Childrens Toyshop
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Electronics : Olympus WS-311M Digital Voice Recorder
Rating: 
- all around impressive
i just got this recorder and find it superb. the device is tiny, light and "dupont lighter"-stylish. i particularly like the metal buttons, much more tactile that plastic one - i know it is a small thing. I like the five-line display which provides a lot of information compared to another device i used.
now for the great part, the integrated micros are great, and the stereo effect is really a bonus. This is especially the case if you later listen with earphones.
the time elapsed versus the length of the file are displayed clearly and legibly.
i did invest in a little carry case and i am glad i did because that way i can throw the recorder into a bag and still keep it pristine.
i find the 'hold' button more positive and better protected. this is important because it saves you battery life.
i really like the indexing facility. if you use the device to learn language where you need to reiterate the same sentence again it is really effective. you mark the begining and jump back with the arrow button - right to the correct location every time in one click. nice!
the things i am not a big fan of are the recording format which seems to be wma only. having said that it plays straight on windows media on my pc so no problem. the other aspect is the five folders on the device are a bit naff - unless it was possible to rename them and to move the file across as required. small stuff really.
Rating:
- A good piece of kit with minor drawbacks.
I bought this item for the purposes of interviewing people and using it in the classroom. Overall, I am impressed. There's ample storage space and the design is fantastic. It weighs virtually nothing. Other reviews of very similar products have complained about the battery clip. I think it's all about the care taken over changing the battery - if you value your product you will be careful with it.
I have two small criticisms. Firstly, I wished it recorded straight into .wav format or .mp3 format. If it is possible to do this I've not found it in the manual. The built-in microphone is OK, but for quality interviews I would suggest investing in a decent mic as you'll get more punch in the lower frequencies and conference mode will work better. These points are why I've awarded 4 and not 5 stars.
My final point has not influenced my star rating as that's for the product. But... I wasn't impressed by the supplier. OK the product arrived in reasonable time 6 days rather than 1-2, but I wasn't in a rush. My problem was with the packaging. No branded Olympus casing was there. The recorder was simply clunking around in a white box with a manual, cable and battery enclosed. As a result the device has 2 or 3 scratches and dents on it. The manual was also torn. If I was even more sceptical I would possibly dispute whether or not I was the first owner? On the box was a sticker saying "1 year exchange warranty -no question asked" - all sounds a bit back of a lorry to me!
- all around impressivei just got this recorder and find it superb. the device is tiny, light and "dupont lighter"-stylish. i particularly like the metal buttons, much more tactile that plastic one - i know it is a small thing. I like the five-line display which provides a lot of information compared to another device i used.
now for the great part, the integrated micros are great, and the stereo effect is really a bonus. This is especially the case if you later listen with earphones.
the time elapsed versus the length of the file are displayed clearly and legibly.
i did invest in a little carry case and i am glad i did because that way i can throw the recorder into a bag and still keep it pristine.
i find the 'hold' button more positive and better protected. this is important because it saves you battery life.
i really like the indexing facility. if you use the device to learn language where you need to reiterate the same sentence again it is really effective. you mark the begining and jump back with the arrow button - right to the correct location every time in one click. nice!
the things i am not a big fan of are the recording format which seems to be wma only. having said that it plays straight on windows media on my pc so no problem. the other aspect is the five folders on the device are a bit naff - unless it was possible to rename them and to move the file across as required. small stuff really.
Rating:
- A good piece of kit with minor drawbacks.I bought this item for the purposes of interviewing people and using it in the classroom. Overall, I am impressed. There's ample storage space and the design is fantastic. It weighs virtually nothing. Other reviews of very similar products have complained about the battery clip. I think it's all about the care taken over changing the battery - if you value your product you will be careful with it.
I have two small criticisms. Firstly, I wished it recorded straight into .wav format or .mp3 format. If it is possible to do this I've not found it in the manual. The built-in microphone is OK, but for quality interviews I would suggest investing in a decent mic as you'll get more punch in the lower frequencies and conference mode will work better. These points are why I've awarded 4 and not 5 stars.
My final point has not influenced my star rating as that's for the product. But... I wasn't impressed by the supplier. OK the product arrived in reasonable time 6 days rather than 1-2, but I wasn't in a rush. My problem was with the packaging. No branded Olympus casing was there. The recorder was simply clunking around in a white box with a manual, cable and battery enclosed. As a result the device has 2 or 3 scratches and dents on it. The manual was also torn. If I was even more sceptical I would possibly dispute whether or not I was the first owner? On the box was a sticker saying "1 year exchange warranty -no question asked" - all sounds a bit back of a lorry to me!