memory for your mother, for Mother's Day

Mother's Day is Sunday (May 9th). Lexar is suggesting that you consider giving portable memory storage (for data) as a gift...

At first thought, it may not seem like a great idea...but, hold on: it's something she can keep things on and take with her anywhere she goes. She can put important information on it, like a will and health records. Pictures and videos can be available for her to show-off. And, she can copy some music files so she can listen to them.

They can be very stylish. For example, Lexar has drives available in different colors and sizes:

16GB JumpDrive FireFly (Red)

8GB JumpDrive FireFly (Charcoal)

4GB JumpDrive FireFly (White)

2GB JumpDrive FireFly (Black)

"...It also serves as a fashionable accessory and comes with a key chain hole so it can be easily tethered onto a key ring, attached to a backpack, or hooked to a purse or briefcase..."

To enhance it as a gift, I thought you can: purchase a USB drive...copy files to it that she will love (pictures, audio recordings, and videos of and from family)...and then give it to her on Mother's Day. With a tissue, because there's a good chance she might think it's so sweet she'll shed a tear or two...

http://lexar.com/jumpdrive/jd_firefly.html

Yeti USB microphone review

"You have a package...and it's 'heavy'..."

So, I'm thinking I need to warm-up to keep from pulling a muscle...until I saw the box was 10 inches tall, and 5 to 6 inches wide on the sides. It only weighed about 3.5 pounds. (Based on the description by others, maybe we Americans really do need to exercise more...)

"Look, ma...it's a Yeti!"

(in my best Marlin Perkins voice)
"The Yeti...or, 'Abominable Snowman'...is a mythological creature. An ape-like cryptid said to inhabit the Himalayan region of Nepal and Tibet. The names Yeti and Meh-Teh are commonly used by the people indigenous to the region..." (Thanks, Wikipedia.)

However, the "Yeti" I received from Blue Microphones connects via USB. And, it's got "toys".

"The Yeti is the most advanced and versatile multi-pattern USB microphone available anywhere. Combining three capsules and four different pattern settings...THX Certified..."

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"THX certifies products for your entire home entertainment experience."

"THX Certified Multimedia Products are designed and engineered for PC gaming and multimedia on the desktop."

"...A rigid THX testing process ensures the fidelity of the recording always remains true to its source, allowing you to accurately capture voice-overs, interviews and other sound elements with confidence..."

* Ultimate recording and playback fidelity: Superior design, quality and rigorous lab testing by THX affirms the best possible recording and playback fidelity.

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On the front of the microphone there is a mute button, and a volume control for the headphone jack which is at the bottom of the microphone.



At the rear is a gain control, and the pattern selector for:
Omnidirectional (picks up sound equally from all directions)...
Stereo mode (left and right)...
Cardioid (for recording sound directly in front of the microphone)...
and Bidirectional (the microphone picks up sound at the front and rear of the microphone).



Omnidirectional and Stereo modes should give better quality, because the other two modes are attempting to "reject" sound.

Available on the bottom is a threaded mic stand mount. (Sweet!) On one side of that is a Mini-USB jack, and the 3.5mm headphone jack on the other.

A ten foot USB cord is included.

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When I plugged the microphone into a computer that has Windows Vista as its operating system, the microphone was installed, and it works. End of review.

I mean...that's it. At this time, I have nothing else to report. Other than I've been keeping it very close to me when I sleep. And a baseball bat nearby...

I love it. Get it...use it. I plan on doing so...you will be hearing from the Yeti. And me.

http://www.bluemic.com/yeti/

http://www.facebook.com/bluemicrophones

share music wirelessly, BYOE (bring your own earphones)

The TechtalkRadio Product of the Week is the i2i Stream.

You can watch Andy's Tech Tuesday segment that was on KOLD at http://www.techtalkradio.com/koldtv/koldtv.htm (Tech Tuesday airs every Tuesday around 5:40am. His latest KOLD website column is at http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?s=8900102)

The i2i Stream allows you to broadcast to other i2i Stream devices...

Each unit comes with a neck lanyard, and a belt/pocket clip. Plug an audio player into the bottom of the i2i Stream, earphones into the top, and you can broadcast what you are listening to to other i2i Stream receiving units.

Every i2i Stream can broadcast or receive music via 2.4 GHz (that is useable up to 30 feet between units). There are seven channels to broadcast with, so if there can be at least seven people broadcasting seven different types of audio in the same area.

The sound quality is like that of CD audio: 10Hz-24kHz frequency response, and a 16bit @ 48ksps Stereo bit rate.

The rechargeable batter life is 5 to 7 hours, and is charged via a USB cable.

Inside the i2i Stream Two Pack box:
2 i2i Stream units
2 12” Audio Cables
2 28” Audio Cables
2 USB Charging Cables
2 Neck Lanyards
2 Belt/Pocket Clips

An i2i Stream One Pack is in the works:
i2i Stream
12” Audio Cable
28” Audio Cable
USB Charging Cable
Neck Lanyard
Belt/Pocket Clip

Intel turns 40 - An Audio Interview with Bill Caldwell

The Intel Corporation, Integrated Electronics Company, began in July of 1968 with Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce investigating technology with integrated circuits and memory. Now in 2008, 40 years later, the company continues to be on the cutting edge of tech and delivers with products that will allow us to carry our tech almost anywhere for longer periods of time without charging or wishing we were on the desktop workstation due to performance.

From the 4004 to the Atom, we talked with Bill Caldwell about some of Intel's greatest moments and how the company is giving back.

Listen in on our interview at http://www.techtalkradio.com/hardware/intel40.html

Thanks!