voicerecording
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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.
iRig MIC Cast brings podcast recording to your pocket
IK Multimedia has just released the new iRig MIC Cast (US$39.99), a tiny plug-in microphone for iOS devices that promises to make recording podcasts anywhere a reality. The iRig MIC Cast is a little bit larger than a US quarter, with a gold-plated plug, an output port for monitoring recordings, and a two-position gain switch. I was initially concerned that the plug wouldn't work with the Apple Bumper for the iPhone 4/4S, but it plugged in easily and was ready to go in a snap. IK Multimedia, the manufacturer of the iRig MIC Cast, offers free versions of two apps to anyone who buys the microphone -- iRig Recorder FREE and VocaLive FREE -- but the mic also works well with my favorite recording app, GarageBand. The iRig MIC Cast comes with a small folding stand for your iPhone or iPod touch, perfect for doing hands-off recordings. Once you've started the recording, that's where the magic of this device is really apparent. It's an extremely unidirectional mic, so background noises tend to be masked by the voice being recorded. IK Multimedia notes that the iRig MIC Cast provides "an incredibly flat frequency response with zero tonal coloration", a fancy way of saying that it does a really good job of capturing voice recordings. I found the iRig MIC Cast to be much better for making voice recordings than IK Multimedia's $59.99 iRig Mic, which I reviewed in March 2011. Here's a sample podcast recording done in one take with the iRig MIC Cast using Apple's GarageBand app for iOS: While I wasn't impressed with the iRig Mic, I have no such qualms about the iRig MIC Cast. I can easily see recording and editing podcasts from my iPhone or iPad using this microphone. IK Multimedia has created the perfect pocket mic for making podcasts or other voice recordings on your iOS devices. Pros Tiny and lightweight, easily pocketable Gain is adjustable for nearby and far away sources Earphone jack for monitoring your recording sessions Comes with free voice recording apps and a tabletop stand Affordably priced Very good sound quality Cons Small size might make it easy easy to lose
IK Multimedia releases iRig MIC Cast for recording, podcasting on the go
IK Multimedia today released the iRig MIC Cast (US$39.99), a tiny coin-sized microphone for iOS devices that is targeted at those who need to record interviews or podcasts. According to the company, the iRig MIC Cast was designed with "a tight unidirectional pickup pattern that minimizes background noise, making it ideal for single-source audio recording." As you can see in the image above, the iRig MIC Cast has a built-in stereo mini-jack headphone output so you can monitor while you record. There's a sensitivity switch (Lo-Hi) for recording close or distant sources, and the connector will work with most iPhone/iPod touch cases. IK Multimedia also sees the iRig MIC Cast as a great tool for phone calls and FaceTime chats, boosting your voice quality well over what the built-in microphone can do. Two free apps are included with the mic: iRig Recorder, which is used for voice recording and editing, and VocalLive, a "multi-effects processing app for singers." There's also a small tabletop stand included so you can record hands-free. TUAW will post a full review of the iRig MIC Cast in the near future.
Logitec's LIC-iREC01 puts a stereo mic on your iPod
There's no shortage of microphones for one's iPod, but Logitec is looking to earn the business of those still on the hunt with its LIC-iREC01. Put simply, this dock connector appendage is said to work on "all generations of iPods" (with dock connectors, obviously), and provides a built-in stereo mic for voice recording on the fly, an additional audio input for connecting something more sophisticated, and a mini-USB port for keeping your PMP synced while this thing is plugged in. At the moment, pricing details are unknown, but those camped out in Japan can look for it to land in their neighborhood later this month.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Rumors: Is iPhone firmware 1.1.3 about to debut?
TUAW reader Josh Zeller tipped us off to this electronista post suggesting that a big firmware upgrade is about to bow, bringing voice recording and disk mode to the iPhone. If true, these major features would be welcome additions to the ever-growing iPhone user base. On the down side, every firmware upgrade comes as a roadblock to the third-party application community, requiring a new jailbreak. And yes, this would require a new jailbreak despite the possible disk access. Apple traditionally only grants access to the media portions of the unit's onboard storage. How much do we believe this rumor? Apple has been good about bringing out firmware upgrades every few weeks, so if you wait just a little while, pretty much any firmware upgrade rumor comes true. As to the voice and disk details? These rumors have appeared for nearly every major firmware update--so eventually they may just be right... if you wait long enough.
SanDisk's Sansa C250 goes red and pink
Calm down fellas, you haven't let Valentine's Day slip up on you or anything, but SanDisk is looking out for those who like to look way ahead, or for those with in-the-know mums who need a new pocket-sized DAP for Mum's Day. The Sansa C250 digital audio player falls into the bargain-priced C200 series, and while a black iteration has been available for some time now, those who haven't caved and snapped up the highly-regarded Sansa Express can grab a pink or red C250 in 1GB or 2GB flavors. They also sport 1.4-inch color displays for showing album art and JPEG thumbnails, an FM tuner, radio recording abilities, a voice recorder, USB 2.0, a microSD expansion slot, and a removable, rechargeable Li-ion cell that purportedly offers up 15 hours of battery life on a full charge. The 10.4-ounce music machine is currently on sale for a penny under $80 at the store you love to hate, while the less spectacular black version will save you $20.
SanDisk's Sansa Express takes its turn, gets reviewed
It's no secret that the Sansa lineup of music players have fared pretty well in crunch time, and according to a glowing PCMag writeup, the diminutive (and simply titled) 1GB Express is no different. While it's difficult not to draw obvious connections between this pack 'o gum sized DAP and Apple's first-generation Shuffle, the built-in OLED alone gives it a serious edge. Additionally, reviewers raved over the included niceties (you know, the FM tuner, voice recorder, and microSD expansion slot) that aren't usually found on bottom-end players. Both the clean menu navigation and pocket-friendly size were also commended, and while the "crappy earbuds," unsurprising lack of an AC adapter, and "a modest 14 hours of battery life" were looked down upon, that still wasn't enough to stop the crew from handing out a 4.5 out of 5 rating.[Via ChipChick]
Olympus unveils VJ-10 clock radio, touts 37GB hard drive
Although the recording industry is making quite the stink around here about satellite radio receivers with internal storage, that's not stopping Olympus from kicking out a svelte clock radio with gobs of room for backing live broadcasts up. Granted, the VJ-10 only tunes into AM / FM transmissions, but the whopping 37GB internal HDD gives users the ability to store between 1,250 and 2,500 hours of footage based on quality into WAV files. Moreover, the USB 2.0 connector allows users to access the drive from any PC if you're looking to consolidate your radio and external storage, and the SRS WOW XT stereo speakers should provide decent office enjoyment as well. As expected, users can queue up recordings based on time, and thanks to the large integrated LCD screen, all the information you need will be front and center. Currently, the VJ-10 is slated to land in Japan on March 16th for the ever elusive "open price," but it looks like an English version will only be a fortnight or so behind.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Softtrends' LivePVR gives new meaning to "voice recording"
Our paranoid side tells us this app has "lawsuit" written all over it, but we're excited nonetheless. LivePVR, as its name suggests, acts as something of a PVR for voice; in its "meeting notes" mode, for example, it keeps a rolling buffer while recording, allowing the user to permanently save clips leading up to the moment. The more legally questionable "phone call" mode can be set up to automatically record every conversation or just the next call placed. A final "voice recorder" mode acts as a more traditional voice note app, with no limit to a note's maximum size. The whole package scoots out the door for $10 in Windows Mobile or S60 flavors.[Via Smartphone Thoughts]
Record 16-bit digital audio with your iPod
Here's a great podcasting tool. The MicroMemo by XtremeMac is a mic that plugs into your iPod's dock connector port and produces 22 KHz/16-bit, high quality recordings. The mic is on a flexible neck for easy positioning, and there's a built in speaker for instant playback (no need to put on the headphones). The MicroMemo is powered by the iPod (we're not sure how much of a strain that's going to put on the iPod's battery) and the mic can be detached. Plus it just looks cool.XtremeMac is currently taking pre-orders at $79.95US.
