This video, via Peter Kirn, offers a sneak preview of the upcoming Teenage Engineering ‘Pocket Operator’ line of portable synthesizers.
Here’s what he has to say about the short video:
A quick look at the new, Nintendo Game & Watch-inspired, LCD display for the PO-12 synth line. Here, it’s the “factory” melodic instrument.
Stay tuned fora bigger demo, though – this sounds a LOT bigger than you think.
Teenage Engineering will be officially introducing the line of $59 ‘Pocket Synthesizers’ at the 2015 NAMM Show.
These devices would work extremely well as an iPhone app. They’re completely digital (so a phone version would sound exactly the same) and have a user interface that should translate very well to a phone touchscreen. As a bonus, that would allow you to sync them via MIDI.
But then I would never use them, like all the other 100 iphone apps.
I can count the number of music apps that I have fun using on zero fingers. I wish I found them to be more fun.
Would have made shooting this video easier, maybe.
But…
You can sync, actually, via clock signal (including *to an iPhone app*)
And the sound and control on this is really terrific!
But that is not TE’s MO.
They’re a design company which puts as much energy into the aesthetics and packaging as they do the tech.
Love it or hate, that’s what they do. It’s their whole thing.
So, yes. The tech would work as a super simple app. But then it wouldn’t be a TE product.
And if it was an iPhone app, nobody would buy it because it would be seen as bland, uninspiring and boring.
As a tangible, physical synth, it’s just something that everybody will at least want to play with, if not buy.
Reason being this has one of the best industrial designs I’ve seen in years.
is this a joke? there’s sooo much improvement and fixes to do on the OP-1.. I really hope there’s an update coming and not just this cute toy that’s probably gonna be available in Urban Outfitters..
Hahah, wow it really looks like the old Game & Watch systems. Kind of gimmicky and stupid but might be fun for what it is. $59 might be a bit steep for a toy though, so i’ll wait to see if there’s anything more to these.
Oh heck for 60 bucks I’ll buy one! If my calculator could do that when I was in school I would have never gotten anything done in class. I how it actually has a calculator on it. It looks like fun.
http://operator-1.com/index.php?p=/discussion/658/po-12-revealed
sounds
these look like a lot of fun. and great for those of us who love physical buttons and knobs rather than touch screens.
When it comes to calling these teeny boxes Synthesizers it reminds me of this scene from Iron Sky.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3PYLoRYVuw
It must cost at least $ 200 for who wants to play with poor people throwaway toys?
I think it’s cool – especially if they make/you can get/make custom cases for it
I thought the PO-12 was supposed to be a drum machine..
For 60 I’m on this
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/axoloti-a-digital-audio-platform-for-makers