ipod accessories

I bought the iTalk to take memos when I'm out in the field. Camera in one had, iPod in the other. I read the reviews first so knew it would be risky but it sounded ok for my uses and I got it cheap.

* Files are about 1 minute per Mb, stored as wav.
* Sound quality is understandable but not as good as AM radio.
* For a fully charged iPod, I got about 90 mins recording before the battery showed empty.

Pros

* Recording works fine, and I can dictate captions for photos as I think of them on site. Typically these are 1-2 minutes at most. I have also made an hour-long recording as a test without problems. I tried recording conversation in a cafe but it picks up too much background to be understandable.
* The best feature for photo memos is that files are time stamped, so I copy each memo to the same folder as my photos (which are also time stamped) making them easy to match up.
* iTalk can take an external mike which cuts out background white noise.
* Files are automatically sync'd to iTunes Voice Memo list and stored in the iTunes unknown artist folder. (If you have this feature set in iTunes)

Cons

* Software glitches randomly lock up the iPod under almost every condition except for the initial condition (more about this below).
* The iTalk covers the iPod lock. This is a serious design flaw given how quickly the battery drains. It means that you can't carry the iTalk connected to the iPod and easily lock the keys.
* The line that takes a mic also doubles as a line out. If headphones are connected and you try to record, the recording light shows but nothing is recorded. It creates a file but it's empty.

Hints

Prevent freezing: If the iTalk is in place when the iPod is turned on, it will often freeze. To prevent freezing, remove the iTalk before turning on the iPod every time. Under these conditions I've never had it freeze. If the iPod does sleep, to prevent freezing, remove the iTalk then insert it again (i'm not sure how often this is necessary, but I haven't had to reset the iPod since the first day).

Reset: To reset the iPod, remove the iTalk and hold down the iPod's MENU and PLAY '>||' buttons for 10 sec. I used this 5x the first day with the iTalk but haven't needed it since.

Locking: Slide a laminated card (my credit card is too thick) between the iPod and iTalk to lock, or carry the iTalk separately (annoying, but not as annoying as rebooting every time).

Saving: It's not enough to pause a recording, you need to remember to stop and save it before removing the iTalk. The MENU button will also save files.

Finding the files on PC: I have iTunes set to automatically sync files. To find the files in iTunes, look under the Voice Memos list. It's a trifle disconcerting when they disappear from one list and appear elsewhere unless you're prepared for it. On my PC, they can also be copied from
iTunes music/unknown artist/unknown album

Battery: I tried letting the battery run out while recording. It ran for ~50 minutes while the battery was showing empty then shut down with no warning. The file appears to have been saved ok.

Battery life: Check out the apple web page for battery tips (...) (I know this comment is outside the scope of iTalk, but if you use a voice recorder with the iPod, you're going to be dealing with battery issues.)

Summary

Despite the glitches, I like having a handy memo system and will keep it til something better turns up. Doesn't sound like Belkin is any better in terms of software glitches or battery life, but it looks like it would be possible to lock the iPod with the Belkin in place which would be a plus. The minus is that Belkin doesn't take an external mic.

I owned the belkin voice recorder then somehow lost it and then I saw ads for the iTalk. Since I owned the iTrip and was happy with it, I thought this was a blessing in disguise. I'm a college student and record my lectures, for the most part the Belkin voice recorder worked well but the iTalk claimed to have auto gain control etc. I'm buying another Belkin. I've recorder a week of lectures already and not a single one has come out with the iTalk. I know it's not the lecture halls because the Belkin voice recorder worked just fine. I don't know where to even begin about how bad the iTalk has worked so far. All my lectures sound like the beach. I cannot hear any voices at all. Just hours and hours of horrible background noise. It obviously does not work for lectures as claimed. Go with Belkin for once

this 50 dollar (after taxes s/h etc...) piece of cheap garbage is a big waist of money. distorts even if just recording your own voice talking. griffen advertises that you can use this product to record song ideas. tried that. all i hear is a muffled distorted version of what i played. the sounds quality is horrible. i get better quality recordings on my pocked pc's built in mic. bottom line.... DO NOT BUY THIS ITEM!!! you will feel ripped off... i certainly do. i'd give the iTalk negative stars if i could.