Leslie Shapiro

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Grace NotesNEWS============
Stairway to Heaven Copyright Infringement: Does the Song Remain the Same?
Leslie Shapiro  |  Apr 18, 2016
On May 10, 2016, a jury will begin a trial to decide if Led Zeppelin members Robert Plant and Jimmy Page copied parts of the song “Taurus” by the band Spirit for their mega-hit “Stairway to Heaven.” A ruling last week by a U.S. District Judge determined that the case should move forward, stating the following: “While it is true that a descending chromatic four-chord progression is a common convention that abounds in the music industry, the similarities here transcend this core structure. Enough similar protectable expression is here that the issue of substantial similarity should [be heard by a jury].”

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Grace Notes
Step Aside, David Guetta: Hands On with Braven's Fuse Pocket Mixer
Leslie Shapiro  |  Mar 16, 2015
It’s Saturday night! And you know what that means! Once again, you can be the life of the party, creating killer mashups from your killer playlist. The problem, of course, is Ted, who delusionally thinks his killer mashups are more killer than yours. But now you can resolve that issue once and for all. You can whip out your Braven Fuse portable mixer and show him who’s da bomb.

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Grace Notes
Stereomood: Internet Radio for Every Mood
Leslie Shapiro  |  Dec 01, 2011

Seems like a new way to listen to music over the Internet pops up everyday.  Pandora might have a lock on the market, Slacker has the coolest name (and real-live DJs behind the scenes), everyone's talking about Spotify and MOG, but there's another website that does something most others don't. Stereomood designs playlists based on your mood or activity. Yup - music to suit your every mood.

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Grace Notes
Steve Jobs: Fallen Giant
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 06, 2011

The death of Steve Jobs was covered by the media in a manner usually reserved for heads of state. But, the truth is that he probably affected your life more deeply than most presidents or prime ministers. If you use Apple products, you hold the contours, colors, buttons, and menus that Mr. Jobs personally obsessed over and approved.

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Grace Notes
Super Bowl Madness XLVI
Leslie Shapiro  |  Feb 02, 2012

Super Bowl Sunday, in many people's minds, is a national holiday. And, as with any holiday in this country, that means sales. Big sales.  Now, while you might think instantly that we're gonna talk about TV sales, let's hold off on that for a minute.

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Grace Notes
Surf’s Up: Hercules WAE Outdoor Rush Bluetooth Speaker Review
Leslie Shapiro  |  Apr 04, 2016
Summer’s almost here and the time is right for dancing in the streets. Yup. I went there. While there are plenty of great-sounding Bluetooth speakers, sometimes you need one that you can really take anywhere and subject it to rigors you wouldn’t dream of with other speakers. The Hercules WAE Outdoor Rush ($129) is a water-proof, dust-proof speaker that is so rugged it will even float. Best part—it also has a built-in FM tuner. Bring on the beach party!

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Surround at Work - Part 2
Leslie Shapiro  |  Sep 22, 2002

Here's an odd collaboration: Alison Krauss & Union Station, a group that's embraced bluegrass, one of the oldest forms of American music, and Super Audio CD, one of the newest and most advanced music formats.

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Grace Notes
Tempow Makes Any Smartphone Smarter with Multi-Device Bluetooth Software
Leslie Shapiro  |  Oct 09, 2017
Ah, the freedom and flexibility of wireless Bluetooth speakers. Some companies let you connect several of their speakers together to create a whole-home solution. However, one company has developed a way to potentially connect any and all Bluetooth speakers together, speakers from any company, as well as Bluetooth headphones. Your jogging group can all run to the beat of the same drum. Tempow, a French tech company is making this possible.

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Grace Notes
Test Drive: BMW 650i Gran Coupe with Bang & Olufsen Sound System
Leslie Shapiro  |  May 25, 2016
Deciding whether to spring for an expensive sound-system upgrade when shopping for a new car can be a frustrating experience when you have no idea what you’ll actually be getting for your hard-earned money. Looking at pictures of a speaker grille is hardly convincing when the price tag for an upgraded system can be upwards of $6000. How often do you get the opportunity to spend literally hours in a potential car listening to and evaluating the sound system before you order your build? Recently, I did just that in the 2016 BMW 650i xDrive Gran Coupe with the upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system. Here's what I heard.

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Grace Notes
The Apple HomePod: The Coup D'état to Home Stereo
Leslie Shapiro  |  Jun 19, 2017
Last week Apple released its own Siri-powered speaker, the voice-assisted HomePod. It’s Apple’s attempt to muscle its way into a market already dominated by Amazon’s Echo with Alexa, and the Google Home. The HomePod is touted as an audiophile-grade speaker with excellent performance. Sound quality? Really? Let’s do a quick reality check on this.

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