This Muzzle, Er, Microphone Lets You Swear Around Friends, Family

How far would you go to yell at the internet without disturbing those around you? If you answered, “as far as necessary,” then a company called Shiftall has you covered. Specifically, it will cover your mouth… with a microphone. The company’s upcoming Mutalk microphone fits over your mouth to keep your online rantings quiet. It also looks like a dystopian science fiction nightmare. So, bonus?

Shiftall, which is a subsidiary of Panasonic, pitches the Mutalk as a gaming and VR accessory ready for the metaverse, but it’s really just a fancy wireless microphone. The chassis attaches to the user’s face with straps that look like they should not interfere with VR headsets or headphones. Inside is a microphone that picks up your voice, which is transmitted over Bluetooth to a phone, computer, or headset.

Mutalk is designed to detect when it’s being worn, allowing it to automatically begin broadcasting over Bluetooth. To the person on the other end of the voice chat, you’ll sound normal — maybe even better than usual considering the sound isolation of the Mutalk. To anyone in the room with you, your conversation should be difficult or impossible to overhear. Shiftall says that the Mutalk can lower speech volume in a room by about 30 decibels, ensuring you won’t disturb those around you. Although, I would counter that the visual effect of wearing this thing is nothing if not disturbing.

This gaming accessory, as weird as it may look, is not without precedent. There’s a similar device called a stenomask, which features a microphone inside a soundproof enclosure. Court reporters sometimes use them to make real-time transcriptions in a courtroom so as not to interrupt the proceedings. These devices are usually held in place by hand, but some do have straps that make them more like the Mutalk.

Shiftall first teased this product at CES in early 2022, but the company’s Japanese store is currently accepting reservations to purchase. There’s no movement on the US side, and Shiftall has not confirmed when it will finally be available. On that day, surely, the metaverse will become real.

Continue reading

Report: Microsoft Plans ‘Sweeping Visual Rejuvenation’ of Windows 10

A recent (and now edited) job ad published by Microsoft implies that the company is planning a major UI overhaul this year.

The Semiconductor Shortage Comes for Qualcomm, Sweeps Phone Industry

The 2021 semiconductor shortage is the gift that keeps on giving!

More Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts Detected, With Possible Answer in Sight

These anomalous pulses of energy were discovered in 2007, and a new data set covering hundreds of FRBs is being made available. This could be the advancement that helps us understand FRBs once and for all.

Apple Swears Governments Can’t Co-Opt Its Child Abuse Detection Tools for Surveillance

Apple recently confirmed a report that claimed it was planning to go hunting for illegal materials on iPhones. This, from a company that has long promoted its privacy protections. Condemnation was swift from civil liberties groups, but many have withheld judgment because of Apple's intended target: images of child sexual abuse.