Our Verdict
If asearch for “ articulation record ” on the iTunes Storeis any denotation , there ’s a market for voice - recording apps for the iPhone ( and the 2nd - multiplication iPod trace ) . After all , it ’s handy to be capable to quick take a verbal note , to capture a memorable moment , or to record a business sector meeting or interview .
One such app isiTalk RecorderfromGriffin Technology — yes , thatGriffin Technology , the one well known for its iPod and iPhone appurtenance hardware . And the caller ’s first foray into iPhone software system is an impressive one .
iTalk can expend the iPhone ’s built - in microphone . To use iTalk with the 2 g-force iPod touch , you require a headset with a microphone ; for example , an iPhone headset , Apple ’s late - releasedIn - Ear Headphones with Remote and Mic , or one of Griffin ’s own compatibleheadsetsoradapters .
Talk to Me: iTalk Recorder offers a simple recording screen, with the button changing from red to green when you record audio.
Talk to Me : iTalk Recorder offers a simple transcription screen , with the push changing from violent to green when you record audio frequency .
iTalk Recorder ’s recording screen is simple and straightforward . First you choose a commemorate quality — proficient , proficient , or respectable — and then you tip the large , red Press To Record button . ( you could give the recording a name beforehand or afterwards . ) The button changes to a with child gullible Recording clitoris that displays the current recording time ; below that is a visual level meter , along with text displaying the date and time the transcription was started , the record quality , and a live - updated indicator of the transcription ’s single file size .
To cease recording , you tap the Recording button . If you require to add to the current transcription , just tap the Record clitoris again ; the new audio will be appended to the end of the data file . Otherwise , water faucet Done to save the file and look at the list of recordings stored on your iPhone or iPod .
A Record of Recordings: The list view for iTalk Recorder shows the date, time, size, and length of each file.
Griffin has included a couple thoughtful transcription features . The first is that the screen can auto - rotate 180 degrees ; this get you view the screen decent even if you turn the iPhone or iPod tinge upside down so the microphone is on top . Second , you may can reverse off the screen ( by pressing the Sleep / Wake button ) to prolong stamp battery life during record ; iTalk Recorder will keep to memorialise .
Recording length is bound only by the useable quad on your iPhone or iPod speck . According to Griffin , an 60 minutes - long transcription will use approximately 75 MB of space at honorable quality ( 11.025kHz sample charge per unit ) , 150 MiB at near quality ( 22.05kHz ) , and 300 M at Best quality ( 44.1kHz ) . Recordings are in AIFF format . As with other iPhone recording apps I ’ve find out , iTalk phonograph record in mono ; still , I could easily hear the difference between the three quality level — while all were suitable for basic voice memoranda , the Best character offers surprisingly good fidelity .
A book of Recordings : The tilt position for iTalk Recorder shows the date , time , size , and duration of each Indian file .
In Sync: iTalk Sync, a free utility, moves recordings from your iPhone or iPod touch to your Mac.
iTalk Recorder ’s listing view displays all your stash away recordings in alphabetical lodge . Each entry includes the recording ’s engagement and time , size , and duration . A midget frolic push button ( too diminutive , in my opinion ) let you listen to the recording using headphones or the player ’s speaker . tap a transcription ’s arrow release reveal more information about the file ; lets you rename the file ; and lets you add bank bill about the transcription .
Unlike most list persuasion on the iPhone , you ca n’t delete a recording by nobble across it ; you must flip-flop to Edit mode . Deleted recordings are moved to a Deleted Recordings “ folder ” ; you may take in this screen to undelete recordings or to permanently withdraw them from your speech sound .
One elbow room in which iTalk Recorder dissent from most other iPhone transcription apps I ’ve seen is that it does n’t let you to east - mail recordings . ( Retronyms ’ Recorder , for instance , allows you to e - mail transcription , albeit with some limitations . ) Part of the grounds for this omission is the size of it of recordings : a one - second iTalk voice memo will be over 1.2 MB in size at the lowest timbre level . Instead , the company allow a complimentary screen background program , iTalk Sync , that connects to your iPhone over a wireless meshwork to let you replicate your recording directly .
To use this utility , you launch iTalk Recorder on your iPhone and iTalk Sync on your computer , and then you select your phone in iTalk Sync ’s telephone list . After tip Yes on the iPhone ’s screen to permit Sync to join , your recording seem in iTalk Sync . you’re able to hale them to a folder or the Desktop to replicate them to your computer ; tick on the Info button in iTalk Sync display additional information about the selected recording , admit the file quality and any notes you added on the iPhone or iPod ghost . regrettably , you ca n’t rename recording or edit them via iTalk Sync ; you must perform these tasks on the iPhone or iPod touch .
In Sync : iTalk Sync , a free utility , go recordings from your iPhone or iPod mite to your Mac .
( If there ’s no nearby wireless meshwork , or you do n’t require to get together a public connection , you could set up an ad - hoc connection on your computer and fall in it from your iPhone . Unfortunately , you ca n’t connect straight using Apple ’s dock - connective cable . )
Having used both Griffin ’s coming and the Es - ring armor approach , I notice transferring audio files to my computer using iTalk Sync to be much faster — and more convenient — than send via einsteinium - mail : you’re able to transfer multiple files at once , and iTalk Sync ’s port is easier to work with than sending each single file via a separate email message . That say , if you often show on the go and you need to get your transcription to someone else immediately via atomic number 99 - mail , iTalk is n’t the right voice recorder for you . It would be utile if Griffin added the capability to e - ring armour small recording data file .
There are a couple nonaged glitches with iTalk that Griffin says will be fixed in the next version — for example , your iPhone ’s Region Format must be set to United States in society to save transcription . But overall I ’ve found it to be an first-class vox recorder that suffer out among the many me - too recording apps .
The standard version of iTalk is free , but shows small ads at the bottom of the CRT screen during use . I get these ads to be comparatively unnoticeable , but if you object , an ad - liberal version , iTalk Recorder Premium , is available for $ 5 .
iTalk Recorder is compatible with any iPhone or second - contemporaries iPod touch running the iPhone 2.1 software update .
[ Senior editor Dan Frakes reviews low - cost Mac software in the Mac Gems web log . ]
