NEWS Flash!! New MPC concept shown at Build 2014

it would probably take quite a lot of time to port the mpc software for full OS's to an iOS platform, and i'm pretty sure most users would rather see that time spent on new features and bug fixes. if you could interface a ren or studio with the iMPC pro app that would be amazing, but the iMPC apps aren't made by akai. Akai should throw money at those developers until they integrate the mainline hardware because it would increase sales of hardware (as well as the iMPC app, i wouldn't buy it unless i could use my hardware)

groovemonger wrote:I have no idea why Akai are now jumping on board Microsoft's latest stab at embedded. Okay, if it's so embedded that it's merely something to place a typical MPC interface on top of, that's okay. No one cares what's under the hood.

I wouldn't characterize it as a "stab". We've had embedded versions of Windows for something like 20 years, going as far back as Windows 3.1 embedded. Most kiosks, ATMs, digital signs, etc. run Windows Embedded. A lot of medical and shop floor equipment does as well. (A fair number of cars also run versions of Windows, but that's our somewhat unrelated auto/nav offering.)

The nice thing about full Windows Embedded is it can run all the same software you run on your desktop. That means there's zero programmer learning or porting curve to move software over. Combine that with the fact that you can optimize it like crazy should you (the developer/OEM) want, and it certainly seems like a smart decision. The ability to ensure it runs only the software that should be installed means no worries about making it a multi-purpose email/facebook/whatever machine, with the potential stability and support questions that would raise.

When you run on embedded, you (the developer/OEM) have 100% access to all the hardware, using the drivers you want to use. As you can imagine, this lets them make sure any ASIO, network, etc. drivers are the perfect ones to match the hardware and perform best.

Finally, InMusic gets to brand it any way they want. Like the typical ATM, most people, unless they saw this thread, probably wouldn't even know it ran Windows unless InMusic wanted to publicize that.

I can't speak for why InMusic picked Windows Embedded Industry 8.1 for the MPC and the new NS7 (I only worked with them on presenting their work at Build), but I suspect the software portability and tools/API compatibility had a fair bit to do with it.

Pete

All I have to add is this a sound idea that can work well and I'm glad a compromise that is still modern has been looked at to restore standalone operation.,

Im reassured by the description of embedded windows. If you dont even notice its windows at all.. all the better.. If ATMs are using it then all i need is akai to prove they can design a stable/functional system. I turn my ancient hardware nose up at the sight of windows/ a pc normally.. but im ready to be convinced.

A future for hardware MPCs is what i want..

Numark Ns7 II with an integrated Serato App that takes 3 tablets to run? Could be alright, but it could also be a big waste of time and effort. We don't need new MPC's, we need working OS's for the MPC's we own.

This should equate to the most stable mpc ever made.

fdodds wrote:it would probably take quite a lot of time to port the mpc software for full OS's to an iOS platform, and i'm pretty sure most users would rather see that time spent on new features and bug fixes. if you could interface a ren or studio with the iMPC pro app that would be amazing, but the iMPC apps aren't made by akai. Akai should throw money at those developers until they integrate the mainline hardware because it would increase sales of hardware (as well as the iMPC app, i wouldn't buy it unless i could use my hardware)

It actually wouldn't be that difficult given the similarities in iOS and OS X coding tools, libraries and shared protocols. I think it's more a case of iOS only just recently receiving desktop level CPU power and we are still waiting for 4GB+ RAM counts.

As you alluded to, but I'll mention on the development side of it...from a business efficiency standpoint we're a couple years away from a firm seeing that as a viable business model. Especially when $49 or so is the highest the iOS market will bear as a selling price. You just wouldn't make the development cost back in profit margin. And as you said it diverts resources from your primary business model and serving those customers. I think in a few years we will see that synergy you mentioned implemented by a lot of products.

But with OS level Bluetooth MIDI and others things imminent I would not be surprised to see Ableton, Akai and others enter that market space with comparable to desktop apps. It will be a few years until then though. I believe they just need to know there's enough potential buyers to profit selling at a lower price. You already see a preview of this potential future with a developer like Sugar Bytes who are selling their VST/AU ports on iOS at about a 75% reduction in price.

To the main topic, Akai exploring an embedded OS product is a very good idea. Perfect compromise for the standalone wants of many buyers, while obviously firmly planted in today's tech.

actually thats funny, just yesterday i read that ableton are hiring new programmers, and its the first time they've put iOS experience in the job description, so it may be quite soon that the full DAWs crawl out onto iOS. i think iOS stinks for musical hardware, apple will change their connection standards ruining existing products on the market and forcing consumers to buy new overpriced cable converters. i think it's bad news for everyone in the music industry to design products to specifically interface with an apple mobile device, the end game can only be products that are unusable and unsellable. if they can sync with an app optionally as well as be useable on other platforms, that's good, but iOS app exclusivity is the worst.

That's good news that Ableton might be preparing to enter the iOS landscape.

Yeah Apple since they first helped FireWire become a standard then went out of their way to abandon it have been on the forced obsolescence thing and the need a gang of adapters thing. But at least it only takes $30 and some class compliant MIDI device to be in business using iOS music apps. The lack of a defined file structure on the iOS is a pain. But the platform has so many great apps, and they are always cheaper than VST/AU. So while some things will allows remain exclusive, I think it's going to get easier and easier to use the devices in tandem with other stuff. There are so many of these devices in circulation. And In the mainstream view it gets overlooked just how much revenue is generated by music making users. I mean we will pay $800 for a DVD with a bunch of zeros and ones coded on it so we can create. That's the kind of customer a business wants.

They made Thunderbolt the new standard. Optimized for today's requirements.

For those in need, they made interfaces for about $.30,- from FireWire to Thunderbolt, USB etc...

akaipete wrote:Your existing MPCs have not suddenly become obsolete!

We're working on a number of cool things, including this, as well as 1.7 software, 1.8, 1.9 and beyond.

Pete welcome here, and that is indeed great news to hear.



Hopefully, we will have artists showing off their MPC on the cover of the record, again.

DJ Hellfire wrote:

Chillin wrote:

Coz wrote:Touchscreen?

I don't understand, they could have/ can created a dedicated "hardcore" app on the iPad for such "machine". There are large conglomerate companies who have done the same already such as Mackie.

The last time they tried that, Apple changed the connector of the iPad killing the MPC Fly before it even released. Plus relying on a 3rd party device to power your device could turn out bad when support for that 3rd party device ends or development stops. Plus sooner or later as the device get's older and Apple forces you into newer iOS that makes your device run slower, the performance of the MPC software can be degraded as well. At least with this dedicated embedded OS, the MPC will work as long is nothing hardware related fails. And you only have to worry about updating it when an update only for it is available.

Something I found recently, while browsing.

I know they're actively working on it. No news on release date yet.

So is there any actual advantage to OSX users to buy this MPC Ren Plus ? Or will the embedded windows deem in actually incompatible with Mac OSX users ?

AVENTUS wrote:So is there any actual advantage to OSX users to buy this MPC Ren Plus ? Or will the embedded windows deem in actually incompatible with Mac OSX users ?

I don't speak for AKAI, but there's nothing about Windows Embedded that would affect compatibility with the operating system on your laptop. Previous AKAI devices didn't run OSX or Windows on the silicon, but were compatible with both.

Pete