512 Pixels

I talk about packing and my plan for audio updates while I’m at Macworld.

Since starting the Ungeniused podcast late last year, I’ve had numerous questions about my setup. So, here’s my gear:

• The Blue Yeti USB Microphone is the heart of my rig. It’s a great vocal mic for the money. With its tri-capsule array, it’s easy to set this mic up for one or more voices. It’s plug-n-play with OS X, and includes built-in gain control, pattern selection and a headphone jack for monitoring your own voice.
• The mic is mounted in a Blue Microphones Radius Microphone Shock Mount. This mount has totally changed the quality of my audio, isolating the mic from noises caused by me bumping the table, writing and even typing. If you are serious about isolating your voice from the environment, a shock mount is the only way to go.
• The Nady MPF–6 6-Inch Clamp On Microphone Pop Filter is a little large, but I like to move around when I’m talking, and this gives me the freedom to do so. I have it clamped to my stand with the built-in hardware.
• To be honest, I’m not super in love with my mic stand. While I hope to mount my rig on an arm in the future, right now, I record Ungeniused in an empty conference room at work. That said, I use the 8–13 inch Atlas Desk Stand. It’s well made, but I do wish it were heavier — or that the base were larger. It feels a tad wobbly with the heavy Yeti hanging out over the side of it.
• I use the Sennheiser HD–280 PRO Headphones all the time — not just for podcasting. They’re closed-backed, so audio doesn’t leak, and comfortable, so I can wear them for hours without getting a headache.

On the software side of things, I record my local track in QuickTime X. The trick here is to make sure that the application is using the Yeti to record. ¹

To record both ends of a Skype call, my go-to application is Audio Hijack Pro. That said, however, Piezo looks like a nice option, too.

On the cloud end of things, Ungeniused is hosted at Buzzsprout. Buzzsprout is great, and dirt cheap. It allows for fast uploading, easy-to-edit metadata, useful stats and more. There’s no reason to host a small to medium-sized show on your own.

Feedburner has the Buzzsprout feed, so I can change the backend without iTunes or Instacast knowing.

This setup isn’t the best money can buy, but I’ve found it to be a great rig for the price. Just about everyone at 70Decibles uses a similar setup, and it really shows.

Update: See my new rig here.

Christina DesMarais, PCWorld:

OPEN would give oversight to the International Trade Commission (ITC) instead of the Justice Department, focuses on foreign-based websites, includes an appeals process, and would apply only to websites that “willfully” promote copyright violation. SOPA and PIPA, in contrast, would enable content owners to take down an entire website, even if just one page on it carried infringing content, and imposed sanctions after accusations — not requiring a conviction.

If it works as well as I hope, this might be a good way to curb my temptation to upgrade to an iPhone 4S.

The Samsung Galaxy Note seems awesome. ¹

After my post the other day about the “Family Room Specialist” role in Apple retail, I got a bunch of email from people explaining the job to me. Here are the details:

• It was designed to be a temporary position for people wanting to become a Creative or a Genius.
• If an employee remains in the role for 18 months or so, HR looks at why. Sometimes, people just get stuck without a path to a better role.
• The position is a busy one, and most people feel the pay isn’t what it should be.

You kids and your fancy Apple Store jobs.

George Angus:

I tend to be more forgiving to the average person screwing up a loose/lose proposition. Writers, however, do not get a free pass on this one. It’s like an accountant not knowing the difference between subtraction and division. It’s like a pilot not knowing the landing gear should be down for landing. And while the consequences of poor grammar cannot be equated to a pile of aluminum on the runway, in terms of professionalism and advancing a writing career the implications are the same.

It bugs me any time I have to fix a typo here on 512 Pixels. When I have to correct a grammatical mistake, however, it kills me.

via @iainbroome

What took them so long?

What took them so long?

Emily Schultheis:

Gingrich took a full 45 percent of those who described themselves as “very conservative,” compared with 23 percent for Santorum, 20 percent for Romney and 10 percent for Paul. Gingrich also won among voters who said they were “somewhat conservative,” while Mitt Romney came in first with “moderate or liberal” voters.

Newt Gingrich, on why South Carolina voters backed him so strongly in today’s primary:

It’s that I articulate the deepest-held values of the American people.

Huh.

This sounds like a pretty rough job.