Some companies wilt in the face of technical evolution and changes in consumer behavior. We love you Kodak — but you’re a classic b-school case study on this. Famed MPC maker (which, FYI, stands for music production center) could have followed a similar path in the face of exploding new device categories like tablets. Their newly announced MPC Fly proves, however, that the company has no intention of ignoring the brushed unibody aluminum elephant in the room.
The Fly is the first MPC designed specifically for the iPad 2 and combines 16 backlit MPC pads with a dedicated iPad app packing effects, a four-track mixer, a sound library, sample editing, an EQ, and support for Korg’s wireless sync-start technology. A double-hinged case connects your favorite tablet to the companion hardware, providing an additional lithium-ion battery that can charge your iPad when plugged in, while allowing the pair to sit upright, flat, or closed together in a protective cocoon. In exchange for this match-made in music geek heaven, the system adds an inch of girth and two pounds of heft to your otherwise feathery device. Of course, this setup won’t replace the full-fledged studio you’ve built down in mom’s basement, but it should come in handy for tapping out quick moments of inspiration while on the move.
