VoiceRecorder
Latest
The best tech for honor students
Look, not everyone is cut out for late nights of drinking and playing DJ for groups of frat kids. Some would prefer to campout in the library until the wee hours of the morning studying and poring over notes and lectures. Of course, the days of pen, paper and microfiche are pretty much over at this point. You need powerful, digital tools like an Evernote subscription to help organize all your notes from class. And there's nothing like a solid voice recorder to document all those early morning classes before you're fully caffeinated. Of course you'll also need the basics, like a backpack and a laptop. But, you might also want to invest in a portable energy light to help keep you awake and fight off bouts of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) when you're spending 90 percent of your day indoors. Check out the gallery below for all our best bookworm picks and make sure to check out our full Back-to-School Guide right here.
The best voice recorder
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the full article here. After 36 hours of research, testing eight different devices in a number of real-world settings and then playing the audio we collected to a four-person blind listening panel to evaluate its sound quality, we've determined that the best audio recorder for taping meetings, lectures, and interviews is the $100 Sony ICD-UX533. It recorded the most intelligible and truest-to-life sound clips of all the recorders we tested. It's easily pocketable and its intuitive, easy-to-press function buttons combined with a legible, backlit screen gave it the best user interface out of all the models in our test group.
Grundig Digta 7 stakes claim as world's first Bluetooth dictation device, period, line break
Grundig reckons its customers still prefer "dictating with a professional dictation device," rather than merely "recording" themselves with a smartphone. Say what? Nevertheless, the company's new Digta 7 Premium BT voice recorder does embrace modernity in its own particular way, by sharing files wirelessly at up to 30 feet with Bluetooth-equipped smartphones and PCs. A Blackberry app is also in the works that will allow the customized routing of audio files via email. No official word on pricing, or when the app will be available, but our secretary tells us that the device is already selling in the UK for a stutter-inducing £500 ($800). We're still looking for justification in the PR, after the break.
iRiver's T9 is the affectionate, all-purpose MP3 player your inner schoolgirl always wanted (video)
Been searching for an MP3 player that can do it all, including whisper sweet nothings in your ear? Behold the iRiver T9, a slim, Barbie pink number with screen savers that say, "I love you" and "enjoy your life." For such a gimmicky device, it actually offers a healthy feature set, including an FM radio, voice recorder, step and calorie counters, a built-in USB connector, and the ability to shake to skip. Too bad the storage taps out at a puny 4GB. No word on pricing, but for now you can peep a less patronizing color palette in the gallery below and head past the break to play a game sweeping the Engadget staff: "spot the MP3 player in the video of dancing schoolgirls." %Gallery-124097%
Franklin AnyBook brings timeshifting to the voice recorder world, thinks of the children
Hello there, Franklin -- sort of forgot you existed in the consumer electronics realm. Our bad. But being frank, we're pretty stoked about your newest educational tool, and we get the feeling that parents everywhere will be as well. The AnyBook digital pen is a voice recorder at heart, but it's actually far more unique underneath. Put simply (or as simply as possible), parents can record their own voices as they read aloud the favorite books of their offspring, placing a special sticker on each page as a marker and denoting page turns by pressing a button on the pen. Then, if the child(ren) wish to hear mum or dad read the text aloud in the future (say, while at daycare), they simply tap the pen to the aforementioned stickers and a familiar voice comes belting through. Think of it as comfort food for your tyke, but in aural form. The October-bound AnyBook will ship in two flavors: the DRP-3000 holds up to 15 hours of voice for $39.99, while the DRP-4000 holds 60 hours of soothing, loving words for $59.99. Touches your heart, doesn't it?
GE's early 20th century pallophotophone recorder decoded, Thomas Edison speech uncovered
In 1922, General Electric developed a machine for recording audio called the pallophotophone, which recorded sound on 35mm film. It is thought to be the world's first multitrack recording system (and it predated magnetic tape multitrack recording by about 20 years). The device never really made it to the big time, however, and until very recently, almost no one bothered to think about it anymore. Then Chris Hunter, curator of the Schenectady Museum in Schenectady, New York discovered 12 canisters of the film in his archives. Though none of GE's original pallophotophone machines seem to have survived, current GE engineer Russ DeMuth became involved in the project, and spent two years building a modern pallophotophone based on GE's original sketches, out of modern materials, dubbing the new one the Gizmotron. The modern device plays the original films just fine, and included in their canisters were a couple of real gems -- what's thought to be the earliest recording of the NBC chimes, and a speech given by Thomas Edison commemorating the 50th anniversary of the invention of the incandescent lightbulb. A photo of the modern Gizmotron and its inventors is below -- hit up the source for the full story and hear the Edison audio.
Sanyo's ICR-PS605RM Xacti stereo recorder features six mics... for recording lots of stuff
Sure, you can have your little voice recorders if you like, but when you're ready to seriously up your game you have to talk to Sanyo. Indeed, the kids from Osaka have really gone and done it this time with their ICR-PS605RM Xacti stereo recorder. This bad boy features six microphones in a W-XY configuration, including an omni-directional stereo pair, an XY directional pair, and two directional mics for recording frequencies higher than 20,000Hz. Between this and its support for up to 96kHz / 24bit / 40,000Hz PCM sound files, we think that we can safely say that your extensive field recordings of Appalachian folksingers will sound better than ever (or, if you'd rather record MP3s, they have that covered as well). Also on tap is 4GB internal memory and a microSDHC slot. No word on a price, but you can look forward to seeing this one make its debut in Japan come April. Get a closer look at the break.
iSaidWhat?! lets you put a twist on words
Arguments happen, words are thrown, and words are sometimes misconstrued. "Stop putting words in my mouth!", someone might say to you. With Tapparatus's iSaidWhat?! [iTunes link], now you can put words in someone else's mouth. Well, sort of. In addition to serving as a basic voice recorder, iSaidWhat?! also allows you to cut and rearrange audio snippets. Take the following interaction between Jerry and Dorothy: Jerry: I love you. You complete me. If I had just... Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at hello. You had me at hello. Using iSaidWhat?!, you could break down recorded audio into blocks of words or into individual words. So, the above conversation can rearranged into the following: Jerry: You love me. I complete you. Dorothy: Shut up. Just shut up. The app is very polished and a delight to use. Users are presented with two tabs, one a list of their recordings and the other a list of their arrangements. A snappy and intuitive interface allows you to mark in- and out-points; and after you've completed marking these points, you're asked what you'd like to name it. After completing an audio compilation, you can share it with the world. The app allows you to share your creation via email (which it encodes as a .wav file), over the network, Facebook and Twitter. iSaidWhat?! is available for purchase at the iTunes store for USD $1.99.
Cydle P29A spices up mundane spec sheet with Mobile TV capabilities
Well, it seems like South Korean companies aren't fooling around when it comes to getting us riding that newly minted Mobile TV bandwagon. In the wake of LG announcing its first Mobile DTV devices this morning comes Cydle with the P29A PMP. It sports a 2.9-inch touchscreen (see what they did there?), an accelerometer for automatic reorientation, a world clock, and voice recording via a built-in mic. That's a somewhat disappointing goodie list, considering the currently available HD radio-playing P29H (pictured for illustration purposes) also has GPS onboard. Still, you can snap up the A model in Q2 2010 for $199, which seems like a keen price when compared to the $499 Mobile DTV car tuner we've seen before.
Sony joins 1,000-hour recording club with IDC-UX300
You really don't know how many voice recorders there are out there until you actually look. Sony's UX line of dictation takers / mp3 players has just undergone a gentle revamp with a freshened up control scheme and a bump in integrated storage. The new base model, UX200, will come with 2GB of flash memory, while the 4GB UX300 and 300F (both capable of more than 1,000 hours of recording) are differentiated only by the FM radio availalble in the latter. All models record in stereo mp3 format with added noise cancellation built in, while playback can be done at 21 different speed steps, allowing you to keep track of all the Scatman John wannabes out there. Battery life is rated at up to 15 hours for continuous recording, or north of 80 for continuous playback. Expect to see these showing up, in all their classy color options, in Europe early next month, and check past the break for the full PR.
XA-LM1 LessonMaster audio recorder throws a guitar tuner, microSD card reader into the mix
Voice recorders always seem like no-brainer gifts for musicians, but sound quality (in all but the pricier units) is generally pretty lacking, and lets be honest here -- rarely do you find yourself humming a tune that doesn't turn out to be something you heard on a TV commercial. But what do we know -- maybe you're the next Don Fagan, and you need a high quality recorder at hand whenever and wherever inspiration may strike. JVC Japan has given this some thought, it seems, and they've gone and packed the XA-LM1 LessonMaster stereo mics, a digital audio recorder supporting either PCM wave files (48kHz/16bit) or MP3s (up to 192KB), 2GB microSD card, 23mm speaker, metronome, and a chromatic tuner. Unless you can read Japanese the tuner might be of limited use to you, but then again this could be a good excuse to learn. Look for it in early October for around ¥26,250 (€195). [Via Engadget Japanese]
Sony's PCM-M10 digital audio recorder brings pro quality to laypeople, Southern Californians
Remember when Sony outed its PCM-D1 digital audio recorder and charged $2,000 for it with a straight face? Even today, the aforementioned player (along with the still-pricey PCM-D50) stands as one of the best in the sector, but Sony has just introduced the newest PCM unit with an equally impressive specs list and a price tag that even the amateur can swallow. Over in Nashville, the outfit has busted out the PCM-M10, which goes down as the least expensive flash-based recorder from Sony "capable of recording 96kHz/24-bit stereo audio using either the internal condenser mics or an external mic / line input." There's 4GB of built-in memory, a Memory Stick Micro slot and a (gasp!) microSD compartment. Sony also tossed in a built-in speaker, a 5-second pre-recording buffer, digital limiter and the ability to record directly to MP3. The Seth and Ryan-approved recorder should ship this October for $399, and you can catch a glimpse now by peeking the video just past the break.[Via Brad Linder]
Mintpass's mintpad set to freshen up the pockets of American gadget lovers soon
The mintpad looks at first like a little pale runt of a PMP, but inside it's just dying to show you all it can do -- scheduler, camera, chat device, music player, video player, voice recorder, even web browser with flash support. Perhaps most importantly, though, it's finally set for official export out of South Korea. The WiFi device is currently undergoing translation and localization for a number of regions, including the US, work that is set to be completed sometime in the April showers to May flowers time frame. If it can ship here at the $150 price point that it goes for at home, it could be a hit. We can't wait to get our hands on one, but for the moment will have to get by watching the twitchy guy in the video after the break play with his.
Mini microphone spruces up voice recording possibilities on iPhone / iPods
Not that this is the very first microphone designed to function with Apple's iPhone or anything, but it's certainly amongst the cheapest and most universal that we've seen. The Mini Microphone reportedly plays nice with the iPhone 3G, iPod touch and iPod nano, giving 'em all that extra special voice recording oomph that's so badly needed. The best part(s)? It's only $14.99, and it's barely bigger than a valve stem cover to boot.[Thanks, Junior]
Samsung's YP-VP1 voice recorder with VoicePix photo tagging
Here's something we don't see everyday, a sexy voice recorder with a built-in digital camera. Samsung's YP-VP1 made its first appearance at CES, apparently, and now sees its official Korean launch. The 2GB / 4GB recorder features a directional mic that records up to 30 hours in 192kbps max quality with support for MP3 / WMA playback (up to 50 hours) tossed in for grins. As to the camera, a VoicePix function allows you to tag a recording with a photo -- something that should help with searching for specific items later on. [Via DAPreview and AVING]
5-in-1 multi-function MP3 player could use a plug from Billy Mays
In theory, we can't really harsh on a diminutive little gizmo that can play back MP3s, record voice notes, capture live video, snap a few stills and double as a card reader in a pinch, but there's just something about this thing that screams infomercial. As for specs, it's got 2GB of built-in memory, a microSD expansion slot, USB 2.0 connectivity, a rechargeable Li-ion and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Unfortunately, the thing's selling for an almost astronomical $60 before shipping, which definitely pushes it into "won't ever sell without Billy Mays' endorsement" territory. Seriously, check the vid after the jump if you think you're immune to coercion.
Nickelodeon and friends unveil more Npower gizmos
We've never been big fans of giving your tween some Nickelodeon-ized gizmo when you can simply hand down your current gear and use it for an excuse to upgrade, but apparently not everyone sees it that way. Nickelodeon, Viacom and Imation have jointly announced the latest line of kid-friendly Npower gizmos, which includes a digital voice recorder, a digicam and a webcam based on the "breakout hit" iCarly. Additionally, the outfit is churning out SpongeBob SquarePants-themed speakers, boomboxes, MP3 players and digiframes, and there's even a few Dora the Explorer toys thrown in for good measure. All the (inflated) prices and shipping details are down there in the read link -- we won't bore the uninterested any longer by fleshing it out here.[Via Electronista]
First Look: EccoNote
EccoNote is a nice little free audio recording app - one of many similar recorders available in the App Store.I use the word "little" deliberately, because EccoNote is very simple. In a good way. You can record your audio notes, you can play them back, and that's about it. There are no settings to mess with. The audio quality is very good and the controls nice and obvious.The only odd thing is that the developer's web site, as listed on the App Store, does not appear to exist (at least not as I'm writing this). Their notes in the App Store description field say that they plan to add an email-to-contacts feature within the next month, something I hope they succeed with because that would be very useful.As I said at the top, there are many other voice recorder apps available. Some for free, some for a little money. I've tried a few (not all) and this is one I like best so far. Your opinions of Ecco and its rivals would be welcomed in the comments.
Logitec's LIC-iREC01 puts a stereo mic on your iPod
There's no shortage of microphones for one's iPod, but Logitec is looking to earn the business of those still on the hunt with its LIC-iREC01. Put simply, this dock connector appendage is said to work on "all generations of iPods" (with dock connectors, obviously), and provides a built-in stereo mic for voice recording on the fly, an additional audio input for connecting something more sophisticated, and a mini-USB port for keeping your PMP synced while this thing is plugged in. At the moment, pricing details are unknown, but those camped out in Japan can look for it to land in their neighborhood later this month.[Via AkihabaraNews]
Olympus pushes out DS-5000 and DS-5000iD non-fascist Dictators
Olympus, who seems to be single-handedly keeping the digital voice recorder market alive and well, has cranked out yet another duo in the sector today, and neither of 'em come cheap. The DS-5000 and DS-5000iD both offer up support for dual memory cards (SD / SDHC and microSD) and feature a backlit LCD, digital dictation software, USB connectivity, up to 28 hours of battery life and a new QP recording mode for enhanced sound quality. The latter also features an integrated fingerprint scanner for the super sleuths in the crowd, and there's even an optical barcode scanner if you're looking to really transform your voice recorder into something MacGyver would approve of. Sure, both units come with a transcription kit, USB cradle, carrying case and 512MB microSD card, but we're still a little hesitant to lay down $499.99 / $599.99 to pick either of them up.
