Apple announced HomePod, a wireless speaker for the home that delivers high audio quality and uses spatial awareness to sense its location in a room and automatically adjust the audio. Designed to work with an Apple Music subscription for access to over 40 million songs, HomePod provides deep knowledge of personal music preferences and tastes and helps users discover new music. HomePod features a large, Apple-designed woofer for clean bass, and a custom array of seven beam-forming tweeters that provide pure high frequency acoustics with directional control. HomePod will be available starting in December, initially in Australia, the UK and the US. [source]

Native Instruments released REAKTOR Blocks 1.3, a substantial update to this acclaimed virtual modular system, provided with REAKTOR 6. Free for existing users, Blocks 1.3 introduces a new Blocks family: Kodiak. These five modules are not modelled on specific hardware. Instead, Kodiak modules combine analog character with digital power. Duality OSC is a dual oscillator that adds innovative wave-shaping to Blocks. It offers phase-, frequency-, amplitude-, and timbre-modulation, and is ideal for growling basses, vibrant leads, and rich percussion. Shift Sequencer is an unconventional step sequencer. It has independent sequence-length and direction controls for pitch, octave, velocity, hold, and gate, making polyrhythmic sequencing easy. Blocks 1.3 is part of REAKTOR 6. REAKTOR 6 is available for purchase now for 199 USD / EUR. [source]

Audio plug-in specialist Softube announced that a highly respected synth module-maker 4ms has joined the Modular platform -- the virtual Eurorack system released last year. One of the most striking Eurorack modules made by 4ms is the Spectral Multiband Resonator; having joined Softube's successful Modular platform, it is fitting that the first product is also available to Modular owners today: 4ms Spectral Multiband Resonator (SMR). In short, 4ms SMR can process audio like a classic filter bank, ring like a marimba when plucked/struck, act as a vocoder, remix tracks, harmonize, output spectral data, quantize other oscillators to scales, and much more besides. 4ms SMR is an add-on to Softube's Modular, and can only be used from within the Modular platform. It is available now at an introductory price of 39 USD. After June 30, 2017, the module will be priced at 49 USD. [source]

Sony has introduced a new range of lensless F-series projectors based on customer feedback, to better meet the needs of larger installations. The original F-series projectors include a standard lens, with the option to purchase additional lenses. But as the needs of large-scale installations are so bespoke, the majority of customers were selecting one of the other lenses in Sony's extensive range. The new lensless range includes three laser projectors, the VPL-FHZ57L, VPL-FHZ60L and VPL-FHZ65L (featuring Z-Phosphor laser light source for crisp detail-packed WUXGA 1920 x 1200 16:10 umages), as well as two lamp-based models, the VPL-FH60L and VPL-FH65L, to suit the requirements of different installations. All models can be combined with a range of Sony lenses that meet the needs of virtually any size of room or throw requirement. The advanced laser light source offers up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance free operation, reducing lifetime running costs compared with traditional projectors. [source]

IK Multimedia has released an important update for Lurssen Mastering Console for Mac/Windows and for iOS bringing more processing power for both desktop and mobile users. Lurssen Mastering Console, born from the collaboration of the IK Multimedia development team with multiple Grammy-winning engineers Gavin Lurssen and Reuben Cohen is now even more powerful and flexible, with improved dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio along with multi-mono operation for mono, stereo and surround. Lurssen Mastering Console is available for 159.99 USD/EUR. Users can download and try Lurssen Mastering Console's full features for free for a period of 10 days. [source]

New beta version of Adobe's Flash Player 26 brings new features for cross-platform browser-based viewing of expressive rich internet applications, content, and videos across devices. This beta release provides access to the Flash Player 26 runtime for Mac OS X and Windows desktop environments, and features Apple TV support, disables packaging of shared Android applications, Vertex Texture Fetch in AIR mobile, and more. [source]

Arturia announced that the AudioFuse -- their debut audio interface -- is now on its way to retailers. After a long period of rigorous testing and refining, AudioFuse is now ready to greet the global community of musicians, producers, engineers, and audiophiles. The first units are expected to arrive mid-June, 2017. Sporting high quality hardware, unparalleled signal fidelity, and exclusive DiscretePRO preamps with a >131dB A-weighted EIN rating, and loaded with contemporary features and professional components, AudioFuse is a small, powerful, and versatile addition to anyone's creative setup. AudioFuse can be used with a huge variety of platforms including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and even Linux. [source]

...is the latest version of Shotgun Software's cloud-based review and production tracking software. This latest update transforms integrations with content creation tools (incl. Maya, Nuke, Photoshop, Houdini, 3ds Max, and Flame), and streamlines the review process. Studios can now take advantage of truly out-of-the-box integrations with content creation tools to accelerate artist workflows. Updates to RV also make reviewing media from the cloud seamless and includes SDI functionality as standard. Shotgun pricing starts at 30 USD per account/per month with 'Awesome' support, or 50 USD per account/per month with Super Awesome support. [source]

For a limited time, RE:Vision Effects are offering a 50% discount on their Effections bundles. Available for After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Fusion Studio, Nuke, Premiere Pro, SCRATCH and Vegas Pro, the bundles can be purchased by adding it to a shopping cart in the RE:Vision Effects' online shop, and entering a coupon code Effections_50_2017 in the Coupon Code/Promotional Code field on the second checkout page. This offer applies to new licenses, upgrades, cross-grades, multi-host licenses and conversion to floating licenses, and ends June 16, 2017! [source]

Learn how Pixar approaches lighting and look development on feature film in this showcase of Pixar's core rendering technology, RenderMan. This special presentation explores real techniques used by Pixar in production with examples from Cars 3, Coco (watch the latest trailer here), and a screening of the award-winning short, Piper. Pixar's Dylan Sisson will show what's new in the latest version of RenderMan 21 -- like production shaders, interactive lighting, and new shader libraries. The two events will take place June 13th and June 15th. More here. [source]