(Westlake Village, California – June 4, 2009) – Blue Microphones (www.bluemic.com), a leading innovator in consumer electronics technology and design, today announced that it was honored with the Best New Product: Hardware Peripheral award at RetailVision Europe 2009 from Vision Events (a division of United Business Media). The awards are a proven springboard to increased brand awareness and product credibility in the consumer retail channel.

Blue Microphones showcased their latest innovative consumer products at RetailVision 2009 – the Mikey, a portable iPod recorder microphone, and the Eyeball, an HD audio and video portable Webcam. Nominated by the attendees at the event, Blue Microphones received the Best Product: Hardware award.

Mikey is a plug-and-play CD-quality microphone for the iPod that makes recording lectures, voice notes, live music and interviews simple from any angle. Mikey’s adjustable recording sensitivity allows you to crisply capture anything from a pin drop to a rock concert. Recordings are easily synced through iTunes for easy editing, posting on the Web, or sharing with others. Instantly compatible with the iPod 5G, iPod Classic and iPod Nano 2G, 3G and 4G, you can record your world with Mikey.

Eyeball is the world’s first USB Webcam to deliver CD-quality audio and outstanding HD quality video, making it perfect for instant messaging and video conferencing. Eyeball features Blue's superior quality condenser capsule, a camera-off privacy position with an innovative lens that pops-in and out to prevent accidental broadcasts, a unique, highly-portable design, and driverless, plug-and-play installation on Windows or Mac.

The "Best of RetailVision Awards" are voted on by 100 attending retail executives who represent leading retail chains in Europe. After two days of boardroom presentations and one-on-one meetings, the retailers vote on the products and services presented at the show.

The awards were presented at RetailVision Europe 2009, the premier European event for the retail channel which took place last week in Berlin. RetailVision Europe has been the recognized leader in bringing together established and emerging vendors with top retailers for over 10 years.

"We are honored to receive the award for Best Product Award from the retail executives who attended RetailVison 2009," said Skipper Wise, President of Blue Microphones. "This award recognizes Blue’s efforts to build on the success of our professional audio products by changing the game for portable digital recording and personal broadcasting. The executives at RetailVision not only recognized the superior quality of Blue’s consumer electronics, but also the versatility that Mikey and Eyeball can provide to anyone with an iPod or computer. Blue’s sense of style and commitment to superior sound have reinvented these markets."
 

Best New Technology Award at RetailVision 2009

 

Blue Microphones (www.bluemic.com), a leading innovator in consumer electronics technology and design, today announced that it was honored with the Best New Technology award at RetailVision 2009 from Everything Channel (a division of United Business Media).

 

The awards are a proven springboard to increased brand awareness and product credibility in the consumer retail channel.

 

Blue Microphones showcased their latest innovative consumer products at RetailVision 2009 – the Mikey, a portable iPod recorder microphone, and the Eyeball, an HD audio, portable Webcam. Nominated by the attendees at the event, Blue Microphones received the Best New Technology award.

 

Mikey is a plug-and-play CD-quality microphone for the iPod that makes recording lectures, voice notes, live music and interviews simple from any angle. Mikey’s adjustable recording sensitivity allows you to crisply capture anything from a pin drop to a rock concert.  Recordings are easily synced through iTunes for easy editing, posting on the Web, or sharing with others. Instantly compatible with the iPod 5G, iPod Classic and iPod Nano 2G, 3G and 4G, you can record your world with Mikey.

 

Eyeball is the world’s first USB Webcam to deliver CD-quality audio and outstanding HD quality video, making it perfect for instant messaging and video conferencing. Eyeball features Blue's superior quality condenser capsule, a camera-off privacy position with an innovative lens that pops-in and out to prevent accidental broadcasts, a unique, highly-portable design, and driverless, plug-and-play installation on Windows or Mac.

 

The "Best of RetailVision Awards" are voted on by the over 150 attending retail executives who represent 100 retail chains in the United States, Canada and Latin America who buy over $60 billion worth of products each year.  After two days of boardroom presentations and one-on-one meetings, the retailers vote on the products and services presented at the show.

 

The awards were presented at RetailVision Spring 2009, the premier global event for the retail channel which took place last week in Boca Raton, FL.  RetailVision has been the recognized leader in bringing together established and emerging vendors with top retailers for nearly 20 years.

 

"We are honored to receive the award for Best New Technology from the retail executives who attended RetailVison 2009," said Skipper Wise, President of Blue Microphones. "This award recognizes Blue’s efforts to build on the success of our professional audio products by changing the game for portable digital recording and personal broadcasting. The executives at RetailVision not only recognized the superior quality of Blue’s consumer electronics, but also the versatility that Mikey and Eyeball can provide to anyone with an iPod or computer. Blue’s sense of style and commitment to superior sound have reinvented these markets." 

Blue Microphones offers $200 rebate on award-winning active ribbon microphone
for a limited time

Blue Microphones, a leading innovator in microphone technology and design, is offering $200 cash back on purchases of their award-winning Woodpecker Microphone between May 1 and July 31, 2009.

Purchase any number of Woodpecker microphones between May 1st and July 31, 2009 from an Authorized Blue retailer within the US and Canada and become eligible to receive  $200 cash back per microphone directly from Blue. Purchase one mic to capture every essence of a vocal or acoustic guitar performance. Purchase a pair to capture the intimate detail of the room and get $400 cash back. Purchase more to mic up an entire band or percussion set-up, and qualify for even more cash back.

The Woodpecker combines the low noise and superb detail of Blue's renowned Class-A discrete handmade
electronics with the bold sound of a handmade aluminum ribbon pressure-gradient transducer. Woodpecker’s
active ribbon provides all the warmth of a traditional ribbon microphone while retaining the true high-end of a
condenser microphone. It’s designed to be highly durable and deliver the wide frequency response needed for modern digital recording. With its focused mid-range, ultra-smooth top end and outstanding bass response, the Woodpecker captures the essence of any recorded sound, and excels at ambient recording, capturing room tone with the most intimate detail.

The Woodpecker’s gorgeous exotic wood finish, gold trim, custom shock-mount and cherry wood storage box
make it the ideal centerpiece of any recording studio.
      
For complete details and requirements, please visit your local authorized Blue Microphone retailer or visit http://www.bluemic.com.

About Blue Microphones
Headquartered in Westlake Village, California Blue Microphones is commonly referenced as "the microphone
company of today" because of their unique philosophy— to meld the lessons of the past with the technology of today, leading to continuous innovation in the field of audio recording. In short, Blue does not imitate the past— they improve upon it. Blue has an award-winning line of microphones and accessories and is recognized as one of the top brands in the industry. Recently, Blue launched a new line of products targeted at the consumer mass market, including Mikey, a recording device made for the iPod, and Eyeball, the world’s first HD audio/video webcam. For more information, please visit bluemic.com.

Some of the biggest names in music, both on the creative and business side convened at the event to share their knowledge and expertise at the premier conference for songwriters, composers and producers. Cakewalk, which produces music production software and prefer to showcase Blue Microphones, set up "The Teaching Studio," which allowed manufacturers to contribute equipment to a recording facility built on site. Blue Microphones was the featured mic at "The Teaching Studio." This facility was used by notable producers and engineers who taught master classes throughout the event using Blue Microphones. Afterwards, there was an opportunity for signage and "take away" promotional materials including Blue’s Mouse and Bluebird mics in the studio.

The Gaslight Anthem's Brian Fallon used Blue Microphone’s Kiwi mic during his recent performance at SPIN Magazine’s NY City office.

Fallon opened with an acoustic cover of the Minnesota indie band's "Left of the Dial," from 1985's Tim. Blue Microphone’s transformer less solid-state Kiwi mic and Pop Filter enhanced The Gaslight Anthem’s vocalist/guitarists’ rough-hewn vocals. Check out Fallon's performance, as well as acoustic renditions of "The '59 Sound" and "Old White Lincoln," from the Gaslight Anthem's 2008 sophomore effort, at: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid18731182001?bclid=18673417001&bctid=18732784001. Thank you SPIN for choosing Blue Microphones.

The event features a combination of the recording industry’s biggest stars and most-promising unsigned talent. Staged at ESSO Nightclub, headliners for the highly-anticipated night of music were Nas, Trey Songz and Novel, while DJ Khaled hosted the event. Hopefuls from all corners of the US vied for a chance to display their skills in front of Atlanta’s influential, superstar-spotting music community, and the showcase finalists were chosen by a group of top BMI songwriters, producers and industry executives from over 300 submissions. The contenders included songwriting Ryn Nicole; showman Kameron Corvet; MC Rain; and R&B artists 718. Blue Microphones condenser Bluebird mic went to the R&B group 718, who wowed the judges with their unique sound. Runner-ups all received Snowballs. Blue Microphones congratulates the final four for making it to the finals, and best of luck to 718 with their new Bluebird microphone.

The event is the world's leading trade fair for musical-instruments, music software, computer hardware, sheet music and accessories. It's Europe's answer to NAMM, so manufacturers save many of their best product introductions for the event. For the four days of the fair, manufacturers, dealers and professional, semi-professional and amateur musicians meet in Frankfurt am Main to discover the latest product innovations. Blue Microphones displayed its wide range of user-friendly microphones including the Snowball and Mikey.

This year, Austin welcomed Blue Microphones to the 23rd annual SXSW Music Conference where 2,000 artists from 49 countries showcased their latest music to 160,000 attendees. Blue made a big impression at top venues including The Gibson showroom, Studio SX, the Gibson tour-bus and the Myspace Music Showcase.

Known as the microphone company of today for its focus on digital recording, Artists, Industry Insiders and Music Enthusiasts from around the world experienced Blue’s unparalleled sound quality.

Blue, Gibson, Myspace and LP33.tv brought artists and festival goers even closer to their products through demonstrations, recording opportunities and live concerts.

Blue also introduced the music community to their latest and greatest product, MIKEY, the award winning new recorder for the iPod.

Make sure to check out our videos
 

Extreme Makeover Home Edition recently reached out to Blue Microphones in October of this past year to participate in Show #616 which aired on February 27th, 2009 and renovated the home of the Augustin family. One of the quarters being renovated was a music room that was transformed into a state-of-the-art recording studio featuring a sound-proof vocal booth. The microphone of choice was Blue’s Snowball Mic, which is the world’s first professional USB microphone. Snowball was ideal for the house because of its easy-to-use capability that delivers pro audio results. Whether the Augustin family wanted to record music via GarageBand, podcast, use Skype or add narratives to movies, no other USB mic has the fidelity or features that make the Snowball the finest plug n’ play mic available. Thanks Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for choosing Blue Microphones!

At the MySpace Cafe, various actors were spotted creating profiles that enable them to communicate directly with their fans using Blue Microphones Eyeball and Snowball.

 

MySpace Cafe was an official media partner of The Sundance Lift at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and all the stars flocked to the cafe on a daily basis for great food, good company, and of course Blue Microphones. The MySpace Café welcomed actors, filmmakers, and industry players to get warm from the freezing temperatures and enjoy delicious food, conduct interviews, and for all to experience Blue Microphones Eyeball Webcam with a built-in microphone in a user-friendly environment. The venue hosted several exciting activities where visitors tried MySpace Karaoke via Blue Microphones, and are provided the opportunity to update their MySpace profile pages by utilizing one of the multiple HP computers stationed in the MySpace Café. Celebs like Method Man, Ben Affleck, Ashley Judd, Ashton Kutcher, DJ AM, Nicky Hilton, Brittany Snow, Michelle Trachtenberg, Liam Neeson and Twilight star Kristen Stewart, among many others stopped by the hotspot.

On Nov. 22, the carrier’s first Wi-Fi enabled plane will circle the skies above San Francisco and a segment of the YouTube live show will be streamed from 35,000 feet to the event on the ground and on-line. Flight guests received the Snowflake, the world’s first portable USB mic.
"Virgin America is harnessing the best in technology and design to reinvent flying, by giving our guests A-list amenities and more control – with features like the unrivalled content platform on our touch-screen Red™ system, seat-to-seat chat, and power outlets at every seat," said Virgin America Vice President of Marketing Porter Gale. "YouTube has revolutionized the way people connect, inspire and entertain and YouTube Live offers the perfect opportunity to launch a whole new platform for communicating – our inflight Wi-Fi service."
 

On Nov. 6, Blue Microphones hosted an invite-only event at the Gibson/Baldwin Showroom in Beverly Hills featuring performances by Chris Pierce, The Daylights and Mateo to showcase five new products for consumers and audio professionals.

This Intel Sponsored event, attracted musicians Don Felder of The Eagles, Rami Jaffe and Jessy Greene of Foo Fighters, Matt Sorum of Velvet Revolver (formerly of Guns n Roses), Billy Morrison (The Cult), Ryan Starr (American Idol), Billy Duffy of Circus Diablo (formerly of The Cult), and numerous music industry producers including: Les Camacho (Pink Floyd/The Killers), Greg Looper (Tom Petty) Khaliq Glover (Herbie Hancock) and Tom McCauley (BackStreet Boys) to name a few. Other sponsors included: Gibson Guitars, Myspace Records, Skull Candy, Budweiser and Tito’s Vodka. IN n Out Burger catered the event throughout the evening.

Producer Tom McCauley recorded the three artists using Blue's recently launched pro audio gear just one week before the November event at Blue's Studio in Westlake Village. These artists were the very first to record with Blue's newly released products: Chris Pierce recorded "Walkin' on the Earth" with the Icicle and Bottle into Garageband, The Daylights used the Bottle Rocket Stage One to record "Don't Look Down" and Mateo used the Bottle Rocket Stage 2 to record "Just Get to Know Me". Producer/Engineer Les Camacho recorded and mixed the live tracks from the night of the event using Blue's Kiwi & Bottle Rocket Stage One & Two on vocals, the Blueberry on guitars, Woodpecker on Bass, Mouse on Percussions and Dragonfly on kick and overheads. Enjoy the recordings!

Blue Microphones hosted the first ever Sound Art event at Hollywood’s famous Viper Room on September 18th, 2008.

 

It was its first event and a smashing success. Sound Art provides an outlet for children desperate for self-expression, engaging children of all ages in musical education. The project gives under-privileged kids the tools of popular music and the guidance of professional musicians as instructors. With Sound Art, students awaken creativity, discover their voices and experience success in underserved urban neighborhoods. Blue Artist Ferras was the headliner and his uplifting, positive sound was a moving force of the event. Around $1270 was raised for charity on the raffle.

Libby Umstead said, "That was truly a magical evening. I am so inspired by everyone's love and enthusiasm and I can't express enough how honored I am to be part of such an amazing movement. There is nothing greater that finding and being part of a group of passionate people with a common goal, a common hope, and a common dream. Together there is nothing we can't accomplish...can't WAIT to start thinking of and planning the next one!"

Catherine Goldwyn said, "Speaking as one who has tried for years to get a group of people to understand Sound Art's mission and vision, (the event) was a success like none we've had so far! It's exactly the energy I've been looking for and have only found in the kids themselves and the instructors. It's about FUN and PASSION. Thank you and I definitely feel like the Universe is gathering the FORCE for Sound Art. But, the combination of that and the amazing fun and good will that was in the crowd is what it's all about!"

 

The gifting Lounge was designed to gift BMI’s biggest urban artists who were taking part in this year’s 2008 BMI Urban Music Awards. Blue prominently displayed their marquee studio mics, (Bottle, Woodpecker, Kiwi & Cactus) in addition to handing out Snowballs to the artists. In fact, we allowed artists to demo our snowball mic and the response was immense. Aside from Blue, the Suite featured products from companies such as Ed Hardy, Sean Jean Apparel, Smartwater and Karl Kani. The celebrities gifted included Janet Jackson, the Jackson 5, Ray J, Mario, Soulja Boy and T-Pain, to name a few.

The Music Lounge Presented by Metromix.com is a three-day "VIP + Artist retreat" exclusive to artists and select attendees of the Lollapalooza festival.

Artists and guests attending The Music Lounge Presented by Metromix.com on the fourth floor of the hotel enjoyed using Blue Microphones Icicle. In addition to stopping by a live tattoo parlor to get some ink, guests jammed out to Guitar Hero or live music by NYC’s DJ Jesse Marco with sound provided by Cerwin-Vega. Artists also chatted with Metromix.com’s National Music Editor Andy Hermann and Diesel at Diesel: U: Music Studio.
 

For three days, the entire 3rd floor of the Standard Hotel Downtown was converted into gifting suites with products from Blue Microphones. Models brought around and introduced the gift recipients, and we spoke with them about our products and gave them a Snowball or a Snowflake. We did live demos and tutorials, and informed them of the many applicable uses for our USB Mics, including podcasting, recording music, narration and voice over, VOiP software, Myspace Karaoke, and even running lines. Eli Manning, Ray Allen, Questlove, Vernon Davis, and Jesse McCartney all showed up. Athlete and celebrity guests absolutely fell in love with Blue Microphones' "Snowflake" USB Microphone.

The Esquire House offers a core concept dubbed, "the ultimate bachelor pad." As computers increasingly become tools for audio and video communications, the bachelor pad has a lineup of high-performance devices from Blue Microphones that ensure perfect clarity in a stylish package. Merging intellectual design with state-of-the-art engineering, Blue Microphones has redefined the world of video conferencing and home recording. On display in the Esquire House was an array of high-tech products beginning with the diminutive Snowflake. The Snowflake is perfect for podcasting, voice-recognition software, iChat, and VoIP software such as Skype and Vonage and can be used for dictation, conference or field recording, and narration for PowerPoint presentations. It’s even great for recording music via GarageBand and other multi-track recording software. A new sister product – pertinently named the Eyeball – adds a camera for video-conferencing capability. On top of these dynamic products, Blue Microphones’ Snowball is the world’s first professional-grade USB mic, and while ideal for podcasting, it can handle everything from soft vocals to the loudest garage band.