Dictating on the run
[20 OCT 2000 update] - I just heard from someone in our network that the ICD-30 has been replaced by the Sony ICD-37. Difference is that it saves 45 minutes instead of 15. Street price is $75-100.
[21 NOV 1999 update]- I've switched to the Sony ICD-30 digital recorder, and I like it. It's small enough for pants pocket, easier to play back because it auto stops after each message, and seems to stand up much better than the early gizmos to my fast road-warrior-ing. It's $100+ in the 42nd St. shops, but I found when I have to use it, it's worth the difference. - David
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I am at a time in my life when a number of potentially useful thoughts occur when I can't easily write them down. Since I don't have a full-time traveling assistant to take dictation, the next best thing is my little Sony micro-cassette recorder. (It's the M-527-V model - somewhere in the $40-60 range, depending on how close you are to 42nd St.) Great little work horse.
[10/21/97 update: from a recent seminar grad - current model is now M-529V. She said that Staples carries it for $39.95 and you can get it through the mail 800-333-3330.]
I've tried a couple of the newer-fangled little digital numbers, but frankly they are not user-friendly and don't stand up to the kind of road-warriorism that I subject them to, The Sony is almost indestructible, and the record and playback buttons are very easy to work.
It's great for capturing thoughts and things to do, riding in the car, the cab, and even walking around our yard (paper and pencil are unwieldy with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine in your hand as well!)
Problems: it's more inefficient than writing things down - you have to listen back to it and write the stuff down, an extra step. Also, it doesn't warn you that you have recorded something! If you record something on one of these things, and don't play it back within some reasonable time, then you won't trust it (and shouldn't). Best trick: when you know you've put something on the tape, put it in your in-basket! Then you'll trigger the action to process it.
Look up "Sony dictation" via Alta Vista search (http://www.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/query?pg=q&what=web&fmt=.&q=sony+dictation if you want to find it in cyberspace...
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