When the Blue Snowball USB mic came out a couple years ago, it grabbed plenty of attention--not only with because of its looks, but also because it was among the first USB microphones to be made by a company that enjoys credibility among pros. But functional as it is--it's been my podcasting mic of choice for the last year or so--the thing can be unwieldy: Its round shape makes it tough to stick into my laptop bag.

Enter Blue's sleek new Snowflake ($79 list). The USB class-compliant mic is designed for plug-and-play operation under both Mac and Windows OS , and is small enough to clip to a laptop, which makes it good for podcasting, teleconferencing, and the like. The Snowflake folds into a pocket-sized case that also carries the included USB cable. When unfolded, the case can serve as a desktop stand or a laptop clip.

Post by Emile Menasché