Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Remote CES 2010 Coverage: Initial Thoughts & Day 1 News [UPDATE #3]

by Michael Sheehan on January 6, 2010

in Cellular, CES, Consumer Electronics, Gadgets, General, Hardware, Mobile, Software, Tech News

[Updated: 01.06.10 @ 3:20 pm Pacific]

I’m jealous of all of those who are able to brave the madness of gadget-hungry attendees of CES 2010 (the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show). I was able to secure a blogger press pass at the end of last year, but unfortunately due to changes in my schedule, I was unable to attend this year. Perhaps in 2011 I will attend (fingers crossed). However, just because I’m not at the show doesn’t mean that I can’t cover it. I have been receiving a steady stream of product briefs, press releases and correspondences from various vendors who are exhibiting at the show. I have spent time weeding through all of the emails and trying to determine what trends are popping up.

CES_Logo

My plan on covering the show is pretty simple, I will produce a page for each day of the show (to the best of my ability) highlighting announcements or products that particularly grabbed my attention. The page will be continually refreshed over the course of the day as things are announced.

My Initial Thoughts

So, after digging through my various emails and having listen to and read other coverage, here are things that I think will be hot for CES:

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }

A USB Mic with a Great Name and even Better Functionality – the BlueMic Snowflake

by Michael Sheehan on January 6, 2010

in Consumer Electronics, Gadgets, General, Hardware, Review

Recently, I have tried to move my content beyond just the typed word (although it is my de facto method of doing a review). I have expanded to include videos using a variety of video capture devices (e.g., HD camcorders & screencasting software). Also recently, some other “daddy bloggers” and I have started a regular podcast (see CastofDads.com for the shows). Do you see a common thread here? The movement towards the spoken word.

While the camcorders and my computer have built-in microphones, sometimes those aren’t the most ideal to use, and frequently sound a bit tinny or scratchy. This is especially true when using a built-in mic on a laptop. I record most of my screencasts or other audio using a MacBook Pro (old one) and you can frequently hear the fans spinning in the background.

A few months ago, I pitched my sob story about not having an adequate microphone for recording audio to the folks at BlueMic (actually, their PR firm) and they donated a BlueMic Snowflake to my A/V cause (and I thank them).

Design

The first thing that struck me was the unique design of the Snowflake.

[click to continue…]

{ 1 comment }