More on Voice Recorders

DAT recorders, language translators, and low-priced options.

James A. Martin

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Feature: Voice Recorder Redux

A recent newsletter about digital voice recorders prompted lots of questions from readers. Is the digital audio tape, or DAT, format better for voice recordings? Is there a speech-to-speech handheld device that translates what you say in one language into the appropriate phrase in another language? Also, several readers wrote to share their opinions of the digital voice recorders they use.

Here's a sampling of reader responses about digital voice recorders. If you have further questions about these wonderful time-saving devices, or you want to share your experiences using one, send me an e-mail.

Which Format Works Best?

Pam Spies of Australia wrote to say she is planning to buy a digital voice recorder for a corporate history publishing project, in which the author will record the remembrances of employees and others "who made that history." Primarily, the writer will use the recordings to ensure the best, most accurate quotes in the printed book. But the company also wants to create a collection of oral history recordings, Spies says, "which we can either donate to a public collection or later, post on our Web site."

Spies says she has considered DAT recorders as well as digital voice recorders for this project. "My IT department is very keen on digital voice recorders, as their files are so much easier to download," she writes. "Others say DAT is much better quality and essential if we want to broadcast any of the recordings in the future." What's my advice?

I've never used a DAT recorder, so I can't speak from personal experience. However, because they can capture CD-quality audio, DAT recorders are popular among electronic media journalists for recording quotes to air on television and radio. (Digital voice recorders can't capture CD-quality audio.) Professional musicians often use DAT recorders, too.

The downsides: Importing DAT recordings into a computer is more complicated than importing digital voice recorder files. DAT recordings require far greater storage space, too. And DAT recorders are expensive. For example, Sony's TCD-D100 Recording DAT Walkman lists for $900. Digital voice recorders, by comparison, are often about $200. Sony recently came out with a $300 model that can capture up to 6 hours on a Memory Stick; see this week's PDA's & Gadgets section to learn more.

Because Spies may need to broadcast the audio files in the future, I suggested she consider both types of devices, if the budget allows.

First, I believe that when recording important interviews, meetings, and conferences, you should always use two devices. I've had more than one recording fail for various reasons--the recorder batteries die, the tape gets mangled, and so on. So I'm a big believer in using a backup device for important recording sessions.

Second, using both formats would give Spies's company the best of both worlds. The DAT recordings would provide the high quality needed for future broadcasting. Meanwhile, the digital voice recordings, which are often saved in.wav or other common PC formats, would be easy to download to and archive on a computer. And a voice recognition program such as Dragon NaturallySpeaking can transcribe files made with compatible digital voice recorders.

Parlez-Vous?

Speaking of voice recognition, Richard H. Roberts of Bryan, Texas asks if there's device that translates spoken words into another language. You speak into the device in English, say, and it plays back the spoken equivalent of your phrase or question in French, Italian, or another language. The device could prove enormously helpful for travelers abroad.

Such devices, called speech-to-speech translators, do indeed exist. I've never used one, but the Wall Street Journal recently evaluated several models with the help of professional linguists. The favorite speech-to-speech translator was Aim High's Talking TR-2203.

The $199 device is capable of translating a spoken phrase into any of ten languages. The TR-2203 offers "decent pronunciation" and "displayed translations in the appropriate characters, so you can show the screen to someone in, say, Japan, and have them read the translation." Though some translations went off track, the Journal found the TR-2203 to be the overall best in show.

In addition, voice translation software has been available for PDAs (primarily Pocket PCs) for some time. Such programs promise similar benefits as the TR-2203. You speak into the PDA's microphone; the software locates the phrase in its dictionary; and then the equivalent phrase in another language is played out of your PDA's speaker.

Ectaco offers a series of software programs for Pocket PCs that translate spoken phrases into audible phrases in other languages. Most of the products in the Partner Voice Translator line ($100) translate into only one language, however. I haven't used any of these programs, but you can download a trial version at the company's Web site.

An Inexpensive Voice Recorder

Finally, newsletter reader Linda Tadir gives this glowing recommendation of the no-frills, inexpensive Olympus VN-900 digital voice recorder. "It's easy to use and very small," Tadir writes. "It slips easily into small pockets and bags. I've dropped it quite a few times, and it's always survived. It's very sturdy."

Tadir uses the VN-900 in the car and during exercise for reminders. "If I'm driving and I remember something that needs to be done... I record it," she explains. The recorder goes along on her morning power walks, too. "All my ideas start running along with my feet," Tadir says, so she captures them on her digital voice recorder.

While some mobile phones offer voice memo capabilities, Tadir finds that feature cumbersome: "To use it requires me to stop in my tracks and do a lot of button punching." With her Olympus VN-900, Tadir just clicks a button and she's ready to record. Tadir claims she has no affiliation with Olympus; she's simply a satisfied customer, she says.

At press time, I found the Olympus VN-900 for about $35 with the PC World Product Finder.

Notebooks & Accessories

News: Acer's Budget Mobile Workstation

The Acer Aspire 1710 promises workstation performance at the right price: $1499. It includes an Intel 2.8-GHz Pentium 4 processor, a 17-inch wide-screen display, 512MB of memory, an 80GB hard drive, a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive, built-in 802.11g wireless networking, and more. The mobile workstation weighs a whopping 15.7 pounds, however.

Review: A Heavyweight Contender From Gateway

At a hefty 10.4 pounds including power adapter, the Gateway M675XL (about $2800) is one big lug of a notebook. But it offers compensations for potentially breaking your back, says PC World reviewer Carla Thornton. For example, the striking 17-inch screen, which produced bright, sharp images at its native resolution of 1440 by 900 pixels, is ideal for displaying multiple documents at once. There are four USB ports--twice as many as we normally see. Battery life was disappointing, however, lasting just over 2 hours on one charge.

News: Dell Ups the Multimedia Ante

Dell's new Inspiron 9100 promises to deliver desktop performance in a multimedia notebook. At 8.9 pounds, the Inspiron 9100 is almost as heavy as the other notebooks featured in this week's newsletter--but it includes a 15.4-inch wide-screen display. A basic model costs $1549 and features a 2.8-GHz Prescott Pentium 4 processor, 256MB of DDR400 synchronous dynamic RAM, a 40GB hard drive, 64MB of graphics memory, and more.

PDAs & Gadgets

News: Sony's Latest Recorder

Speaking of digital voice recorders, Sony recently introduced a new model: the ICD-BM1 ($300). The recorder can capture up to 6 hours on a Memory Stick (one 16MB card is included); features a simple, easy-to-use design; connects to a PC via USB; and is compatible with Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 7.0, according to Sony.

Check the latest prices at our Product Finder.

News: Sony's Portable Stereo Speakers

And speaking of Sony, the electronics giant has also introduced new portable stereo speakers for listening to MP3 files, playing audio presentations, and so on. The models include the $40 SRS-T33, which comes in silver, blue, and pink; and the $90 SRS-T88, which features "a rich bass sound" and comes with its own carrying case. For more information about the speaker line, which was scheduled to debut in March, go to Sony's site.

News: Two Upcoming Palm OS Versions

Two new versions of the Palm OS are scheduled to appear in devices later this year. Version 5.4, code-named Palm OS Garnet, will add support for higher screen resolutions of up to 240 by 320, a software-based Graffiti area that disappears when not needed (as is already the case with Tungsten T3s), and enhanced Bluetooth tools. The enterprise-oriented version 6, code-named Palm OS Cobalt, promises improved graphics and multimedia support, a customizable status bar, more robust contact management, enhanced connectivity, and support for up to a total of 256MB each in RAM and ROM.

Wireless

News: Going Wi-Fi Across the Pond

A new service from T-Mobile allows international business travelers to connect to Wi-Fi spots on both sides of the Atlantic using the same user name and password. The service covers more than 4100 hotspots in the United States and another 700 in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, according to T-Mobile International. The wireless broadband service, based on the 802.11b standard, begins at $10 for a 24-hour day pass and goes to $40 a month.

Suggestion Box

Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've missed? Got a spare story idea in your back pocket? Tell me about it.