Blue has announced Ember, a premium, cardioid XLR condenser microphone designed for the perfect capture of vocals and instruments. Ember is ideal for music applications like SoundCloud, capturing professional sound for YouTube video production, and live-streaming.

Ember’s tight pickup pattern helps reduce room and background noise. Featuring premium components and precision design, Ember is perfect for on-camera applications.

Tommy Edwards, director of product management at Blue Microphones told GadgetyNews:

Ember is designed to help video creators, podcasters, and musicians deliver professional productions from their home studios with superb detail and depth. Its precise cardioid pattern and ability to handle loud sound sources delivers clear and focused sound, while the sleek design ensures optimal placement or low profile for on-camera productions. Ember is perfect for home studio creators who want their productions to stand out with rich, professional-quality audio.

Featuring a proprietary, hand-tuned custom condenser capsule, Ember delivers superbly clear, open, and detailed performance for recording or streaming a wide variety of voices and instruments.

Furthermore, the tight cardioid pickup pattern focuses on the sound source directionally in front of the mic. As this minimises room noise, the result is a clean, up-front sound with excellent isolation. Also, Ember’s sleek form factor and compact side-address design make it perfect for placement in tight spaces.

Custom-designed phantom power circuitry and a precise cardioid polar pattern ensure remarkably consistent frequency response with minimal noise. Clean, high-output gain provides impressive headroom for even the most dynamic speech and instruments.

Finally, Ember comes with a mount for any standard microphone stand and is also compatible with Blue’s S3 Shock suspension mount and Compass boom arm accessories.

Pricing and Availability

Ember will be available in February at authorised Blue Microphones dealers at an RRP of £99.99.

The post Blue Ember pro XLR condenser mic outed appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Setting out with your own business or social channels there is lots to consider. One oft-overlooked and usually expensive element is the branding or identity. DesignEvo could be a handy option.

Unless you know a friendly designer, or you have the skills yourself, even creating a logo can prove expensive.

Fortunately, there’s a new tool that can be accessed online or via smartphone apps.

DesignEvo

DesignEvo is a free online logo maker with 5,000+ logo templates that enable you to create a compelling, unique logo in minutes.

Furthermore, it offers you a large number of useful resources. Those resources include millions of icons, more than a hundred fonts and a good selection of powerful editing tools. All of the features are free and easy to use, although to get access to the high resolution version of your creation will involve a payment.

Templates

In order to help people like me, DesignEvo’s designers have pre-designed 5,000+ stunning logo templates. These are ordered in to categories, such as Animal & Pet, Finance & Insurance, Letter logos, and so on.

Every logo template is fully customisable. This means that you are able to freely adjust the elements once you have decided on your starting template. After tweaking the design for a few minutes you will end up with a unique logo for what you want.

I found the trickiest part deciding on where to start. However, if you take a little time you’ll find the template that inspires you and then just take it from there.

Icons

DesignEvo contains a built-in database of myriad icons to slip in to your logo. All it takes is for you to enter a keyword that links to what you want to convey.

There’s loads to choose from so it is best to try a variety of search terms.

Once you have chosen the icon you want this too, of course, is editable. For instance, I swapped out the game controller for an old school joystick.

Then I have rotated it so that it looks more like a face.

Shapes and fonts

In addition to the icons, DesignEvo has prepared many vector shapes that will bring additional beautification your logos.

There are badges, decorations, banners, symbols and so on. Choose one or more to suit your design.

When you have finished the design of the logo, don’t forget to choose a suitable font for your logo.

There are spaces for your company name and slogan, and making this striking is very important for attracting clients. The fonts are divided into two categories, classic fonts and art font. Just choose a preferred one to make your logo more attractive.

Preview

Remember, preview the logo before downloading it.

The preview feature enables you to see your logo placed on business card, wall, book cover and so on. From  here you can judge if it is good enough to meet your needs.

Otherwise, you can redesign it to make it perfectly suitable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvHbd6Z0_yY.

DesignEvo review conclusion

All in all, logos are needed everywhere. If you want to save time, effort and money then don’t hesitate to give DesignEvo a whirl.

This is an easy tool to use and even someone without any design skills should be able to come up with something usable. However, if you have a little more experience you will be able to push the limits a little and design something even more unique.

You may have noticed that GadgetyNews has a new logo. Yup, it was created with DesignEvo and I am pretty happy with it.

Is that testimony enough?

Price and availability

DesignEvo is available right now from Free with limitations on resolution. The fully featured version is currently $39.99 USD right now.

It is available as a mobile app as well as desktop application.

For more information, head on over to DesignEvo.

The post DesignEvo logo creator review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Whether you’re podcasting, vlogging or live streaming, an important aspect is the audio you are sending out. Blue has been a top choice for computer broadcasting for a while. However, it is only recently that the company has offered a boom mic stand – the Blue Compass.

The Blue Compass Broadcast boom microphone stand could well be the answer to many home broadcaster’s prayers. For a while now, gamers and the like have asked Blue for an official solution to getting their mic off the desk and away from the rattles, shakes and other ambient noises.

So, I have been using the Blue Compass Broadcast Boom Arm for a few weeks. Does it actually answer those prayers and, if so, how well?

Blue Compass design

The Compass really does look professional dressed in black powder-coated extruded aluminium. It has a reassuring weight and robustness to it without being bulky.

The sleek appearance is aided by having all the necessary springs hidden away inside.

Further tidiness is achieved by the neat hidden cable management channel that runs up its spine.

Three hand-tightened hinges provide adjustability. These friction hinges are also smooth and silent, as you would hope from professional studio gear.

At one end sits a sturdy C-clamp that connects and really holds on to the desk well. It also allows for 360-degree rotation.

Whereas, at the other is fitting for the standard 5/8-inch thread but Blue also adds in a 3/8-inch adapter. This means you can fit a variety of mic mounts to this arm.

The boom has a maximum 32-inches of horizontal reach and can carry up to 2.4lbs of combined mic and mount. It certainly means business.

Blue Compass performance

Right from pulling the Compass out of its packaging, this thing promised quality. It might not have been presented in a wooden box like the Blackout Spark SL, but you could tell that there’s a world of difference between this and a much cheaper alternative.

It’s soooooooo smoooooth. I am loving the matte finish and the tasteful Blue logos.

Setting up

As soon as it was out of its packaging it was attached to my desk. A few moments later and I had threaded my XLR mic cable through the channel and clicked down the small plastic locks. These were perhaps the fiddliest part of the exercise but not a job you should be doing regularly.

In use

I had used the Blackout Spark SL on a standard desk stand and, even though this mic is amazing, there were occasions where it would pick up noise from vibrations through the desk. That’s even with its handy settings. Sitting it in a shockmount did help but then there was the issue of desk space.

You see, you don’t just need the room for the mic, stand and shockmount; you have to arrange the mic cable somehow too. Additionally, I always found the mic to be low down on a desk stand. I do have a regular floorstanding boom stand that I use with my bands, but the feet just take up way too much space.

Thanks to the Compass fitting to the desk through a good clamp, desk space is immediately freed up. The tensioned spring system allows for easy maneuverability and adjustment. Ideal as I now go from seated to standing with my Varidesk. That mobility is also a win as you can move it out of the way when the mic is not in use.

I have used the Compass boom for a number of weeks and noticed that I had not needed to re-tighten anything since setting it in position. Having used ‘bargain’ mic stands before, I’ve found that those only need to be looked at wrong for them to start drooping, or generally misbehaving. This has not been my experience with the Blue Designs model.
What you’re really paying for here is quality. The Compass is a boom arm that’s made to be reliable, and to last.

Blue Compass Broadcast Boom review conclusion

This boom mic stand from Blue Designs is everything that you would expect from this company. It is well made, well designed and works exactly as it should.

The thing is, like all professional quality gear, you have to be willing to pay the premium. As I mentioned earlier, there are cheap mic stands out there but if you’re using them regularly they will soon start to show their cheap side. There is no such worry with the Compass.

If I had to suggest one improvement it would be that the final hinge at the mic end was a ball-joint to allow for better mic positioning. But this is by no means a deal breaker.

The Blue Designs Compass is built like a tank dressed in a business suit. If you are serious about your broadcasting or voice-over work, I cannot recommend this boom highly enough.

Price and availability

You can buy the Blue Designs Compass Broadcast Boom mic stand now for £99.99 from Amazon.

It is also available in the Yeticaster bundle which lands you the Compass boom stand, Yeti microphone and Radius III shockmount – all for £179.99.

The post Blue Compass boom mic stand review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

You may have noticed my pledge in the article about YouTube’s attack on small channels. Basically, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and win a BlackBerry KEYone!

So, just in case you missed it, here it is again.

We want to keep our site free, but we rely on the little income we get from the likes of YouTube adverts. Well, as of February 20th, that might end for us.

What is happening?

Thanks to YouTube’s new rules, any channel with under 1,000 subscribers and less than 4,000 hours of watch time over the past 12 months with be booted off the monetisation scheme.

I think it is a rather clumsy way of YouTube pleasing their advertisers who, naturally, don’t want their products popping up on hate speeches and extremist videos.

However, my thoughts and those of tens-of-thousands of smaller YouTube channels are not worth a jot to the giant video sharing site and their bean counters.

Subscribe and win

I really want to keep things going here so I am prepared to send one lucky subscriber a BlackBerry KEYone. It comes with all the original packaging and accessories and is unlocked.

So, what do you have to do to win this QWERTY-packing smartphone? Simply subscribe to the GadgetyNews YouTube channel.

If we get past the 1,000 subscribers mark by February 20th, I will message one of you through YouTube for your address details. It’s as simple as that.

Don’t worry, if you have already subscribed you will still go into the prize draw

Just click the image below and hit that Subscribe button Good luck, and thanks!

The post Win a BlackBerry KEYone – GadgetyNews YouTube appeared first on GadgetyNews.

I am still reeling from the news I received yesterday morning from YouTube. The email sent out from the video-sharing giant threatens many YouTubers very hard.

YouTube informed tens-of-thousands of smaller channels that they are removing monetisation.

Basically, any channel with less than 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time will be bumped off from receiving any revenue from advertising.

GadgetyNews currently has 216 subscribers and therefore will lose the monetisation. We might not get much but it is crucial to the running of this blog. Furthermore, it enables us to cover shows and press events around the country.

We wish to continue to keep everything free to watch and read, however, YouTube is now making us beg you to hit that subscribe button.

Win a BlackBerry KEYone! – here are the details!

The reason

I am not totally unaware of why YouTube is doing this, of course. It does have a good reason, although I think they have simply chosen the easiest option for them.

In the simplest terms, this is a sweeping change that YouTube has implemented so that brands won’t be advertising on videos which are created for hate speech, terrorism, and such. These generally have a small amount of subscribers (why subscribe and make it easier for people to track you?) and also small audiences.

Unfortunately, channels such as GadgetyNews and our friends, work hard to create content but also don’t aggressively push our channels. Getting just 1,000 subscribers is hard!

The real kick in the teeth is that YouTube said that, as channels such as ours receive little revenue from our videos, that we won’t miss it when it is pulled from us. It is quite the opposite. Many like me want to avoid plastering our sites with loads of advertising, annoying pop-ups, etc. Furthermore, we definitely want to avoid paywalls and other more ‘businesslike’ methods of getting help with our costs.

YouTube statement

Today we are announcing changes to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). While our goal remains to keep the YPP open to as many channels as possible, we recognise that we need more safeguards in place to protect creator revenue across the YouTube ecosystem.

Under the new eligibility requirements announced today, your YouTube channel, Jay Garrett, is no longer eligible for monetisation because it does not meet the new threshold of 4,000 hours of watch time within the past 12 months and 1,000 subscribers. As a result, your channel will lose access to all monetisation tools and features associated with the YouTube Partner Program on 20 February 2018 unless you surpass this threshold in the next 30 days. Accordingly, this email serves as 30 days notice that your YouTube Partner Program terms are terminated.

One of YouTube’s core values is to provide anyone the opportunity to earn money from a thriving channel. Creators who haven’t yet reached this new threshold can continue to benefit from our Creator Academy, our Help Centre and all the resources on the Creator Site to grow their channels. Once your channel reaches the new threshold, it will be reviewed to make sure it adheres to our policies and guidelines, and if so, monetisation will be re-enabled.

Please subscribe

You would be doing me a huge favour by subscribing to the GadgetyNews channel on YouTube.

In fact, it means so much to me that, should we break the 1,000 subscriber barrier before February 20th – one lucky subscriber will be sent a fantastic BlackBerry KEYone as seen on YouTube! This is just one of the events I attended and was able to bring you the news before many of the larger channels. #JustSayin

[youtube id=”voKcU9KAS5g”]

Win a BlackBerry KEYone! – here are the details!

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If you thought that the phrase “social animal” was just that, think again. PetScene has landed thanks to Nicole Appleton and Second Screen.

Second Screen, an innovative London-based app developer, has partnered with All Saints star, Nicole Appleton, to launch the PetScene App – an exclusive social network for pets.

Let’s face it, the internet was invented for cat vids and puppy pictures.

PetScene

Designed with a simple interface, the app allows pet owners to set up profiles for their pets and connect with others around the world.

Its functions provide users to share photos, videos and comments in the app’s Newsfeed and Discover sections.

Collaborating with Nicole Appleton, Second Screen has brought to life her inspiration to create a community of like-minded people in one place. This is a social petwork. Yeah, but I like that.

Furthermore, pet owners will be able to find local pet-friendly events and activities to join, as well as advice from others.

The free app is currently available to download from the App Store and Google Play. Once downloaded, pet owners can set up profiles using basic information and post photos or videos of their pets, that then appear in the Newsfeed.

Second Screen

Second Screen offers a customisable white-label service which connects talent, events and fans. Every custom-built app developed by Second Screen brings users closer to their favourite events, festivals and artists, by allowing users to interact directly with exclusive content that is relevant and timely.

Words

Niall Green, CEO of Second Screen said:

We’re absolutely delighted to collaborate with Nicole Appleton on PetScene. There’s no doubt that people love seeing and sharing their adored pictures of pets on social media, so we’re thrilled to be able to provide a unique way of sharing this content and create a platform that engages this community exclusively – all in one place. We’re sure this concept of a social ‘petwork’ will be a hit.”

Nicole Appleton added:

I wanted to combine people’s love for their pets and their passion for sharing cute pet photos into one app. PetScene does this and offers a fun and interactive social network dedicated solely to pets. It’s perfect for people to connect in a lighthearted way.”

Availability

To find out more visit www.SecondScreenLdn.com and download the PetScene app via the following links:

• iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/petscene/id1262027344?ls=1&mt=8
• Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=london.secondscreen.petscene

The post PetScene – the social petwork from Nicole Appleton appeared first on GadgetyNews.

A while ago we brought you news of the latest mic from Blue, the Blackout Spark SL. Well, I loved how it looked so I asked to see if we could play with one.

Blue Microphones have been the go to brand for many a podcaster and home recording musician for a while now, and for good reason. Their USB-connected mics are perfect for no-nonsense but quality audio recordings straight in to your computer. I dare say that most podcasters will have had a Yeti on their desk at some point.

These days even gamers are upping their, errr, game and bringing in pro level mics instead of relying on the all-in-one headset and mic kit. Funnily enough, I have been using a gaming headset and mic for podcasts for the last year or so. This will explain why I am comparing the Blackout Spark SL with the Astro A40 TR headset – not a fair fight, I agree, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Blackout Spark SL design

The Blackout Spark SL is kitted out with a custom designed JFET condenser capsule. This delivers consistent, detailed and transparent sound for a wide range of recording scenarios.

I do like its retro styling. It also looks the business on the end of a boom stand.

The main torso of the device is a neat, almost matte black. The collars and cuffs, so to speak, are a lovely shiny anodised finish.
[youtube id=”hSm1QR5Vwc8″]
The cardioid-only polar pattern greatly reduces pickup of background noise. This is ideally employed for recording a single gamer, speaker, or vocalist.
 
There are two switches on the body of the mic, a 100Hz high pass filter and -20dB pad.

The -20dB pad keeps voice clear and crisp when things get intense. Additionally, the 100Hz high-pass filter eliminates rumble or other low noises from desktops or noisy environments.

It weighs in at 327g which is reassuringly substantial without being too ungainly.

The mic measures 4.5 x 4.5 x 22 cm with an XLR fitting at the end as well as a threaded collar for the bundled shockmount.

Blackout Spark SL performance

Being fitted with an XLR connector means that it is already geared up for pro use. XLR is the standard fitting used for mixing desks, and pro audio interfaces. Before you start thinking that you have to go out and spend more money on a desk or interface, worry not. Blue has you covered.

[amazon_link asins=’B001EW5YQS’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’gadgnews-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=”]What I used to connect the Blackout Spark SL to my PC was Blue’s own natty Icicle interface.
 
This simple USB converter packs a mic preamp and so lets you connect your XLR microphone directly to your computer via USB. Thanks to its 48V phantom power, you can even connect premium studio condenser mics such as the Blackout Spark SL.
 

Audio samples

Usually, if I record any vocals I generally use one of my trust Sure SM58s through my now aging TC Electronics Impact Twin. However, all that is a faff as I’d have to break it down and then set everything up again on a weekly basis if I used it for podcasting.

This is why I have been utilising the Astro A40 TR gaming headset with mic. It’s there on my PC and ready to go whenever I need it.

As this has been my usual mic then, I have recorded a quick clip of me using that, and then the Blackout Spark SL.

It’s clear enough and you can make out what I am saying.

Here’s the Blue mic:

This is without either of the switches engaged so basically as it comes out of the box.

I think you will agree that the Blue Blackout Spark SL doesn’t just sound clearer, but the audio is also more defined and with a more natural weight to the voice. Furthermore, there feels to be more space, or air, around my voice. An all together more enjoyable listen, in my opinion.

Blackout Spark SL review conclusion

I have no qualms in saying that, if you are serious about podcasting, gamecasting, radio presenting or want to up your home music recording game, then the Blue Blackout Spark SL will not disappoint.

Yes, I do like the black finish, but my love for this mic is more than skin deep.

[youtube id=”ybMNQBQBGF0″]

Having the shockmount bundled in with the mic means that all you have to do is fit it to a boom mic stand and perhaps sling on a pop-shield and you’re good to go. Add in the natty little Icicle USB converter and you’ve an excellent home or portable casting station.

Blackout Spark SL price and availability

The Blue Blackout Spark SL has a MSRP of £169.99, and available at Amazon.co.uk.

For more information visit: www.bluedesigns.com/blackout-spark-sl.

The post Blue Blackout Spark SL microphone review appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Well, it has happened once again. GadgetyNews has been nominated for the prestigious UK Blog Awards (UKBA18).

This low jargon, high tech corner of the interwebs has been put forward a few times now. Whilst I really do appreciate being nominated it would be nice to actually win something this year.

The only way I can do that is by you taking a few moments to Vote for GadgetyNews.

All you need to do is sling in your name, email address, and select Digital and Technology from the drop down – job done.

Why vote for GadgetyNews in the UKBA18?

I am sure that there are plenty of you asking yourself this very question. I think that is fair enough.

My first response to this is that it was one (or more) of you that actually put this site up for the award. This was an extremely pleasant surprise and  I am really touched by this. Thank you.

Also, GadgetyNews turned 10 this year, and winning an award at the UK Blog Awards would definitely be the cherry on the birthday cake

Furthermore, GadgetyNews is one of 22 sites that have got through the nomination rounds. That’s some serious competition so every vote will count.

Finally, getting through the next stages might bring GadgetyNews to the attention of other brands that you want to see here. Again, this can only be achieved with your help.

Over to you

Please scurry over to the UK Blog Awards site and vote for GadgetyNews. I will keep you updated on how things are going.

Thanks again.

The post Vote GadgetyNews in the #UKBA18 appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Happy birthday to GadgetyNews and congratulations on making it to double figures!

Nothing lasts for long in the world of tech, so it is with a degree of pride that I am able to announce the tenth birthday of this website.

In fact, the very first post from me here occurred on October 30th, 2007! That means we are already in to our eleventh year

10 years ago

Ah, what timing. Within a day of starting the site, the exciting news that the Nokia Music Store was opening! I know, right? I was still in the afterglow of buying my shiny new Nokia N95 and then this! How could  I have ever contained myself.

Of course, 2007 saw the very first iPhone. It was also the year that the greatest rival to iOS was born.

Google Android‘s software development kit was first made available along with £5million in prizes to entice people to get on-board.

2007 was also the year that w00t! became the ‘Word of the Year’ – true fact.

Facebook also launched to the general public in 2007 but it was Bebo that took home the prize for being the best performing social media site. I think we also need to pause and reflect on the others we have lost such as LiveJournal and MySpace.

I loved my PSP (Playstation Portable) but Nintendo was still in the game with the announcement of their new DS.

As hard as it might be to fathom, 2007 saw the Nintendo Wii trounce both the PS3 and Xbox 360 in the battle of the consoles.

I seem to recall that there was also a battle being fought, the likes of which we had not seen since VHS Vs Betamax. This, of course, was HD DVD Vs Blu-ray.

Any other gadgety memories from a decade ago?

Please let me know below.

The post GadgetyNews – Ten years of tech news and gadget reviews appeared first on GadgetyNews.

Blue has just let me know about their newest, and possibly coolest professional condenser microphone, the Blackout Spark SL.

Yes, it’s a black mic from Blue, but its spec sheet looks just as good as the mic does.

Blackout Spark SL microphone

The Blackout Spark SL is an XLR condenser mic designed for professional recording and game streaming.

This should be of particular interest to any gamers, podcasters or YouTubers who are ready to upgrade their home recording or streaming setup to a full broadcast studio level.

Features

For a start, this new mic is packing an XLR connection, rather than USB. This is perfect to plug in to mixing desks, professional recording interfaces, and the like.

[amazon_link asins=’B074379C7Q’ template=’ProductAd’ store=’gadgnews-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=”]You can, of course, hook up on of Blue’s lovely Icicle interfaces too.

The Blackout Spark SL promises superb detail and rich harmonic audio that will bring pristine broadcast sound to any home studio or desktop setup.

You also get a custom designed JFET condenser capsule. This will deliver consistent, detailed and transparent sound for a wide range of recording scenarios.

The cardioid-only polar pattern greatly reduces pickup of background noise. This is ideally employed for recording a single gamer, speaker, or vocalist.

A 100Hz high pass filter and -20dB pad bring professional versatility to any project with the flip of a switch.

The -20dB pad keeps voice clear and crisp when things get intense on a stream. Furthermore, the 100Hz high-pass filter eliminates rumble or other low noises from desktops or noisy environments.

Additionally, the Blackout Spark SL comes with a shockmount for easy connection to a boom arm or mic stand.

Words

Hrishikesh Hirway, host and creator of popular podcasts The West Wing Weekly and Song Exploder, states:

Spark really captures the detail in your voice and gives a great listening experience to your audience.”

Tommy Edwards, director of product management at Blue Microphones, adds:

For those who are looking to upgrade from their Yeti or USB mic to a more professional grade at home setup, the Blackout Spark is ideally suited to take your recording to the next level. Blackout Spark SL makes it easy to elevate gaming and streaming to the competitive level, create podcasts that stand out from the rest, and enhance YouTube videos with pristine broadcast studio sound.”

Price and availability

Blackout Spark SL, MSRP £169.99, is now available at Amazon.co.uk.

For more information visit: www.bluedesigns.com/blackout-spark-sl.

The post Blue Blackout Spark SL pro podcasting, recording condenser mic appeared first on GadgetyNews.