2012 Gift Guide: Blue Yeti Microphone

Blue Yeti Microphone

Another great USB microphone from Blue. Like the Blue Snowball microphone mentioned earlier in the Gift Guide, this mic connects directly to the USB port on your computer — either Windows or Mac. The Yeti gives a full, rich sound and is compatible with all the typical New Media uses such as video conferencing, podcasting and recording voice or music. The Yeti is very popular with podcasters and live streamers and can often be seen in these productions. I think its classic styling, unlike the futuristic look of the Snowball make it more popular for video production. Its design  harkens back to an earlier day of broadcasting.

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

  1. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
  2. Bulb Planting Tools
  3. Blue Snowball Microphone
  4. Seagate Backup Plus 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
  5. Logitech C920 HD Web Cam
  6. We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
  7. Sunset Western Garden Book – New Edition for 2012
  8. The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings
  9. Garden Mysteries by Anthony Eglin
  10. The Creative Habit/The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp
  11. Moleskeine Journals
  12. Pat Welsh’s Southern California Organic Gardening (3rd Edition): Month by Month
  13. Podcasting for Dummies/Expert Podcasting Practices for Dummies
  14. Wacom Bamboo Splash Pen Tablet
  15. Radical Careering by Sally Hogshead
  16. The $64 Tomato

Elsewhere: Camera pan with a mechanical Kitchen Timer

Can you make a camera pan using a cheap mechanical kitchen timer? Instrucable member, mikeasaurus, did. A cool, relatively low-tech way of allowing you to create smooth pans which you can turn into time-lapse photos. His example here was created by shooting video and speeding it up in the editing process. If you had intervalometer to trigger the camera shutter, you could create more traditional time-lapse videos.

Links to his post and some sample video below.

wind up camera pan by mikeasaurus

[…]

Using a regular point-and-shoot digital camera I set the camera to video and wound up my timer. Here’s some footage I compiled with my camera pan, these videos were taken over about 10 minutes and sped up to show the slow pan effect:

[…[

Read the entire article

2012 Gift Guide: iPhone Tripod Mount

Studio Neat Glif Tripod Mount & Stand for iPhone 4 & 4S

It has often been said that the best camera is the one you always have with you. For many people, this means an Apple iPhone. This clever little adapter for the iPhone can help you make you photos even better. Your iPhone 4/4s slips into the clip by friction and then attaches to any standard tripod — large or small. I keep my clip, and a mini tripod, in my bag at all times. I use this to capture quick chats around the table or environmental video when I am out. As an added bonus, the clip acts as an iPhone stand for when I want to watch video over lunch. It stands up the iPhone at the perfect angle for viewing.

Make sure you that you are ready to capture video and photos whenever you need, whether for your own personal uses or for inclusion in your next New Media project. 

 

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

  1. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield
  2. Bulb Planting Tools
  3. Blue Snowball Microphone
  4. Seagate Backup Plus 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive
  5. Logitech C920 HD Web Cam
  6. We Are All Weird by Seth Godin
  7. Sunset Western Garden Book – New Edition for 2012
  8. The Hobbit/The Lord of the Rings
  9. Garden Mysteries by Anthony Eglin
  10. The Creative Habit/The Collaborative Habit by Twyla Tharp
  11. Moleskeine Journals

2012 Gift Guide: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

I have always been an active user of online video conferencing systems including Skype and others. Lately, though, my use has picked up as I spend a lot of time in Google Hangouts and even participate in a weekly food show entitled Kitchen Party, over at Bakespace.com.

Producing a show for the public means you want the best picture quality possible. In the past, video conferencing tools have always looked a little fuzzy, a little dark and a little pixelated. This isn’t true anymore, though. With the latest systems, like Google Hangouts and the most current versions of Skype, you can share near HD quality video. Of course, in order to do this, you need the right camera.

I picked up the Logitech C920 after I saw how it looked with a few of my Hangout friends. It provides crisp video in 16:9 format and works with almost any video service. I use mine on the Mac, so there are really no extra software controls available, but Windows users can use the included software to adjust white balance and a few other settings.

In my case, I also use the webcam for one additional us — Timelapse movies. The high quality of the camera, along with some software on my Mac, turn it into an excellent time-lapse camera — allowing me to grab full screen HD quality movies using Evocam software. I have recorded time-lapse movies of myself working in the garden for my podcast, A Gardener’s Notebook, and it does a great job.

 

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

Do the Work by Steven Pressfield

2012 Gift Guide: Blue Snowball USB Microphone

 

Blue Microphones Snowball USB Microphone

This is one of the first microphones I recommend to anyone looking to begin audio podcasting or looking for a step up in the audio for their video podcasts. As a USB microphone, it doesn’t require a mixing board or cables to use. You simply connect it to any USB port on your computer and start recording. It has a great warm sound that makes almost anyone sound better in their recordings. In fact, if you regularly think you don’t like the sound of your own, recorded, voice, a microphone like the Blue Snowball might just change your mind.

For even better recording results with this or other microphones, add a pop filter to reduce the sounds of your “popping P’s”

 

 

More 2012 Gift Guide Items:

  1. Do the Work by Steven Pressfield

Is that a production studio in your pocket? – Logitech’s New WiFI webcam works w/ iPad/iPhone/Mac

So, it looks like Logitech has been watching a lot of uStream and a lot of Google Hangouts lately. Their new webcam, the Logitech Broadcaster ($199 US) , is a WiFi connected webcam that allows for secondary angles during your web stream. It can also record that second angle to be used for a later edit in iMovie. The Logitech Broadcaster can be controlled from an iPad, iPhone or your Mac and you can use a combination of all the available cameras in your stream or recording.

 

 

Here is a video from Logitech showing off some of the features.

Can’t see video above? Watch “Logitech Boradcaster” on YouTube.

 

The case of the Logitech Broadcaster does double-duty as a magnetic base for the camera, allow you to position it where you need. It doesn’t look like it has a traditional tripod mount, but that is a little hard to see from the video and pictures provided.

If you are looking to take your web streams and video productions to another level, the Logitech Broadcaster could be an interesting piece of kit to add to your gig bag.

Video: Using Chirp to Enhance Your Podcasts

I came across this new iPhone app, Chirp,  last night in my usual Internet reading and it got me to thinking immediately — couldn’t this app be used to create enhanced podcasts that automatically directed listeners to web sites, photos, notes and more at specific points in the show. This is my short demo on how it might be done.

This certainly wasn’t something that the creators Chirp.io were thinking about when creating the app, but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t use it to our (i.e. podcasters) advantage.

Can’t see the video above? View “Using Chirp to Enhance Your Podcasts” on YouTube

Elsewhere: The intersection of new media and robotics

This video of a movie created using a Lego NXT, light-painting robot shows what can happen when new media and technology intersect.

 

Read more about this project in Lightplot, a post on The NXT Step blog.

There is also more detailed information on the robot on the Rethinkfx blog

Product: iStabilizer Dolly makes smooth moves for video

TUAW (The Unofficial Apple Weblog) points out this New Media device which can help you get smooth “dolly” shots using your iPhone or other small camera. (See Hello, Dolly! Meet iStabilizer’s new iPhone moviemaking accessory)

The Dolly is a combination of smooth running skate wheels, a positional arm and standard tripod mounts that can connect to your iPhone or other camera. rolling the Dolly gives you smooth “dolly” shots around your scene or actors at a fraction of the cost of a true dolly rig used by mainstream productions.

You can see several demonstration videos on YouTube to give you a feel of the type of shots you can achieve with the Dolly.

Product: iPhone Swivl

I am one of those New Media producers who is without a cameraperson for most of my shoots. Something like the iPhone Swivl might just make things a bit easier. It uses a wearable sensor that allows the base unit to track you around the set.

I need to get one and try it out. I wonder if anyone could hook me up with a demo model. I will agree with the review below that $179 is a bit pricy for this product. I am also concerned that it only uses the, lower resolution, front facing camera of the iPhone when I would rather have it use the 720p rear facing camera. It seems I might be able to use it with my Flip video cameras, though, which would give me 720p. Hmmmmm….

Buy the The iPhone Swivl at the Photojojo Store!

From the PhotoJoJo website…

[…]

The Swivl knows who or what you want to film by tracking an easy-to-wear and super compact 3-in-1 sensor. This triple duty gadget acts as a sensor for movement, a microphone for crystal clear audio and a remote for fine-tuned Swivl control.

Simply place the sensor on your actor (your BFF, your pup, an RC Helicopter, even yourself) and watch the Swivl keep up!

[…]

Here is a video review from Twit.TV

Product: Picosteady video camera stabilizer from Kickstarter

It seems that wall the cool new products for New Media producers is coming from Kickstarter these days. Witness the Picosteady, which I came across in this post on the Red Ferret blog.

The Picosteady is a custom designed rig which us usable with both large and small video cameras, including smartphones, and yields nice smooth movie videos like much more expensive rigs.

Picosteady

While I could see this working with lighter cameras, I wonder how well it would work with the larger Digital SLRs. The company page indicates that it does, but it seems it would be harder to balance and use with the larger cameras. That would require some hands-on use to truly know though.

It is neat to see a small company like this able to bankroll themselves via Kickstarter and provide short-run, high-quality products that producers need. The initial priced is $139, with “after Kickstarter” models going up to $179. At $139 I could envision purchasing a Picosteady, but the $179 price point seems a little high for me. I would need to know that I would get a lot of use out of the unit before purchasing. It makes it less of a casual purchase in my mind.

This could be a lower price option for you, if you are looking for a camera stabilizer to improve your videos. Others in the market are priced much higher. 

You can find a demonstration video on the Picosteady Kickstarter page.

Product: Blue Microphones Tiki – New

Blue Microphones are known for their quirky design and, for the most part, their recording quality. I own a Blue Snowball myself and this mic has become one of the standard podcasting miss for new media producers all over the world.

Blue recently released another in microphone in their product line, the Blue Tiki.

The Tiki plugs directly into any USB port and provides many special features for podcasters on the go.

From the Blue Microphones web site…

The new Tiki is the world’s first USB microphone that mimics the intelligence of human hearing by focusing on desired sounds, minimizing background noise and knowing when to mute altogether. Tiki’s two modes give any Skype user, podcaster or musician the versatility to quickly choose the best option in any situation. First, Intelligent Speech Mode brings your voice to the forefront of a conference call or chat while noise-canceling technology simultaneously minimizes unwanted, competing background noise. Natural Recording Mode captures a wide range of sources from vocals to acoustic guitar, recording high-fidelity audio with exceptional clarity. Tiki sets a new standard for crystal clear audio for wherever you go.

Tiki available

Listen to recording samples of Tiki in various modes

In my own experience, devices that plug directly into a USB port can be prone to damage due to bumping them into people, furniture, walls, etc. I would probably plug Tiki into a USB extender cable to allow for safer use while also giving me more options for positioning the microphone in each recording situation.

Engadget recently had an article on the Blue Tiki. Read it here!

Blue microphones available from Amazon.com

 

Video: Introducing the Smart Tripod – Very Cool!

For those of us who can’t hire, or even borrow, a cameraperson for our videos.

Just a prototype right now, but an excellent example of what will be coming in the future. This would be a boon to any new media producer.

From the video description…

This video is my submission to Microsoft’s Robotics@Home Competition. I developed a robotic video tripod which I call the “SmartTripod”. It runs on a Parallax Eddie robot and Microsoft’s Robotics Developer Studio (RDS). There is another video on my channel which is kind of an “appendix” to this one–it contains a cooking video I created to demonstrate the capabiliites of the SmartTripod. You can find that video here: http://youtu.be/rhmcqUx4PHI

Here is the cooking video he developed as a demo…

Tip: Video Lighting Technique: Turn a Hard Light into A Soft Light from Izzy Videos

Israel Hyman has been producing great video technique tips for years. I met him a couple of times at PodCampAZ and he is a great guy.

Take a moment to visit his site, Izzy Video. There is a huge amount of information there to help you improve the quality of your videos.

Learn how to turn a hard light into a soft light. Also, learn how to tell the difference between a hard light and a soft light. Check out the full article to read all the details about how to do that.

<iframe width=”500″ height=”254″ src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/OKo8geTeG2E?rel=0″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

Pricey, but sweet, chroma key solution for video

If you have an extra $2k to spend, and need to do some Chromakey video work, this is a really cool system. The video below outlines how it works and gives some excellent examples.

It is portable and isn’t effected greatly by additional ambient light sources.

One of those things that sort of has to be seen to be believed.

Reflecmedia RM 1125MG DeskShoot Lite Standard Bundle Kit Includes Chroma Key Solution with Medium Green LiteRing

Thanks to Langley for letting me know about this cool product!

 

 

Product: TASCAM iXZ Mic / Instrument input for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

TASCAM iXZ Mic / Instrument input for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

Want to turn your iPad or iPhone into a portable recording studio, the Tascam iXZ can do just that. This interface allows you to plug in standard XLR connector microphones, guitars or any other audio source and then record them using iPhone and iPad software of your choice. For those more advanced, it also provides Phantom power so you can use high-quality condenser miss, too.

Mat Langley of the Robot Underpants podcast (Content Advisory)  let me know about this device today after he picked one up for his iPad. Mat does a variety of shows and also uses his iPad to join Google+ hangouts and wanted/needed a way to get better audio into his iPad. I have asked for Mat to give us a review of this device sometime in the near future.

New Product: MicW iPhone/iPad Microphones

MicW Professional Microphones

I had 2 separate friends mention these iPhone/iPad compatible microphones in the last several days. Both saw them at the manufacturers display at the MacWorld Expo that was held in San Francisco this week.

Portable devices are now capable of recording high quality audio, but sometimes you want a better mic, or more suitable microphone when out recording in the field.

I haven’t heard the quality of these mics, but my friends and the web site have certainly piqued my interest. I will see if I can get a demo model here at the Careers in New Media office so I can record some audio and share it with you.

For now, here is an audio sample using the i436 mic (picture below) from the company’s web site

Download  i436 Violin Sample

[audio:http://www.mic-w.com/down.asp?f=uploadfile/i436%20violin.mp3]

Other samples from MicW web site

Micw

Micw iphone

Subscribe To A Newsapaper, Get An E-reader Free

It’s starting to happen. I was talking to someone just the other night about how such deals would greatly benefit mainstream media outlets. The price of the readers is falling very rapidly while their capabilities just keep growing.
Well, this was bound to happen. Barnes & Noble is offering big discounts on its Nook e-readers to people taking out subscriptions to digital editions of magazines and newspapers:

The Nook edition of People is $9.99 a month; with a one-year subscription, customers will receive a Nook Tablet, a color device with a 7-inch display, for $199, a discount from its regular price of $249. Customers who buy a one-year subscription for the Nook edition of The New York Times for $19.99 a month, which in…

 

Elsewhere Online: How to get the most out of your iPhone as a reporting tool

Some great advice on using your iPhone for journalism or any new media production, including software and hardware recommendations — Douglas

 

How to get the most out of your iPhone as a reporting tool

Increasingly, iPhones are becoming acredible, convenient and reliable tool for journalists –both amateur and professional– to use in the field. Mobile reporting was even the topic of a UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism course taught by Jeremy Rue to help journalists learn how to get the most out of reporting from a mobile device.

Read entire article

360 Panoramic Lens for iPhone – New Kickstarter Project

I came across this new Kickstarter project for a 360 Panoramic Lens that allows you to take 360 interactive video on your iPhone 4. A $50 pledge gets you on of the products if the project gets fully funded.

I could see making use of something like this for my Places LA videos where I try to make viewers feel as if they are actually at the location.

What could you do with a lens like this? Let me know in the comments.

(Via CrunchGear.com)