Accessories

The BOYA Magic is now my go-to mic for everything

Published

October 20, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Microphones turned into essentials during the pandemic. It became impossible — or at least, unprofessional — to hold video calls while sounding like a garbled airport intercom. Personally, I chose the Blue Yeti, an affordable USB mic, for my setup. Times can quickly change, though. A microphone that seems perfect for the pandemic era might not fly as high today. So, when I got the new BOYA Magic, it felt like getting a much-needed patch.

Not a one-hit wonder

The unfortunate aspect of most microphones today is their lack of versatility. A desktop mic, for example, is usually took big to use for an outdoor interview. It’s also too much of a hassle to set up a lapel mic for desktop recording.

That said, the BOYA Magic is a rare specimen. It can be used in four different ways: as a desktop mic, a handheld, a camera accessory, or a clip-on. To be fair, you still need an external accessory to access desktop and camera modes. Still, out of the box, you’re getting a charging case shaped like a handle, a series of receivers, and the mics themselves.

I’ve tried all four modes, and none of them felt like a halfhearted addition. Even the desktop mode, which should look clunky, still feels like it belongs. Both camera and clip-on modes are easy to set up. However, my absolute favorite is the handheld mode. As someone visibly irked at vloggers holding up tiny lapel mics at their interviewee’s faces, the BOYA’s handheld mode feels natural.

All the sleeves you’ll need

Out of the box, the BOYA Magic comes with four sleeves for noise and distortion. The charging case has a foam cover and a furry wind cover. There are also two furry covers for the two transmitters.

These four sleeves are a much-welcome addition to the package. Though they’re not absolute necessities, it’s nice to have windy and noisy situations covered in a pinch.

Besides the sleeves, the package also comes with a series of short cables to cover almost all uses. There’s also three receivers for USB-C, Lightning, and 3.5mm.

Can you believe that these all come inside a small pouch as big as a pencil case? Of course, the most portable option is still just the single charging case that some other brands have. But, for the accessories available, a small pouch is perfect.

Audio quality perfect for vloggers

One of my favorite places to shoot content is inside a café. For most of the products I review, a café is the most applicable place for real-world uses. Unfortunately, staying at a café has its drawbacks. Most notably, a café can get noisy because of chatty patrons and loud coffee machines.

When I shot a video using the BOYA Magic, the world around me just magically disappeared. The AI noise cancellation easily cuts out earsplitting blenders and outside screams. I conferred with our videographer, and he agrees; the mic needed no postproduction to get rid of noise. My voice was captured flawlessly for a full-length video.

It was also enough for desktop use. I tried the mic on for simple voice calls and multiplayer gaming. Installation was easy. Plus, it’s small enough, so I can replace my clunky Blue Yeti for this.

To be fair, placement is still a factor. There were some angles where the audio quality can dip. Then again, it’s light enough to physically pick up and speak directly into the mic. Just be careful not to blow your friends’ eardrums out. That said, this is more than enough for voice calls, podcasting, and casual recording sessions.

Some trouble connecting

There is one tiny thing to note, though. While I was recording something in clip-on mode, the camera I was using had a hard time connecting to both transmitters. It’s an odd contrast to how the BOYA Magic promises a quick and easy setup for devices.

I wasn’t able to replicate this again, so it might just be a one-off. You just need to note that it’s not immune to the occasional gremlin.

Enough for long shoots

Finally, the BOYA Magic promises six hours on a single charge. The charging case further extends this to 30 hours.

This is definitely a just-in-case thing. Under most scenarios, six hours is more than enough for a shooting session. But, if you do find yourself in that influencer life, the entire pack can last an entire days of being out and about. This is an essential for creators.

Is the BOYA Magic your InfluencerMatch?

I love the BOYA Magic. The 4-in-1 mic is easily the most versatile audio solution for any creator. The number of ways to use the mic easily trumps any other option today. Besides being a great mic, the package is also filled with several just-in-case accessories for the unpredictability of outdoor shoots.

Plus, the price is just right. The base package — with only a USB-C receiver — comes at only US$ 89.99. All three will set you back by US$ 129.99. The tripod, unfortunately, is a separate purchase, costing you US$ 30.00.

Still, just for the sheer flexibility and audio quality, the BOYA Magic is an easy Super Swipe.

Accessories

OBSBOT Meet Flip Hands-on

It’s tinier and folds this time

Published

August 14, 2026

Phones flip and fold. Now webcams do too.

Foldable screens have found their way into phones, tablets, and laptops in recent years. Now, OBSBOT is taking that idea in a considerably smaller direction: the webcam.

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is the company’s first foldable 4K webcam packing:

1/2-inch stacked CMOS sensor
intelligent audio
a collection of AI-powered meeting tools

All of these inside a body weighing just 37.7 grams.

A fold that does something, not just a gimmick

The OBSBOT Meet Flip isn’t foldable just to make it easier to throw into a bag.

Closing the webcam physically blocks the lens and puts the device into sleep mode. Open it when you want to be seen, flip it shut when you don’t.

A physical privacy cover isn’t novel in itself. What’s clever here is how it’s part of the folding design.

As someone with a love-hate relationship with data privacy, I almost always keep some physical barrier over my laptop webcam. And if I can avoid having a webcam there entirely, even better.

Serious camera hardware in a pocket-sized webcam

Despite its size, OBSBOT hasn’t treated the Meet Flip like a basic laptop-camera replacement.

Inside is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology, capable of recording 4K UHD at 30 fps or 1080p at 60 fps. It also packs an f/1.8 aperture, HDR, PDAF autofocus, ISO 100–6400, and up to 4x digital zoom.

At its core is a 1/2-inch Exmor RS stacked CMOS sensor with Quad Bayer technology.

It can record:

4K UHD at 30fps
1080p at 60fps

You also get:

f/1.8 aperture
HDR
PDAF autofocus
ISO 100–6400
up to 4x digital zoom

On paper, that gives the Meet Flip a better shot at handling the situations built-in laptop webcams often struggle with: dim rooms, harsh backlighting, changing lighting conditions, or simply moving around in front of the camera.

HDR helps keep faces visible against bright backgrounds, while PDAF autofocus continuously adjusts focus as you move closer to or farther from the lens.

The wider f/1.8 aperture should also help in less-than-ideal lighting.

The point is that once the Meet Flip is set up, you shouldn’t have to spend much time thinking about the camera itself.

It listens differently depending on the room setup

The Meet Flip also uses an intelligent dual-microphone system combining omnidirectional and directional microphones.

Instead of relying on one pickup pattern for every situation, it offers four audio modes for different setups:

Directional Mode focuses on sound coming from the front, making it the obvious choice for solo calls.

Dual-Directional Mode listens to both the front and rear of the webcam, which could be useful for interviews or conversations between two people sitting across from each other.

Smart Omni Mode is designed for group meetings, picking up voices from around the room.

And Pure Audio Mode provides unprocessed left and right stereo channels for users who would rather handle the audio themselves in post-production.

Auto Gain and AI Noise Reduction also work across the first three modes, helping clean up audio without requiring much manual adjustment.

It gives the Meet Flip more flexibility than a typical webcam microphone, especially if you regularly switch between solo calls, interviews, and group meetings.

AI that doesn’t intrude

AI has become an almost obligatory addition to new hardware in 2026, but several of the Meet Flip’s features put it to work on real-world meeting annoyances.

AI Auto Framing keeps you in frame, with options for:

Group
Single Close-up
Upper Body
Full Body

Gesture controls can also toggle Auto Framing or adjust the zoom without reaching for a keyboard or mouse.

More interesting is AI Magic Notes.

Through OBSBOT Center, it provides real-time transcription and can automatically generate meeting summaries with key points, decisions, and action items. It works across Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

Although AI Magic Notes is offered as a subscription service, every Meet Flip includes 120 complimentary minutes to get started.

MORE with OBSBOT Center & OBSBOT Live

There are plenty of other software features as well. OBSBOT Center includes:

Background Blur and Background Replacement
Real-Time Beauty Mode
Picture-in-Picture overlays
Smart Eye Tracking
Teleprompter support
Detailed image adjustments

The Meet Flip isn’t limited to laptops or desktops either. Through OBSBOT Live, it can connect directly to smartphones and tablets over USB-C for mobile streaming and content creation.

Flip it open. Fold it away.

None of those features reinvent the webcam on their own.

Taken together, though, they make the Meet Flip a more thoughtful take on a piece of hardware whose basic design and features have barely changed.

The flip may grab your attention first, but it’s how OBSBOT uses that design alongside its camera, audio, and software features that makes the Meet Flip interesting.

The OBSBOT Meet Flip is now available at US$ 119 and is currently available through OBSBOT’s official store, Amazon US, and select retailers.

Accessories

England, Wales start banning Meta Glasses

The smart glasses are now banned in courtrooms.

Published

August 12, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Earlier this year, New York became the first state to issue a blanket ban against smart glasses in courtrooms. The new regulation marks one of the first public spaces to prevent the contentious devices. Now, England and Wales are following suit in their courtrooms by banning Meta glasses inside.

As reported by The Guardian, courtrooms in both countries will confiscate Meta Glasses from those taking them into the building. Owners can retrieve them again upon exit.

Like the decision in New York, the English and Welsh bans are simple enough to follow. As it is everywhere, it’s forbidden to record video inside courtrooms in England and Wales. Because Meta Glasses have cameras (and are primarily used for their video capturing capabilities), they fall under prohibited items.

Notably, smartphones are not included on this list, despite having sizable cameras themselves. Although, to be fair, it’s much more difficult to discreetly record video using a smartphone. Smart glasses pride themselves with the ability to take videos seamlessly.

Meta Glasses are having such a moment today. Though some users, especially creators, are excited for them, a significant chunk of the population is concerned over their ability to take videos without subjects knowing they’re being recorded. Some users have even found ways to disable the built-in LED indicators which should, in theory, warn the public that the glasses are recording. It’s since turned into a privacy nightmare.

Accessories

Spotlight: MemoMind One

How “smart” are AI glasses without cameras in it?

Published

August 7, 2026

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

What if smart glasses could make you more present instead of recording everything around you? Check out MemoMind or back it up on Kickstarter.

After spending time with the MemoMind One around New York City, THE Michael Josh wanted to answer one question: Do smart glasses actually become more useful when they stop trying to be a camera?

In this video, we take a look at the MemoMind One — a new pair of AI-powered smart glasses that take a very different approach.