A lot of people now split their recording time between on-location and studios, which for many people means buying two separate audio interfaces. Also, despite the fact that their needs are simple, they often wind up with interfaces that either don’t do quite what they need or, at the opposite extreme, are complete overkill. That’s why Mackie’s new Satellite Firewire Recording System looks appealing. It was introduced at NAMM in January, but it’s now available with a really low price: US$519.99 retail.

Here’s the idea: the interface is split into a docking station and mobile FireWire interface, so you can eliminate cable replugging and carry only what you need.

This week's Gizmodo installment from me highlights the Smart AV console,
the intelligent control surface shown at AES and appearing again next
month at NAMM. If you haven't seen this yet, it's a futuristic computer DAW control surface that uses touch-sensitive and
light-sensitive surfaces to allow a limited number of physical channel
strips to virtually access many more. The inventor is a former
magician. Sure, it costs up to $150,000. But it's also a marvel of
interface design, worth observing for anyone working with interactivity
and control surfaces or just interested in a glimpse of the future. See
the Gizmodo story for more details.