Useful Add-on Voice Recording Unit at a Reasonable Cost
Pros:
Lightweight, Great for taking notes when you can't write, Does not use Palm's power
Cons:
No capability to jump to a specific message, Slight bulk added doesn't always fit cases
The Bottom Line:
A great add-on for busy individuals that always carry their palm with them, yet sometimes find themselves in situations where it is difficult to take handwritten or electronic notes.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
In the vast array of Palm add-on's the goVox Digital Voice Recorder is a truly useful one. The goVox is really no technological breakthrough, just a really smart idea, allow people to carry 'one' item, their palm and have both computing and voice capabilities on hand as needed.
The goVox offers the capability to record up to 99 messages or 8 minutes of total recording time. The unit adds little additional weight, and is designed rather cleverly to fit the profile in a similar manner to the basic fliptop cover coming on most Palm III series, coming up only slightly higher off the face of the unit.
The goVox operates independently from your Palm, operating on its own batteries so it won't drain your Palm's power. (You could actually use this unit without ever owning a Palm, though that would defeat the purpose of it's form factor!)
Operation can be performed one handed with little difficulty and it is very easy to understand how it operates. Forward and Back buttons allow you to pan through the recordings you've made and Delete, Play and Record buttons are clearly marked. I find the unit most useful during driving situations if I need to take a note and do not want the distractions of paper or electronic note taking. (Anything that helps you stay on top of things while allowing you to keep your eyes on the road is a welcome addition!)
The goVox is not perfect though. Theres no message display, so you can't find message 50 of 75, and having to pan through individually is a minor pain. Operating the goVox is really similar to using most home answering machines in that sense, but without the display.
The other problem you may encounter is finding a case or organizer that allows you to stow your Palm with the goVox still attached. I found that it did still fit (albeit slightly tight) in the palm belt clip case for example, but did cause difficulties with organizers that were really designed to only hold the Plam without a cover. If you like to carry around your Plam in a case or organizer and want to incorporate this accessory you will likely have to shop around if you don't already have one it will fit in. (If you want a good recommendation for a full-sized organizer that fits the Plam with goVox (and a stowaway keyboard as well) I found the Avenues America Present-O-Folio #3599-02, available at Office Depot, to be perfect as it has a zippered pocket on the front with slots inside that fit them to a tee! [...and I shopped around!])
