How to get audio data from the Macbook microphone?

Question

I am looking to write a small audio processing program, and I need some way to get audio input from the microphone in a Macbook.

Buffer polling? Notifications? What class/framework should I be aware of?

Answer 1

Use Core Audio: http://developer.apple.com/mac/library/documentation/MusicAudio/Conceptual/CoreAudioOverview/Introduction/Introduction.html

Answer 2

one of the easiest ways is with audio queues. its fairly abstracted, with a fair bit of doco and examples, simpler than delving into audio units, and the depths of core audio.

here is the official link.