CES 2019

You have the creative drive, you have the outgoing personality, you have the spikey haircut, you have a phone. If only you had the equipment, you could be a famous vlogger. Fear not. Shure can provide that.

Shure unveiled the MV88+ Video Kit, an all-in-one smartphone vlogging rig. Sure, your smartphone can take 4K videos, but you know what? You can always spot an amateur vlog by its lousy sound quality. Shure overcomes that problem wih the MV88+. If you know the Shure lineup, you already know about the MV88, their quality stereo condenser microphone.

The MV88+ kit includes that mic, along with a Manfrotto Pixi tripod, phone holder, headphone jack (for monitoring audio) and USB-C to Micro-USB, and Lightning to Micro-USB cables for connecting to an iOS or Android phone. The MV88 microphone must be powered and this juice must come from your phone. Apple's Lightning port supplies this, but check Shure's compatibility chart to make sure your Android phone can power the USB-C audio cable.

Voila! The quality of your YouTube videos and podcasts just went up a notch. The relatively heavy tripod gives you stability and it can also be grasped for handheld shots. You can even choose stereo recording, along with various DSP modes and apps (such as Shure Motiv Video and Audio Recording) that let you dial in pro audio quality.

The entire kit slides into an included neoprene sleeve that rolls up with a Velcro strap. The phone holder is big enough to accommodate biggies like the iPhone XS Max and Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus. Note that there is no gimbal accessory. Price is $249. A small sum for becoming a social media influencer.