EKS from Finland has announced a great new all-in-one DJ controller, Otus. It has a super-sensitive, 7,5" plate in the centre which illuminates. A ribbon controller sets the pitch, and an X/Y mouse-like pad serves effect parameter setting. It has four analogue plus two digital output channels - though there is no audio input at all. The maximum audio resolution is 24/48. All this costs 650 euro, click here if you want to know more.

Akai, master of midified wind instruments has announced a new wind controller, EWI USB with USB out. Price is nice: 500 USD only, and it doesn't need any driver or installation. A sample based softsynth is bundled with professional Garritan and Akai samples, and it can act as flute, saxophone, oboe or classic Akai EWI. Check the official page if you are interested.

In the east political correctness is not a matter: CME decided to offer a separate model of their U-Key Mobiltone for the girls. Its look calls for Barbie and Ken and all the related accessories. The price is 200 USD, here is the detailed info page.

On the table what you can see is Cakewalk's new hardware system for their sequencer, Sonar V-Studio 700. It targets the serious producers with its motor-fader console, the I/O module with 24/192 resolution, and the synth brain from Roland - a full-featured hardware Fantom VS which is integrated well into the system. All this wonder hits the shop in next February, for a mere 4,000 USD. Click here if you want to know more a very detailed system description is waiting for you.

Stanton's new DJ controller probably set a new standard in the class. DaScratch has only touch-sensitive surfaces, all the control functions are performed in that way, for only 300 USD. Go check here, especially the demo video.

Numark will have a combined audio interface - controller solution for the laptop DJ soon. Its name is Omnicontrol, and most of the technical parameters are kept in secret nowadays - on the official page there is very limited news information on it. The most important thing that can be known is the bundled software - you will get a Traktor 3 LE plus a MixMeister Fusion Live for the price which is to be announced.

To make a phone call or surfing via 3G is not the easiest tasks with the new iPhone as the news coming about extraordinary bugs but the phone has won as a music platform undoubtly. Three new products prove it: at first, IR-909, a Roland TR909-clone, which has the same sequencer philosophy as the original. Additionally, it is packed with not only the characterictic 909-samples, but 606, 707 and 808 also. For 5 USD, it is worth considering... To learn more click here.

Next is TouchOSC, a continuous controller software which emulates the design of the most desired tool of he class, Jazzmutant's Lemur. It sends control signals via wi-fi regarding the OSC (Open Sound Control) standard. It is interpreted by a few software components like Max/MSP.

TouchOSC performs rotary controllers, faders, push buttons, toggle buttons, X6Y pads and LEDs. Check here for more info.

Last but not least this is Sruti Box, a faithful emulation of the old Indian instrument with the same name. Its most interesting feature is the movement sensitivity - you can alter the sound with moving your phone. Check here for more.

Three Kore-news came from Native Instruments, together. At first, Kore 2 has a reduced price from now: 400 euro, instead of 500. Second, you can buy Kore 2 software without the hardware, only for 200 euro - name: Kore 2 Software Edition. Third, a huge deal on sound programs: Kore Electronic Experience is a package which contains seven Soundpacks for Kore, for only 160 euro. Click here to learn more.

Theoretically it is very easy to discover that your iPhone could be a fine MIDI controller. Now it is reality, iTouchMidi is up in the Appstore for 40 euros: Jazzmutant is probably worrying as we suspect... A networked Mac is needed to perform the www.itouchmidi.com/.

Behringer's ultra-compact keyboard+audio interface combo is finally hit the shop these days. UMA25S has a USB connector, a very basic stereo audio interface (with microphone input though), velocity sensitive keys of two octaves, and some knobs and buttons. Keys are normal sized but their way down is shorter than you would wait - yes, it is the slim design that Roland had already years before. But Behringer offer the product at a much better price point of course: the UMA25S costs 190 USD only. The web page of the product is here.

Finally Korg made something gorundbreaking: this new family of devices called Nano is a big help for the laptop musicians. All three USB devices are ultra-lightweight, slim, and easy to transport even inside your laptop bag. The keyboard, nanoKEY has 25 keys with velocity, and an ability of sending not only Note Ons but Control Change messages, too. Second, nanoKONTROL is based on nine faders and nine knobs, all sending controller information. It will have a software application to assign each element to the desired function. The third to, nanoPAD has 12 dynamic trigger pads, and the famous Korg X-Y pad. We still have no pricing information, even the product page is written in Japanese, strangely.

Yamaha shows their newest electronic keyboard design concepts at the Milano Salone 2008, an exhibition of interieur and design. They present a series of physical keyboard that are adequate for different situations of the everyday life. If we trust them, in the near future we will choose a keyboard instrument not on the technical parameters but the physical abilities that determines the concrete usability of a piece. In this world, keyboards are much more blending into the environment - a rather practical approach to the composers' mind. A very dull flash application shows how.

The legendary graphic card maker's latest movement on the DJ platform was written a year ago - now it is reality. The Mobile DJ MP3 is totally wireless, weighs less than half kilogramm, and works woth computers (laptop or desktop). It controls two player decks with two jog controller and has a dual LCD for keeping track what is happening. A fine crossfader, 25 buttons, and a very easy setup process: the gadget is worth of 100 USD what you have to pay for it. Check here.

Tanager Audioworks is the name of the firm that constructed the software which should be made in this quality a long time ago. Chirp converts your QWERTY keyboard into a powerful MIDI controller: it transmits Note Ons while pressing keys (velocity value can be set with the big slider above), ten drum trigger, and two continuous controller with the mouse. The Space bar is assigned to the Sustain Pedal. It is a pain that it's not a free software but it was the developers' decision: you have to pay 40 USD for it, here.

Perhaps the best-ever hammer action master keyboard will come out from Fatar next week: Numa has really well-developed mechanical parts, and has a great new function - key dynamics has not only selectable, predefined curves but you can make your own with several break points and real keypresses. Click here for more.

After the huge success Tenori-On's worldwide availability was only a question of time. Now we have the answer: in the first day of Musikmesse, Frankfurt a series of launch parties is starting. The first event will be held of course in Frankfurt, at a bar called Nachtleben, in 12th, March (admission is free). You can read the full list of parties and the acts performing there here.

A new company, Icon manufactures this keyboard, Inspire 8PS (and some smaller models, too). As you can notice on the picture it is not a low and product, having nine faders, 16 knobs, a huge bank of push buttons and eight velocity-sensitive drum pads. Under the bender there are even an X-Y pad, already known from the very successful Kaoss Pad-series. The LCD display placed in the centre is quite a big sized, and this PS version has a hammer-action keyboard (quite unfamiliar in that size). You can enhance the instrument with the ASX sound card from Creamware's successor, which gives incredible modeled analog and digital synths for a really little money. We still don't know the price, but check the keyboard's official info page here frequently, probably they will publish it soon. 

Choose QRS Music's PNOscan, and you can MIDIfy you acoustic piano. All you have to do is inserting this lane under the keys - it does not have any mechanical part just pure optic sensors. There is a solution of course for handling the three pedals, too. You don't need an expert to install it, they say it is really a child's game. All the official info can be found here.

Vestax was thinking about a compact DJ solution: the result is here, called VCM-100. It can be used as on the picture, and functions as an audio interface and a MIDI controller in one. It has four analog inputs (with 18 bit resolution), and four analog outs (20 bit), and you can adjust a total of 60 different MIDI controller in the same time with its tricky switches. It runs on USB power, and made of metal fully. Price is still a secret, check the product page to learn more.

Stanton plans their biggest hit after Final Scratch with this two-part DJ controller family, SC System. On the left you can see SCS.1m, a regular DJ controller equipped with a 24/96 sound card (mic, phono and line inputs are present). Priced at 1000 USD it is not the cheapest option. Next to it is SCS.1d, a turntable controller with motorised, hyper precise mechanical realization. Additional controllers and buttons can be find on the unit, too. The price is a hefty 1500 USD. Go check here the exact details.

Akai is active in the MIDI controller field also: they unveiled the best-ever MPC-style MIDI controller unit, MPD-32. It has 16 dynamic pads, and can send not less than 72 different types of control messages at a time. It receives two foot switches plus a foot volume control. A big LCD screen helps to navigate between the 30 configurations stored. MIDI transport buttons are also present. Bundled is an FXpansion BFD Lite drum software, and Ableton Live Akai Edition. Check the official info, too.

Numark's new NS7 is a general-purpose DJ controller with luxury features: turntable emulators are motorised, and it has a USB audio interface with 24 bit resolution (2 ins, 4 outs). House into solid metal, it is a very capable device for the heavily-touring DJ. A web page is found here.

A newly introduced German company, ESI presents this keyboard in NAMM, from today. It has 88 keys, called, K.ON, and housed in aluminium. Connects to USB ports, has transport functions plus knobs and faders. It is expandable with four synth card, standard still not specified. Price is around 1000 USD, product page is here.

The company also introduces a big USB audio interface with 18 inputs and 8 outputs, ESU1808. Rackmountable, and has a great price of 500 euro only. Audio resolution is 24/96, check here.

Yamaha starts a new MIDI controller keyboard family which has solution for a wide range of needs. Starting with the two-octave KX25 (on the picture), the biggest model is a real, 88-key monster, KX8. All have USB connection, bundled with Cubase AI4 version, and their finest feature is the sophisticated arpeggiator with 342 patterns. The product page is very detailed, check it. Price still not known.