JAH wrote:moyphee wrote:MPC branding can only carry so far.
Perhaps...but those 3 letters have stood the test of time...can't say the same for many other product lines.
Slapping three letters on something doesn't change that the fact that already released apps do more period. As it stands now this thing pales in comparison to Beatmaker 2 and Nanostudio. I will say the drag and drop layout is a good design choice. No one likes the "rinse and repeat" of the same menu diving 16 times.
I also want to point out that the MPC Fly will be available as an in app purchase in Retronyms Tabletop app. Retronyms are talented coders but Tabletop speaks volumes about their mentality. Tabletop is so obviously ripped off from the online Flash app Audiotool. I'm still surprised they didn't sue Retronyms.
I asked a Retronyms' rep directly if Tabletop would add Core MIDI support especially seeing as how the MPC Fly app would be available as a module in their app. He said no never. Without directly saying it I surmised from his further commenting that the Fly is going to be the only way to ever have MIDI control in Tabletop. Like I really want a $300 piece to do something that is supported in over 80% of all iOS music apps.
It's strange because the implications from Akai are that the standalone iOS MPC Fly app will be Core MIDI compatible and allow you to use other MIDI controllers. If that's the case then a $50 nanoPad and a Camera Connection Kit would get you 16 pads at about $80 total. Hardly as elegant but worth considering with the huge price difference.
If the standalone app doesn't allow any control besides the Fly hardware, but the Fly hardware will work other Core MIDI apps that would just make no sense. If that is the case they would be purposely limiting the Core MIDI implementation. Given Apple's forcing of strict adherence to the standards in their SDK's we may luck out and have the standalone Fly app work with any and all MIDI gear provided you have a CCK, I/O Dock, iConnect or something similar.
