Friday, May 9, 2014

23 Mobile Things - Thing 16 : Audio

Thing 16 is all about using the microphones on our mobile devices to make recordings. But I'm not sure that I have a need for doing this? Other than possibly a talk-to-text option. So instead I checked out the social platform SoundCloud. SoundCloud can be used via iPhone, iPad, Android, or PC. It's social media so you can follow people, share with friends, family & fans, find communities, and upload your own audio content. 

I tried the explore area and selected one of the music genres. It was a mix of unknown artists (to me at least) as well as known artists. I opted to just let it stream through the lineup & overall it was pretty great. Plus I loved the sound quality-- super for just cheap computer speakers (I happened to be on my office PC). 

Here's a snip of a playlist as it was playing. 



Because it is a social platform, you can "like", repost, and share. Other options are to add to your own playlist and some you can download or buy. I did run into one song that really wasn't my style-- wish there was a ratings button or a skip option. 

Here's a song that I enjoyed-- it was the 1st song I listened to on SoundCloud. Andrew Bird's "Three White Horses" 



I'm definitely going to revisit SoundCloud and explore some more-- I think it'll be a great option for in my office when I get tired of the same old stuff & need a refreshing alternative.