MXL Microphones announced the introduction of the MXL USB.006 computer microphone for instant professional CD quality recording on a P.C. or Mac. The new mic plugs directly into any USB port on any
portable or desktop computer and is ready to record a big rich studio sound not possible with electret or dynamic mics.

The new MXL USB series features a Large 24 K Gold Diaphragm Pressure Gradient capsule and low noise electronics that gives users the same high quality sound of large studio mics that require mixers
with 48 volt phantom power and other recording equipment to record and playback the recordings.

In addition to getting high quality sound in the home studio it’s also a very exciting tool for multimedia, news and broadcast applications using portable computers for remote recording of concerts, lectures, or even documenting outdoor sounds in full fidelity for film and TV backgrounds.

The analog section of the MXL USB mics features a low noise front end, a 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency response, a large gold diaphragm, pressure gradient condenser capsule, and a 3-position, switchable attenuation pad to control the gain, making it easy to configure the microphone to virtually any sound source. The digital section features a 16-bit Delta Sigma A/D converter with a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz. Protecting the instruments capsule is a heavy-duty wire mesh grill with an integrated pop filter. A red LED behind the
protective grill informs the user that the microphone is active and correctly oriented toward the user.

The MXL USB Series Condenser Microphone will carry retail MSRP of $169.95 and will be shipping in Sept. ‘06.

Also, a new software called MUR (MXL USB Recorder) will be free for downloading on the MXL web site. The software is designed to simulate a DAT or the classic professional 2-Trk professional analog recorder.
The new software provides instant 2-Trk or stereo CD quality recording on a PC. The software instantly recognizes the USB mic without any set-up. Just push record and then playback.

Technorati Tags: podcasting, podcaster, videoblogger, videoblogging, vlogging, mic, podcast tools, mics, marshall, usb mics

New Content Will Be Available Either Direct to Consumers via the Internet, Download onto Portable Video Players, or via Corporate Partners Seeking to Package Content into Broader Service Offerings

ExpertVillage.com today announced it has budgeted $2 million to produce 75,000 new Internet friendly how-to videos over the next eighteen months, using freelance filmmakers/videographers. With the dramatic increase in availability of Internet video, consumers have become accustomed to getting information on the Internet in video form. ExpertVillage.com currently has over 1300 high-quality expert-based Internet videos
available online, and plans to significantly expand its catalog of content available either direct to consumers via the Internet, download onto portable video players, or via corporate partners seeking to package content into broader service offerings.

“The how-to category is uniquely suited to be delivered through video on the Internet, allowing consumers to actually see how to do everything from repairing the garbage disposal to folding an origami swan,” said Byron Reese, CEO of PageWise, the publishers of ExpertVillage. “We have had a tremendous response to our current catalog, and feel these next 75,000 videos will give us the definitive library of how-to advice from experts.”

To reach its goal of producing 75,000 how-to videos in eighteen months, ExpertVillage.com today officially launched its Filmmaker Program located at http://www.expertvillage.com/submit, where new filmmakers or pros with downtime from their day jobs can go to find details on needs requirements, submission formats, and how they can earn $300 per video shoot. The Filmmaker Program taps the collective expertise of the community of independent freelance filmmakers around the world. After setting up an account at ExpertVillage.com, they are able to claim assignments from thousands presently posted. The filmmaker then locates a qualified expert in the assignment topic and begins production of ten to fifteen short how-to videos.

ExpertVillage plans to recruit up to 5000 independent filmmakers via postings on http://www.craigslist.org and other resources. Response from filmmakers has already been promising — the first day the site went
into beta, over 400 filmmakers signed up.

Technorati Tags: videoblogging, jobs, freelance, vlog, vloggers, video blogs, expertvillage, filmmaker

Google and eBay today announced a multi-year agreement to benefit both companies’ collective communities of users, merchants, and advertisers around the globe. The agreement consists of two primary components involving text-based advertising and “click-to-call” advertising functionality.

Specifically, Google will become the exclusive text-based advertising provider for eBay outside the United States. In addition, eBay and Google plan to integrate and launch “click-to-call” advertising functionality that leverage both Skype and Google Talk globally in each company’s respective shopping and search platforms.
The companies said the financial terms for certain components of the deal involve revenue sharing, but did not disclose specific details.

“We’re pleased to expand our long-standing relationship with Google to explore new market opportunities, like click-to-call advertising, that benefit both our communities of users,” said Meg Whitman, President and CEO, eBay Inc. “People continue to evolve how they shop, communicate and advertise online. By combining the power of eBay in ecommerce and Skype in communications with Google’s leadership in search and advertising, we can increase the usefulness of the Internet for shoppers, merchants and advertisers around the world.”

“This agreement underscores how much we value eBay as a partner,” said Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google. “Our technologies will allow us to connect users to relevant advertising across eBay’s international properties. By working together to promote click-to-call functionality through Google Talk and Skype, we are offering advertisers another innovative way to connect with customers.”

The companies plan to begin testing the text-based advertising and click-to-call initiatives in early 2007 that will be evaluated over a period of several months. The specific components and timing of implementation will depend upon initial test results, and will vary by market, largely driven by local dynamics and joint capabilities.

Technorati Tags: google, ebay, textads, clicktocall, click-to-call, online advertising, auctions, skype

Resources for New Media and Social Media PR - Online Marketing Blog

Nice list of links to satiate your social media needs.

Technorati Tags: pr, social media, online marketing, new media press release, new media

Blogger nation (Detroit News):
“Ed Vielmetti started blogging seven years ago as a way to keep in touch with friends and family while traveling for work. Back then, he was one of a select few tech-heads who could figure out how to code and update a Web page.”

Good story about the power of blogging - makes you want to crank out the virtual typewriter and want to start writing, non?

Technorati Tags: bloggers, blogging, tech, blogs, detroit

Corporate Blogging Doesn’t Have To Suck:
So we spend a lot of time trying to show people how this Business Blogging thing should be done. So here’s a link to pass along, showing one possible high-level use of blogging that’s impossible to do with any of the other …
Anil Dash of SixApart makes the argument that blogging lets you extend the message beyond an email. Great reason to start blogging.

Technorati Tags: blog marketing, blogging, corporate blogging, sixapart, anil dash

Four Simple Steps to More Blog Subscribers - Copyblogger

As usual, Copyblogger has a great post about getting more people to subscribe to your blog.

Technorati Tags: rss, blogging, blog marketing, subscribers, rss, feed

Feedless bloggers frustrate:
“It’s very interesting watching someone use an RSS Aggregator for the first time. Maryam finally got interested in it after hearing me talk for the past three years about how much more productive it is to read people’s blogs in a news …”

I remember having a conversation a couple of days ago explaining to someone how much quicker you can get your news by using an aggregator. Seems like Scoble has finally convinced his wife Maryam of the niceties of using a feed reader. I wonder if she has his feed in there : )

Technorati Tags: feeds, rss reader, aggregator, autodiscovery, scoble

Steve Shirk, Managing Editor of the Kansas City Star, posts about the guidelines in use for his reporters’ blogs. These guidelines were setup in tandem with Keith Chrostowski, deputy national editor, and are described at the APME website.

These are some great tips for anyone blogging in a non-fiction type setting.

Credibility questions ease as readers embrace political blogs - APME

Technorati Tags: citizen journalism, journalism, reporters, AP, kansas city star, steve shirk,   Keith Chrostowski, APME, newspapers

If this product is anything like its description, it will make long distance beercasting and group podcasting an easy task:

The Logitech QuickCall USB Speakerphone for Internet Calling delivers premium voice quality in a speakerphone by using a two-microphone array — one on each side of the wing-shaped phone — that can capture voices and sounds from a wider area in a room, transmitting even whispers from several feet away.

The QuickCall USB Speakerphone will be available in the U.S. in October and in Europe beginning in December with a suggested retail price in the U.S. is $99.99.

Technorati Tags: podcasting, group podcasting, speakerphone, voip, logitech, gadgets