Targus PA600U Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder for Handspring

by Targus

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000056B89
• Item model number: PA600U
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 29, 2000

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Sometimes it just isn't convenient to scribble on paper or tap out a note on your Visor when inspiration strikes. That's where a digital voice recorder comes in handy. One push of a button and your thoughts are recorded in full, at any time and in any location.

Targus has taken the power of digital voice recorder technology and combined it with the convenience of a Handspring Springboard module. Just pop the Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder module into your Handspring handheld computer, and you have a fully functional digital voice recorder with 4 MB of onboard memory that can record for up to 90 minutes.

Use the Total Recall with your Handspring to view the number and size of messages, or detach it and use it on its own--it's powered by two AAA batteries. This recorder is compatible with the Handspring Visor, Visor Deluxe, Visor Prism, Visor Platinum, and Visor Edge models. It slides into the Springboard expansion slot and needs no setup or configuration. It is fully removable, so you don't use up any precious RAM.

With digital voice recorders, memory is the thing. Instead of recording on an audiotape, digital recorders store sounds onto an electronic memory chip. The memory chips are tiny, don't get "eaten" by the recorder, and don't degrade appreciably with use. In addition, digital means you don't have spend time rewinding and fast-forwarding to find individual memos.

Most inexpensive digital voice recorder models can hold only about 15 minutes of messages--good for quick memos but useless in long meetings or interviews. The Targus Total Recall module packs a whopping 4 MB of memory into a unit about the size of a matchbook with a capacity of up to 90 minutes.

This module measures 2.5 by 2.13 by 0.5 inches and weighs only 4 ounces. The four easy-to-use control buttons allow you to record, play, fast-forward, skip next, rewind, and skip previous memos. Record using the built-in microphone, or attach a standalone mic with the microphone jack. The Total Recall also features an earphone jack and built-in speaker.

The Total Recall does not come with voice recognition software, so you can't automatically transcribe your memos into text. But with the included desktop software, you can move your messages from your Visor to your desktop PC and send them with e-mails as WAV file attachments. Organize your voice memos by filing them into customizable folders, or search through message files using the scan feature, which plays the first three seconds of each memo.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick and easy voice notepad., February 22, 2001

By 

M. Olson (AURORA, CO, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Targus PA600U Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder for Handspring (Office Product)

Total Recall met all expectations of what I would be using it for when it arrived. I use it to record notes while driving for later use, and in meetings to review in detail those items that may not have been noted with the conventional pad and pen. The 90 minute time limit should be able to last through most meetings. The stand alone unit is small and fits into a pocket easily, and will detach and insert into the Visor readily, notations about content can be attached to "tracks" when in the Visor. I have tried using the Total Recall with only the built-in mic for recording music at a concert, and must say, it recorded the sounds, but this type of recording is better left to an MP3 type unit. I view my purchase of the Total Recall as a sound investment for my intended use.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good only for close recording., February 26, 2001

By 

M. Torres "starpr" (Levittown, PR Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Targus PA600U Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder for Handspring (Office Product)

I bought the total recall voice recorder for the university classes. When I started using it I found that you need to be very close to the subject that you are recording, if not is going to be very hard for you to understand it. For taking personal notes is excellent.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For people with cluttered pockets and need dictation (Doc's), November 4, 2001

By 

"ucsf-med" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Targus PA600U Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder for Handspring (Office Product)

The Targus Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder is a neat little gadget that adds to the usefulness of the Handspring Visor. (...) it will allow you to digitally record personal memos, lectures, etc. at the tap of the screen. It slides into the module expansion slot of the Visor, but can also be used independently as a stand-alone digital voice recorder. It's easy to use, has good sound quality, and makes life easier, though it is a bit expensive and bulky.

Personally, I find that I under-utilize my Visor. There are always moments when I want to jot down little notes or reminders, but find that writing things out using the Palm graffiti is sometimes more effort than it's worth. This situation is ideal for the Total Recall Voice Recorder. It's always easier to record a verbal message for yourself than it is to write out a long memo. And the Targus Digital Recorder is nicely designed to meet these needs. It's incredibly easy to use and install--just slide it into the back of your Visor and you're off and running. The recording quality is excellent (even on the lowest quality setting or in noisy environments) and you can record digital voice memos for up to 90 minutes (far more than I ever found the need for). Each verbal message is time and date stamped and is well-organized on the Visor screen for accessibility later. I was additionally impressed with the range of Voice Recorder. For recording personal messages, it is always loud and clear. But to my surprise, it was additionally usable for recording lectures from some distance.

There are numerous little features that I had not expected with the Voice Recorder. For one, the unit could be better described as a stand-alone Digital Voice Recorder that happens to also be a Visor module. Just pop it into its "shuttle" and you can record memos for yourself even when you don't have your Visor handy. There are four buttons that allow you to control the unit and record without the Visor. The shuttle operates on 2 AAA batteries. The upside to using the Total Recall as a stand-alone digital recorder is that it's a lot smaller and easier to transport. It can be later attached to your Visor for easy playback and editing. Moreover, using it in this manner will keep it from draining the batteries in your Handspring. The downside to the stand-alone mode is that the same time/date stamp is applied to all of your recordings (i.e. the time it was attached as a Visor module). The other big problem here is that it makes for one additional thing to carry...as if we didn't have enough.

The fact that it can be used with the Visor creates greater functionality and makes it more useful than a conventional digital voice recorder. For example, it is easy to edit messages. At the touch of the screen, you can insert new recordings into the middle of voice message, add to the end of a message, or even place bookmarks into a recording. Additional features on the Targus Total Recall unit include volume control, voice activation (unit turns off after 3 seconds of silence and turns back on when you continue talking), microphone and headphone jacks, and a PC desktop application that allows you to transfer recordings onto your computer

The biggest downside is the cost. Is it really worth (the price)? Despite liking the Total Recall Voice Recorder, I find the price to be a bit much for my needs as a student. However, for what you're getting in terms of portability, usability, and compatibility with the Visor, the cost does seem reasonable compared to other Digital Voice Recorders. The bottom line is that med students are busy people and have tons of information being thrown at them and the Total Recall Voice Recorder has the ability to make life a little easier. If you're someone that's in the market for a Digital Voice Recorder or if you find entering text into the Visor to be tedious, difficult, and slow, then this Total Recall Digital Voice Recorder might be right for you.