The FCC finally announced (warning: pdf link) that they’ve given Broadway theaters, churches and others using wireless microphones until June 10 to vacate the 700 mHz band. Users have until that date to find another spectrum home for their microphones (or a new microphone), and the FCC has ruled that no new microphones that use the band can be sold. Users who’ve purchased microphones in the band can head to a new FCC website or this FAQ for help.

The agency is freeing the spectrum so it can be used for both emergency communications and fourth generation wireless broadband service.

Link to the original article…

Edutige [ site here ] launched its high-sensitivity mini condenser microphone ‘ETM-007′ dedicated to iPhone, iPod Touch/Nano/Classic, and MacBook products. Equipped with high-sensitivity omni-directional microphones, the ETM-007 delivers ultra-high sensitivity -23dB.

Link to the original article…

Hallods [ site here ] released its 4.3-inch PMP F43 in Japan market, which is compatible Windows Me/2000/XP/Vista/7 OS. Equipped with built-in microphone and speaker, the F43 features 8GB memory, microSD/SDHC slot, music/video playback, photo viewer and voice recorder functions. Measuring 75×113×13mm at 140g, it offers up to 4 hours of video playing and 10 hours of music playing time. Suggested price is 18,900 JPY, with the remote controller and earphones included.

Pretty much “yet another PMP”.

Link to the original article…

With Sennheiser’s “My Song” contest, the spotlight is on you-and your original song. Now through March 31, 2009, high school students can enter to win a free 10-piece, professional-grade Sennheiser evolution microphone kit and a spot in an upcoming Sennheiser ad! What’s more, you’ll also be featured on the Sennheiser Artist site alongside such performers as Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Paramore!

To enter, visit www.sennheiserusa.com/MySong and hit the “click to enter” button. You’ll need to submit a direct link to your original song (which can be uploaded to sites like YouTube or MySpace) along with the title of your track. The five best songs will be chosen by a panel of secret judges. The lucky grand-prize winner will be selected by one of your favorite Sennheiser-endorsed artists!

The 10-piece evolution microphone kit includes everything you need to mic a full band: two e 835 vocal mics, one e 609 SILVER guitar amp mic, one e 602 II bass drum mic, three e 604 tom/snare mics and two e 614 instrument condenser mics.

I can’t even get a decent score on Guitar Hero, but I’m sure some of you more musically inclined types should definitely try it out.

Who knows… we might be waiting 14+ years for your CD too!

I would say that the development of Skype for the iPod Touch will only be a matter of time. The iPhone Skype software will need a few modifications to function in the iPod Touch environment, but if the hardware capability exists, you can bet people are going to make use of it. Depending on how easily other mobile Skype software can be adapted to the Touch, I would say that we could see it within the next six months.

People have been speculating about this sort of thing for over a year, but it is the next generation Touch that has made it an inevitability. There were hacks to incorporate a microphone on the original Touch, but to get the mainstream support that would motivate developers to produce the software, it needs to have native capability – as that provides the potential market to make it worthwhile. Voice over IP capability would be a selling point in its own right and would attract buyers that might not otherwise be prepared to buy an MP3 player, or for that matter, an iPhone. [Various Sources]

Link to the original article…