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Bitwig Studio update brings tons of new sound design options
The DAW Bitwig Studio just received a fairly substantial update, bringing new instruments and effects. Version 5.1 brings additional waveshapers, filters, oscillators and other enhancements.
Universal Audio launches two new premium microphones
The Sphere DLX and Sphere LX from Universal Audio are fairly pricey microphones, but they’re still cheap compared to the premium gear they emulate.
Spotify adds one-click audio enhancement for podcast creators
Spotify continues its push to make podcast recording more accessible as it rolls out a feature that drowns out background noise to bring your voice to the forefront.
Uber's audio recording safety feature is coming to the US
Other new measures include audible seat belt alerts and RideCheck enhancements.
Twitter now lets hosts record and share audio Spaces
Twitter has launched Spaces Recordings to a limited number of hosts on iOS.
The second-gen iZotope Spire Studio is a big improvement at a big cost
If you liked the original Spire portable studio from iZotope, you'll love the second generation. But be warned, the solid upgrades come at a price.
Google's Phone app can automatically record calls from unknown numbers
Google is rolling out an update to its Phone app that lets you automatically record calls from unknown numbers.
Ableton Live 11 is coming next year with MPE support
It was nearly five years between the release of Ableton Live 9 and Live 10. The biggest is definitely MPE support. The MPE curious can even dip their toes in with the $99 Orba from Artiphon, which doubles as a standalone instrument.
Sony tries to clear up confusion over voice chat recording on PS5
There is no opt-out of this — if you use voice chat on PS5, someone in your chat can clip your audio and submit it for review by the moderation team.
Soundtrap Capture simplifies mobile recording and music collaboration
Soundtrap is offering artists a way to easily record song ideas on the go with its free Capture app for iOS.
SoundCloud now offers Dolby audio mastering for $5 per track
The company says the Mastering on SoundCloud will be the last step in the upload process, making tracks “release ready” in minutes. If you’re unfamiliar, the mastering process is what makes professional recordings sound... professional.
Staples is opening podcast studios in six Boston stores
Staples' latest ploy to get people into its retail stores is podcast recording booths. This week, the podcasting company Spreaker announced that it's part of a collaboration bringing recording spaces to six Staples stores in the Boston area. The booths are part of a new Staples Connect model, in which the retail stores offer coworking and community event spaces.
Google could add call recording to its Android Phone app
Google's Phone app could soon let you not only record calls but transcribe them, according to an APK breakdown from 9to5Google and tests by XDA Developer. The latest version 44 of the app includes code that shows not only the existence of the feature, but how it could be legally implemented. On top of that, another snippet indicates that it might let you transcribe calls, likely using technology similar to Google's existing Recorder transcription app.
Google Nest lets you read to your kids even when you're apart
The bedtime story is a cherished ritual between parents and their children, and one that hurts the most to miss when mom or dad are away. But now, Google Nest is launching a new Assistant action that will help keep story time on the agenda, no matter how far away you are from your kids.
Adobe's Project Awesome Audio cleans up recordings with a single click
Adobe likes to show off crazy tools it has been working on in a special portion of its MAX conference each year. The not-quite-ready features are known as "sneaks," and while not all of them make it into Creative Cloud apps, some of them do. Adobe is holding its annual design gathering this week, and as you might expect, it has a new batch of "sneaks" to show off. The company wouldn't give us the full details on all of them, but it did give Engadget a preview of one: Project Awesome Audio.
Blue's Yeti X microphone comes with everything you need to sound like a pro
Blue's microphones have been a popular choice for podcasters and live streamers for years, mostly due to their plug-and-play ease of use. Now the company is aiming to make things even easier with its latest USB mic: the Yeti X. The new $169.99 option has redesigned LED metering built in so you can keep tabs on vocal levels in real time. Should you need to make a change, a multi-function control knob does that right on the microphone -- similar to previous Blue devices. What's new here is that same control also acts as the mute switch and can be used to control volume for headphone monitoring.
Microsoft says humans will still transcribe Cortana and Skype audio
Just like seemingly every other major tech company with a voice assistant or voice chat service, it emerged that Microsoft contractors were listening to Skype and Cortana recordings. Apple, Google and Facebook have temporarily halted similar efforts, and Amazon lets users opt out of having Alexa conversations reviewed by humans. But Microsoft will continue the practice for the time being despite possible privacy concerns.
AI avatars of Chinese authors could soon narrate audiobooks
The Chinese search engine Sogou isn't stopping at AI news anchors. The company has created "lifelike" avatars of two Chinese authors, and it plans to have them narrate audiobooks in video recordings. According to the BBC, Sogou used AI, text-to-speech technology and video clips from the China Online Literature+ conference to create avatars of authors Yue Guan and Bu Xin Tian Shang Diao Xian Bing.
Surprise: People are listening to your Google Assistant queries
It's no secret that Google records your conversations with Google Assistant after you say a "wake word." But what you might not know is that Google uses contractors to manually review a handful of those recordings, about 0.2 percent. Yesterday, VRT NWS released reports detailing how it listened to thousands of recordings leaked by a whistleblower working for Google. At least one audio clip included a couple's address and personal information about their family.
FTC complaint alleges Amazon's Echo Dot Kids violates child privacy law
A month after we found out Amazon employees might listen to your Alexa conversations, Amazon is facing more privacy concerns. This time, they have to do with how the company stores data collected by its Echo Dot Kids. Today, a coalition of privacy and child-advocacy groups plan to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging that Amazon stores kids' conversations and data even after parents attempt to delete it. According to the The Wall Street Journal, the group is asking the FTC to investigate.
