About.com Rating

By Guest Reviewer, Josh Silverman

Works with
IPod Video/5th generation iPod

The Good
Excellent sound quality
No-frills, plug-and-play design
Standard jack lets you use other mics

The Bad
Inaccessible toggle switch
Limited pick-up range
Can’t charge and record at the same time

The Price
$59.95

I was hosting a roundtable presentation and wanted to record it so people who hadn’t attended could listen to it - and perhaps create a podcast.

I grabbed an 80GB iPod and the XtremeMac MicroMemo iPod voice recorder and headed out.

The MicroMemo was incredibly easy to set up and use. I just plugged the device in to the iPod’s dock connector (this model works with the iPod video; XtremeMac also makes a model for the second-generation iPod nano).

The recording software loaded onto the iPod’s screen and I was ready to go. The screen shows how long you've recorded and you can pause, cancel, or save your recording session. Once you’re done, just sync the iPod to your computer and your recording is added to your iTunes library, ready to be used.

If compression is a concern, the MicroMemo offers High or Low recording quality. For a podcast or if you're an ornithologist seeking to capture a birdsong, the Low setting will do fine. If, on the other hand, you're a classical music fanatic, seeking every pluck on every string, go for High: you'll be pleased with the fine detail.

Distance is one cause for concern – you’ll want to place the included mic close to the person you’re recording, as the mic picks up some ambient noise.

For recording a speaker or interview, XtremeMac offers an add-on a lapel microphone with a 4-foot cable called the MemoMic (not included with the MicroMemo).

Also, since the mic is attached through a standard 3.5mm jack, any mic – from the most basic to the most high-end, professional option – can be used, making the MicroMemo a powerful mobile recording option.

My main disappointment with the MicroMemo is that the mono/stereo switch is placed poorly – it’s next to the microphone jack and hard to get at when the mic is plugged in. You'll want to make your mono/stereo decision before you plug the mic in, and you might need a thin pencil or other pointed object to adjust that setting.

For most users, the easy-to-use XtremeMac MicroMemo iPod voice recorder, combined with the large storage capacity of your 5th-generation iPod, will meet most people’s recording needs. It's great for recording small-to-medium-sized groups (classes, presentations, seminars, interviews) and, when combined with a professional-quality mic, makes for a great mobile recording studio.