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Ditch those pine trees, as Scosche has come out with a portable air purifier. You can take this anywhere, but it works best in a car or truck.

The Scosche AFP-SP Air purifier is a 3 stage HEPA filter that collects 99.5% of particles, dust, and pollen. The device will neutralize odors, and show the air quality, temperature inside, and humidity.

If you are a Taxi, Uber, or Lyft driver, this will help clear out any odd smells from fares. If you drive for Instacart, Grubhub, Door Dash, or another service, the air purifier can clear your car of food smells.

You can also use it in your room, a hotel, office, or other space that needs purification. The unit is around 7 inches in height and no bigger than a can of soda.

Alergies can be calmed down as this will collect pet odors, dust, pollen, and other airborne items. The two speed fan will work hard at removing the odors, and is touchless. Simply wave your hand over the unit to change speed.

The USB plug allows you to use a computer, car adapter, or battery charger to keep the purifier running.

At $99.99, this is an affordable device for your daily commute. Get the Scosche AFP-SP Air Purifier here

Wireless charging is something we continue to utilize in our devices. Energysquare has extended that to a lot more of our mobile devices, including laptops, headphones, and more. Simply place the computer on a mat and with power by contact, the device will charge.

The system is easy to integrate on your devices. When installed, set it on the Energysquare transmitter mat.

The company says the device will charge as fast as if you have them plugged in. Their “Power by Contact” charging solution uses electrical conduction to pass power to the device. When the two electrodes from the receiver contact the transmitter, the device will start to charge.

This is licensable technology to install in your electronics. Lenovo has released a couple laptops with this technology inside.

More information is found on their website. check out Energysquare.co

Maonocaster Lite S1 is a low-cost solution for recording podcasts, streaming, Clubhouse, and more. The unit can be run by itself, or connected to a computer (becoming the sound card). From there, you can control the microphones (up to 2), music from a 3.5mm jack, music from a Bluetooth connection, or the sound cart on the system.

The Specs

The AM-200 S1 is a great way to get a full show feel when recording. It also doubles as a mixing console for Karaoke night – Bluetooth in your song, and use the the microphone to sing.

Echo effect give you a smoother voice, while preset options will EQ you for the emcee role, a pro sound, and more. 3 band EQ allows you to fine tune the overall sound. There is even a 12 note autotune option to give you that digital sound.

There are 12 buttons for sound effects, 4 you can program with your own sounds. All of this can be programmed on-board, so no extra software is needed.

Maonocaster Lite AM-200 S1

Sending the Audio Out

When you are ready, plug your phone into the 3.5mm jack and send to your live stream audience. The Maonocaster Lite can send to 3 different phone sources simultaneously. It also can be outputted through the computer to another recording destination.

Self Powered for Portability

The on-board 1200 MAh battery will allow you to podcast, sing, or livestream for a few hours on full charge. This makes it perfect for the remote creator.

Maono Microphone

This unit does come with a Cardioid XLR microphone with a frequency range of 30Hz-16kHz. Included is a cable that will connect to the caster. Add a second microphone for one-on-one interviews. I just connected it to my mixing console for more flexability.

My Thoughts on Maonocaster AM-200 S1

The first thing I wanted to do was replace the included microphone. If you do that, remember this unit delivers no phantom power. A mixer would be needed in-between. That is probably good if you plan to plug in more than one microphone. There is no separate volume for each input.

Watch your levels if you do use an external mixer. The inputs are very sensitive, as I was distorting fairly easily. I had to turn my settings down low to get it from distorting the vocals.

Sound effect buttons can sound really loud in the headphones when monitoring. Another thing that sounds off is the “Denoise” button. In the monitor, it sounds like it’s cutting your vocals off too much.

However, the output to the phone works like a champ. I did some live streams and didn’t hear any of the problems, except for the pre-amp distortion.

This works best as a stand-alone unit going to a live stream, Clubhouse, or podcast recording. For the $99 price tag, it does the job.

In the Video

I unbox and setup the Maonocaster AM-200 S1.

VEGAS Creative Software has released VEGAS Stream for content creators. A tool that allows you record and stream yourself live, then take the videos into post production for longer-term viewing.

Working with New Blue and Microsoft, VEGAS Live can be used as a solo creator, or bring in guests through Microsoft Teams and NDI to a template you create. You can use built-in graphics, or create your own look for lower 3rds, scoreboards, and more.

Two versions of VEGAS Stream – Pro and Post.

* Pro with VEGAS Pro 18 and SOUND FORGE Pro * Post with VEGAS Pro, VEGAS Effects, VEGAS Image, and SOUND FORGE Pro

This is a subscription model. Pro is $29.95/month, and Post is $39.95/month with annual payment.

In this video, we see how the software works for Stream and VEGAS Pro

Wireless microphones can add more to your show. MOVO wants to give creators options with wireless 2.4 Ghz microphones. The Edge DI is built for the smartphone, where you can do your livestreams, Youtube videos, podcasts, and more.

MOVO EDGE DI Wireless

The unit is a simple receiver dongle that attaches to the phone. Lightning for iOS and USB-C for Android. The EDGE DI comes in single, or dual Lavalier microphone units.

The DI receiver is also fairly small, so it can sit on the side of a phone without pulling on the port. If you have your phone on a gimbal stabilizer such as the DJI Osmo, this can be added without re-calibrating your device as much.

You will need to take the case off to plug this unit in, but when it is plugged in, will be powered by the phone.

Lavalier can be plugged in as a microphone, or a line in (to an instrument, mixer, or other audio device). The unit is powered by 2 AAA batteries.

Initial Thoughts

The EDGE DI is simple to setup, and can have you recording wirelessly in no time. It works fairly well in areas without WIFI saturation, and I was able to move a good distance from the camera without signal loss.

When I did put obstacles in-between the lavalier and the receiver, I lost signal fairly quick. This works best when you in an area not saturated with WIFI signal and around 5-10 feet away from the camera.

The microphone gets the job done. It will keep you from hitting a wire when you are using your selfie stick, stabilizer, or other device.

Price

MOVO Edge DI is $140 for a single lavalier and available now. Get the EDGE DI Here

OWC came out with some new items for CES 2021. Larry from  @OWC  joins me to talk about the new docks including the USB-C Travel Dock E – with 6 ports, and Thunderbolt dock with Thunderbolt 4 cable (for M1 Mac) with 11 ports and 4K-8K display support. We also talk storage options with the new Envoy Express, and the U2 Shuttle drive

OWC Envoy Express

This is the first Thunderbolt certified bus powered enclosure. You can add your own 2280 M.2 drive to give you real-world performance of 1,553 MB/s. The integrated 10.2 inch cable allows you to connect to your computer. With only 3.3 oz weight, this will fit in your bag easily.

The dock is available for $79.00

OWC Travel Dock USB-C E

An updated USB-C dock from OWC, with 6 plugs to your computer. 100W pass-through power, 312 MB/s card reader, and 4K HDMI monitor support.

Travel Dock is available now for $64.99

Check out more at Macsales.com

More from CES 2021

Smart ring for Sports and Fitnet from ArcX

A simple bluetooth ring with a button. That is what ArcX is about. Simple button for athletics that can do anything you want it to

More information here

D-Link WiFi6, D-Link Mesh Technology

DLink announced some new Wifi 6 routers, including the EXO AX5400 and the new Wifi 6 AI M-32 Mesh router for coverage for the whole house (available in the fall).

Get the AX5400 here

x40 Full Body Haptic Suit from bHaptics VR

The bHaptics Tach Suit X40 was nominated for an Innovation award. This is the first consumer wearable haptic suit for VR.

The suit features 40 controllable motors that will put you into the gaming experience. One size fits all for your VR experience.

The X40 is one in a line of suits. The X40 is $499 and available here

If you are a home producer trying to build up your plugins for your audio rigs, Nugen Audio has been creating more affordable plugins. Today, we talked about the Paragon Reverb, and Elements Stereoizer.

Paragon Reverb

This is a convolution reverb, using state of the art resynthesis – developed at the University of York. Change the decay time or room size, and it generates a new impulse response based on the original space. This allows for a bigger room, more decay, and more.

New presets, new browser with search, tagging, and favorite functions to build a reverb that

Paragon is $599 and available now.

Elements Stereoizer

The stereo width tool uses three stereo width algorithms: Linear width, intraoral intensity difference, and time difference. These are based on how the human ear perceives sound.

You can take a mono source, and turn it into stereo. Elements is a more streamlined version of the larger Stereoizer plugin for the at-home producer.

Stereoizer will be out in April 2021 for $49.

More information at NugenAudio.com

Lify Wellness is a single serve tea brewing system. Their pods include several teas that can help with wellness, comfort, and more.

In the morning, you might want a tea that will power you through the day. In the evening you might be looking for a tea that will help you fall asleep.

There are other teas that help with your health. Teas that will pair well with certain foods for a deliciously rounded meal.

The Lify Wellness app gives you drink recommendations, customize your drink experience, and gives you remote options so your tea is ready for when you need.

Lify Wellness is based in Hong Kong, and the brew system is available now. Go to Lify Wellness for more information.

Universal Plug from Nomad

Nomad plug is a universal socket power adapter for those that do a lot of world travelling. The plug system keeps you from having to store adapters in a drawer.

https://nomadplug.com/

Total Protection Phone Cases from Catalyst Case

Our friends at  @Catalyst Case  talk about the new line of phone cases including the Vibe and Influence cases. These are updated for iPhone 12, and other devices.

https://geni.us/PtTyqrJ

VR Rooms from Bigger Inside

Bigger inside is a company in France building VR style rooms. Suit up with your friends, and be a part of multiple experiences the service offers.

https://biggerinside.io/en/

Everybody is working in different locations. More important, everyone is working with different software to make music. Beat Connect is a plugin that allows you to use your software to record, then send to the audio editor and the DAW of their choice to mix down.

How Beat Connect Works

The program is installed on the creator’s DAW, where the project is started. They send out project information to the other musicians, who also have the program installed. They get the main files, in which they will start recording their tracks – MIDI and analog.

When they are ready, they send their tracks or loops into the program. The overall project is instantly updated.

People also have the ability to move segments around to make a truly crowdsourced song. Complete with VST support.

Beat Connect is available for Windows and Mac computers, and comes with a 30 day trial. Monthly subscriptions start at $9.95 / month.

For more information, check out BeatConnect.com

Other Videos from NAMM 2021

You can find these videos on YouTube.com/geekazine

Portable Vocal Booth for Music, Podcasts, and More

The Imperative Audio Personal Vocal Booth is a portable solution for anyone needing a quiet area to record audio. This booth can be set up on the table or ground, and gives a 28.4 dba reduction in ambient sound.

The unit weighs 78 lbs when assembled. An additional accessory bar and music stand is included. When not needed, it folds down and stores in the bag (also provided).

https://imperativeaudio.com/

Audio-Technica on Headphones and Microphones at NAMM 2021

While  @Audio-Technica USA  didn’t debut anything this year, we got to talk about some of the popular products at the show, including microphones like the AT 2020 USB+ and headphones like the ATH-M50x BT

Elite Series Furniture from Gator Frameworks

Gator Frameworks makes workstations and accessories from acoustic foam, to microphone boom arms. Now, with the Elite series, you can get a modular desk for all your editing needs.

https://www.gatorframeworks.com/furniture/

Many more interviews from CES 2021, including a smart backpack, gaming chairs, and

Featured: Air Pocket

When I’ve visited Korea, the train stations have large areas where oxygen masks are available. But what if you could have a mask that would deliver 2 hours of oxygen? Maybe a tank that could last you for days?

Air Pocket is a company working out of Samsung C-Lab that is working on just that. These devices will be several times smaller than a full oxygen pack. The canister – which is the size of a water bottle – can be charged up and carried with you for whenever you need to bring oxygen into a small room.

For more information, check out the C-Lab from Samsung.

Elysie Creature Backpack

Elysie is building a new type of backpack for the tech age. Creature v.1 is a solar pack with integrated batteries. Along with the app, you can manage the backpack, from charge info, to locking the pack, and even tracking if it’s lost.

https://www.elysie.fr/

Gaming Chairs and Tables from Atlantic Inc.

Some new gaming chairs, along with standing desks, and gaming desks. The Dardashti Gaming Chairs come in different colors, and are race-car inspired. Adjustable seats for work to rest modes. Designer wheels in a 5 – leg bottom.

The Dardashti Gaming Desks give a wide variety of options to organize your gaming setup. If you have a desk, the Gaming riser allows your desk to convert to sit/stand.

https://www.atlantic-inc.com/

FinaLace Wireless 3D Audio

Sabinetek debuted an immersive 3D recording smart Bluetooth headset. With background noise suppression, vocal removal, and in-ear vocal monitoring. A crowdfund is happening for production of this headset.

https://www.sabinetek.com/