Blue’s Yeti X microphone comes with everything you need to sound like a pro

Blue's microphones have been a popular choice for podcasters and live streamers for years, mostly due to their plug-and-play ease of use. Now the company is aiming to make things even easier with its latest USB mic: the Yeti X. The new $169.99 option...

Microsoft says humans will still transcribe Cortana and Skype audio

Just like seemingly every other major tech company with a voice assistant or voice chat service, it emerged that Microsoft contractors were listening to Skype and Cortana recordings. Apple, Google and Facebook have temporarily halted similar efforts,...

AI avatars of Chinese authors could soon narrate audiobooks

The Chinese search engine Sogou isn't stopping at AI news anchors. The company has created "lifelike" avatars of two Chinese authors, and it plans to have them narrate audiobooks in video recordings. According to the BBC, Sogou used AI, text-to-speec...

Surprise: People are listening to your Google Assistant queries

It's no secret that Google records your conversations with Google Assistant after you say a "wake word." But what you might not know is that Google uses contractors to manually review a handful of those recordings, about 0.2 percent. Yesterday, VRT N...

FTC complaint alleges Amazon’s Echo Dot Kids violates child privacy law

A month after we found out Amazon employees might listen to your Alexa conversations, Amazon is facing more privacy concerns. This time, they have to do with how the company stores data collected by its Echo Dot Kids. Today, a coalition of privacy an...

Blue’s latest microphone gives streamers an XLR option

With the rise of livestreaming, easy-to-use audio gear has become a staple among YouTubers, podcasters and more. Blue has been catering to that group for a while now with its line of plug-and-play USB microphones, but at CES 2019 the company has a ne...

Blue’s Yeti Nano is built for simple, high-quality desktop recording

When it comes to podcasting and livestreaming, USB microphones are a great option due to their plug-and-play design. And perhaps no name is more synonymous with these recording devices than Blue Microphones. The company that's best known for it's pop...