An often heard complaint from Windows CE users about the Palm Computing devices is that Palm devices don't have built-in voice recorders. However, with the release of some new third party accessories, those complaints are no longer valid. Landware's goVox Digital Recorder and DynaFirm's JetTalker have answered the prayers of many Palm users who need to record their thoughts in a hurry. Unfortunately, the current devices only support the Palm III series devices, however Palm V users will be happy to know that Landware is developing a goVox for the Palm V due out later this year.

	Landware's goVox Digital Recorder

(US$49.95) is a lightweight replacement for the flip cover of the Palm III series machines. Simply remove the factory cover, snap it onto the front of your Palm, and you are ready to record. While it is slightly thicker than the standard fliptop cover, the goVox only marginally increases the size of your Palm. The recorder is operated using the buttons on the front of the cover which allow you to play, record, and scroll through all of your recordings similar to a digital answering machine. The microphone and speaker are located right on front of the device to make recording easy. The goVox stores all of the recordings locally and operates independent of your Palm device. It does not require the installation of applications, the use of your Palm device's memory, or the use of the Palm serial port. It runs on two Lithium batteries, which should last about two months, and are similar to those that power a digital watch. The goVox is able to hold up to 99 different messages or a total of 8 minutes of recording time.

	The JetTalker

DynaFirm's JetTalker (US$169.00) attaches to the bottom of any Palm III series device and uses the same housing as the Palm modem. It is different from the goVox in that it uses an application on the Palm to operate the recorder. The module comes with a 60K .prc file that must be installed on your Palm before using the JetTalker. Although this is a bit more involved than the goVox, the JetTalker's application offers some neat features to justify the hassle. First, all recordings can be labeled, categorized, and organized. The JetTalker allows for fifteen categories and an additional fifteen sub-categories to help you organize your messages. Second, the application allows users to set alarms on your Palm that trigger certain recordings to be played at a desired time. A microphone and speaker are located on the device, but there is a combo ear bud phone speaker / microphone (US$24.95) that hooks into the bottom of the device for excellent recording sound quality. The JetTalker runs on two AAA batteries and can hold a stunning thirty-four minutes of voice recordings that are all stored on the JetTalker to avoid any memory use on your Palm device.

While both the goVox and the JetTalker aim to fill the voice recording void on Palm devices, their designs and features cater to different needs. One should thoroughly consider how they will use their voice recorder before making a decision between the two. The goVox is more compact than the JetTalker and does not require the use of a Palm application, however the goVox only holds eight minutes of recordings as opposed to the thirty-four of the JetTalker. Also, the JetTalker Palm application allows for the labeling and sorting of recordings, while goVox users must fast forward and rewind through their recordings to find a particular clip. Finally, their is the issue of price. The JetTalker's extra recording capability and features come with a higher price tag at $169.00, almost $120.00 more than the goVox.

Ask yourself how serious you are about using your Palm as a voice recorder. If you plan to record and store a lot of long ideas and messages, the JetTalker is the one for you. If you just plan to make quick notes and then enter them into your Palm when you have time, then the goVox should be more than adequate.

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