couple of engineers to work from home. I was lucky enough to be one of those engineers. After the layoffs were finished, they kept my old boss on to work on a “short project” and continue providing support for our previously released products. Well, the short project went on for several months longer than projected and my boss continued working by himself in the Vancouver office. Once the project was finished and they decided to finally close the office, my VP called to tell me that I would be working in Vancouver until the office was closed. You see, part of my job description includes supporting our previously released products much like my old boss had been doing. During the month of April, he and I worked on current issues and he performed what is often described in the software business as a “knowledge dump” to me. I took pages and pages of notes and eventually transferred them to an internal wiki (I love wikis!).

Although I didn’t necessarily enjoy commuting to Vancouver every day again, the extended training session signaled that my employer is committed to my continued employment far into the future. I am now the only person in the company with the knowledge to support these older products and that is very reassuring to me, especially in the face of recent cost cutting measures that have been undertaken at the company. In addition, I’m also enjoying working as a Mac programmer again after having been away from “real” Mac programming since last fall. Management would like if I were able to spend a small portion of my time with these support issues but I don’t see that happening in the very near future.