The Best Mic for Streaming - The Blue Yeti Nano

I hear when it comes to YouTube videos audio quality is almost more important than the quality of your video footage. Well, at least they taught me at YouTube Space London.

That's why this new Blue Microphone is so exciting for me. I've been looking to step up my audio game for a while & I heard this might be one of the best mics for podcasters. I also heard this will be one of the best mics for game streamers too. So If you're a gamer you are going to want to check out the WhatGear video on the Blue Yeti Nano...you will like it, even more, when you see the price.

Blue Yeti NANO - PRICE

Design

So this a Yeti Nano mic, is much...much smaller than its big brother the original Yeti that stands at about 30cm's tall and weighs in a 3.3lbs (1.55 kg) with stand. The Blue Yeti Nano comes in at just 21cm tall and weighs 1.39lbs (0.63 kg).  Yes, it's in a lower weight class but do not underestimate its power.

The reduced size & weight makes the Blue Nano microphone much more portable and will free up a lot of important desk space (for even more gadgets). The Blue Yeti Nano is so much easier to transport and setup than the gigantic original blue Yeti. 

If you a game streamer or podcaster your might be using a mic that sits in front of your face, maybe your current mic even partially blocks you from your camera. The reduced footprint of the Yeti Nano will allow your viewers to see more of you without compromising any of that all important audio quality.

I'm loving the Yeti Nano's awesome new design. It's far less rounded than its bigger brother & better looking than the Blue Snowball. Blue have added some nice angles to it this time which in my opinion will make it look nicer on camera. 

That entire mic casing is made up of premium metals including the stand. They've also added a notch to the stand so that the cable can run underneath it tidily. If you are planning on using the stand that comes with the Nano, you will be happy to know this has 1/4" thread mount built in & comes with 3/4" adapter just in case. If you're not going to be using a boom arm or mic stand.

Blue Microphones have streamlined the onboard user interfaces on the Yeti Nano, keeping the design really sleek and premium without sacrificing its functionality. More on the functionality in the usability section. 

So the design, in summary, the Blue Yeti Nano doesn't feel cheap at all & it does feel like it could take few knocks without it falling apart... this could be handy if you need to rage quit during a gaming session. Right now you can find the Blue Yeti Nano in Shadow Grey, Vivid Blue, Red Onyx & Cubano Gold... I like the stealthy look of the shadow grey.

Usability

When it comes to the onboard controls on the Yeti Nano, Blue have streamlined it down in comparison to the big Yeti. On the front is a dial for adjusting your headphone volume & this same dial doubles up a mute button. The nice little LED circle you see on the dial itself is used as an indicator and lets you know what's happening. Green indicating you ready to go, Red for when you're muted and yellow when the mic is updating. 

On the back of the mic you a single button that will allow you to switch between the two pickup patterns. Cardioid for when it's you and your Yeti Nano (ideal for game streamers) and Omni for when there's a few around the mic and you want to pick audio from all around (ideal for podcasters). If you hold the pickup button down for 2 secs it will also alow you to toggle on and off the playback monitoring as well. At its base you will also find the USB B port for connecting this to your computer. 

Now you're probably thinking that all sounds great but what about Gain adjustments? now there is no physical gain control onboard the Yeti Nano, however, the NEW Blue Sherpa app will let adjust the mic's sensitivity via your computer. Blue do initially set the gain to the recommended level out of the box so there's a good chance you may never need to adjust it. Also available on the Blue Sherpa app is the option to switch the pickup patterns, adjust your headphone levels, select between the audio quality settings and mute playback completely.

If you're going to be using this mic for Skype and other conferencing apps, it most cases the software you will be using will use an auto gain feature. So no need to worry about firing up sherpa for these scenarios

Also through the Sherpa app, you the mic will receive updates from time to time that will further improve the performance of this mic in the future.

Quality

This is a Mic and you are here because you want to know if this is a good option in comparison to the Big Yeti? 

The answer to that is yes this is a really good option, the Nano is virtually indistinguishable from the original Yeti if you use the mics side by side in cardioid or omni pick up modes. 

This doesn't, however, make the aforementioned big Yeti mic redundant as there are some differences. The Yeti Nano has two condenser mic capsules inside, whereas the big Yeti has a triple capsule array. The big Yeti also has a couple for pickup patterns, bidirectional and stereo... which to be honest you might not need if you're just looking for a mic for streaming or YouTube voice overs. The Nano does have an advantage of the Blue Snowball however as both had two pickup patterns but the Nano has the direct monitoring feature built in.

The Nano supports up to 24bit/48kHz recording which is what most operating systems support. Recording at this sample rate is going to give you a really crystal clear & proffesional recording of your vocals or instruments.

Awesome Features

This microphone has definitely been designed this with YouTube streamers in mind, as they have also added a little bit of embossed branding on the back of the mic stand. Giving the Nano mic a little bit of bling if you're going to be using this for video...and like that.

If you have an OTG adapter you can even plug this into an android device. This combined with it's more compact stature means you can basically setup a really high quality podcast studio virtually anywhere. Of course, bare in mind compatibility will vary from device to device (If you have a prehistoric android it may not work!) make sure you look into that if that's how you want to use this mic.

The direct monitoring feature I think is an awesome new addition. This is going to be particulary useful it doing multi-track recording, or recording VO over a backing track for example. Really awesome.

Also the fact that mic will automatically be recognised by most of the popular recording software out there like Garageband, Soundcloud, audacity, makes the Blue Yeti Nano really easy to use... and maybe the best mic for streaming in 2018.

source https://www.whatgear.net/technology//the-best-mic-for-streaming-the-blue-yeti-nano

Sony RX100 VI Camera - Top 5 NEW Features

So if you're wondering whether it is worth upgrading your old Sony RX100 compact camera to the latest version the RX100 MK6, then you better know what you are paying for. Especially when you consider the Sony RX100 V is now basically half the price. 

I've used older versions of the epic RX100 camera in the past & more recently I've been using the Sony RX100 VI on my travels. I even time out of my precious holiday time to make a WhatGear YouTube video finding out how the Huawei P20 Pro's triple lens camera faired against the mighty RX100 Mark 6. The results were actually REALLY interesting. Click this link if you want to check it out the video: Smartphone Vs Compact Camera.

So back to the reasons why you might seriously want to consider the RX100 2018 model, here a 5 Top new features of the Sony RX100 VI compact camera.

Sony RX100 VI current price

1. Electronic EVF - One Touch Feature

Previous versions of the RX100 all had this & I must admit it's a really awesome feature, being able to look down the viewfinder to get a closer look at how you shot is composed. This is especially helpful when you want to get your subject in focus or get that really nice Bokeh (blurry background effect). Older versions of Sony's compact powerhouse required you to pop up the OLED EVF and pull it towards you before you can use it. Sony has now designed the new electronic viewfinder to pop up and extend towards you in one fluid motion. When you pop the EVF it will automatically turn on the camera like before, and when you push it down it will switch off... like before. It's just a bit easier now, just one touch. I don't get much easier than that.

2. Improved Continuous Shooting Feature

The Sony RX100V had an epic 150 shots at 24FPS. With the new RX100 mark 6 Sony have stepped it up again. This version now supports 233 shots at 24 frames per second. This combined with the amazing autofocus capabilities of the RX100 range makes this perfect for capturing those fleeting moments. For example sports or weddings ect. Beware though...use this feature too much your going to find your memory card full very quickly.

3. 90 degrees downward LCD

So this camera is just so awesome because of how small it is. Many consider this to be the best compact camera for bloggers. I would agree. This feature is an awesome addition because now you can shoot directly downward while still being able to see perfectly what you are shooting. The LCD still flips 90 degrees upward like before for those all-important selfies, but this new feature means you can now take even better pictures of your food for example...now that I ever do that ;)

4. Touch screen capabilities

So this feature...I really feel like Sony are holding back on. As is one other major feature I'll mention at the end. Touchscreen tech has evolved so much but for some reason, Sony has taken the slow lane with this one. However...good news! We finally have touchscreen capabilities on the Sony RX100 mk6.  They are quite limited but you can now focus your photo using the LCD and even snap photos. So that's a good thing, I just wish Sony would allow us to navigate the menus too.

5. New Zoom - Zeiss 24mm to 200mm lens

So some of you may like this new feature & some may not. If you're looking for a slightly better depth of field photo, then maybe you should stick with your Sony RX100 V. However if capturing beautiful images from further away is your thing then this should make your eyes light up. During my time using the Sony RX100 VI, I must say I was really impressed. The zoom feature is super smooth and even on maximum zoom, the photos look like you were standing right next to the subject. Really awesome.

Could it be Better?

So that's my top 5 new features, there are loads more of cool stuff I could mention about this camera but for the sake of not making this too long I won't. I'll just say this, in my opinion, this is the best point and click camera right now. There are just two things Sony really need to do to make this better for a UK tech YouTuber like me...add more features to the touchscreen & for the love of god add in a mic jack! 

WHATGEAR SONY RX100 VI vs HUAWEI P20 PRO Videos

Don't push this button ;)

source https://www.whatgear.net/technology//sony-rx100-vi-camera-top-5-new-features

Are Compact Cameras Dead? - Sony RX100 VI vs Huawei P20 Pro

Is the end in sight for Compact Cameras? Watch this video where I compare the #Sony RX100 VI #Vs #Huawei P20 Pro Vs camera. don't push this button

I recently went on a mission to find out if compact cameras are dead. I managed to source out a Sony RX100 mk6 & a Huawei P20 Pro smartphone, to find out the answer. Watch the WhatGear camera comparison video to see for yourself. I've added a few bonus Oneplus 6 photos that are not included in the video here on the website. Check them out!

SONY RX100 VI vs HUAWEI P20 PRO vs ONEPLUS 6

Huawei P20 Pro
Sony RX100 VI
P20 pro night
rx100 vi night
Oneplus 6 Night
Oneplus 6 Sunset
P20 Pro Sunset

Oneplus 6 Kings Landing
P20 Pro Kings Landing
RX100 VI Kings Landing
Oneplus 6 Kings Landing Night
P20 Pro Kings Landing Night
RX100 VI Kings Landing Night

Try and guess which one is which...If you really must know you can hover over the photo to find out. Hope you guys enjoyed this post. Leave me a comment below to let me know what comparisons you want to see next.

Don't forget to subscribe to WhatGear if you like this content!

source https://www.whatgear.net/technology/are-compact-cameras-dead

Mid-range Smartphones are about to get Superpowers - Qualcomm Snapdragon 670

With market exploding across the planet. It was only a matter of time before someone steps up and pushes the levels of performance to the limit. Qualcomm has taken on the challenge and are at the forefront. Qualcomm's now bringing more flagship features to mid-tier smartphones,  with all new and improved superpowers.

Improved Intelligence - AI Upgrades

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 is the latest in the 600 series and boasts some significant upgrades. Starting with Qualcomm's 3rd gen AI. These new enhancements bring an improvement of 1.8x over the previous generation. This means a much more intuitive device. Especially when it comes to voice recognition and AI photography features.

Better Vision - Camera Upgrades

With smartphone cameras fast becoming many people's primary shooters. It's really amazing to hear midrange smartphones are about to get better.  Very soon we will see a lot of min-rangers with the ability to shoot 4K 30fps thanks to The Snapdragon 670's Qualcomm Spectra 250 ISP.

The Qualcomm Spectra 250 ISP will support single lens cameras up to 25MP and dual camera setups up to 16MP. Also, Smartphones with the Snapdragon 670 will have zero shutter lag, accelerated electronic image stabilization and improved autofocus.
All these camera upgrades are going to make a really significant difference to your all-important photos.

Insane Mobile Gaming -  Graphics Upgrades

If you're into mobile gaming (like me) you'll be happy to know the new Snapdragon 670 houses the Kryo 360 CPU which delivers 15% better performance than the previous chip. This combined with the Adreno 615 means even with a mid-range smartphone you can remain competitive in games like PUBG. (Add me on PUBG username: WhatGear 4) The Adreno 615 also offers a turbo boosting function...for those more intensive gaming sessions. On top of all that, devices sporting these processors will, in fact, render your games 25% faster than the previous Snapdragon. Also, thanks to this particular upgrade, don't be surprised to see 4K video playback widely available in market very soon.

Regeneration Powers - Battery Upgrades

The amazing thing is Qualcomm's Snapdragon 670 delivers all of this upgraded performance with lower battery consumption. Battery efficiency is super important for me and it's really great news for OEM's & for you to..
The time which you spend replenishing your batteries will be shortened with the
Snapdragon 670. Qualcomm Quick Charge 4+ allows you achieve 50% battery power in just 15mins...which is just awesome.

Lightning Fast - Connectivity upgrades

As well as improved photography, gaming, battery and charging time. We will also see improved connectivity with the Snapdragon X12 modem. The X12 supports better switching between WiFi & LTE making sure you get optimal speeds wherever you are. With 600 Mbps download speeds and 150Mbps. This makes the Snapdragon 670 twice the speed of it's predecessor.

So with all things considered I think the future is looking bright for Smartphone manufacturers. What will be interesting now, is to see which manufacturer will make the most of the Snapdragon 670 Mobile platform?

Qualcomm were kind enough to fly me out to the MWC 2018! It was an interesting trip. I learnt a lot about Qualcomm and what happens behind the scenes in smartphones. Check out this booth tour hosted by me @WhatGearReview If you enjoyed this video we a have many more just like this SUBSCRIBE now and you will be one of the FINEST subscribers known to Mankind!

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source https://www.whatgear.net/technology/qualcomm-snapdragon-670-review