When it comes to music, it’s one iRing to rule them all

By

iring
Photo: IK Multimedia

This probably isn’t the “iRing” you’ve been waiting for — assuming you’ve been waiting for the mythical (One) Ring, forged by the skilled elves of Logbar, that wants to control, well, pretty much everything in your life.

No, this particular ring — IK Multmedia’s iRing — won’t control your TV, your phone or your wallet. But it is imbued with the power to create music on your iDevice.

The iRing works with specially designed apps that recognize the device’s dots — the iRing has two sets of three dots, one arranged in a line, the other in a triangle — and translates the movement of those dots into music. Punches, waving, rotation and hiding the dots are all recognized and translated to control an effect.

Right now, only IK Multimedia’s own apps support the iRing, but the company has made the SDK available for other music-app makers who want to incorporate iRing control. IK Multimedia has two free apps that work with the iRing: iRing FX/Controller, and iRing Music Maker, which is based on their $10 GrooveMaker 2 app (which is also compatible with the iRing). The company says the iRing can even be used to control Mac music apps through MIDI messages from the apps (though we’re not sure which apps).

A pair of iRings is $25. Here’s a video of the iRing in action.

Source: IK Multimedia

Newsletters

Daily round-ups or a weekly refresher, straight from Cult of Mac to your inbox.

  • The Weekender

    The week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.