Gadget Review: The Griffin iTalk Pro Microphone

With the relative ubiquity of iPods, it's very helpful when you can replace another device with a mere iPod attachment.  And it's all the better when that attachment gives you better functionality than the stand-alone unit it replaces.

The Griffin iTalk Pro Microphone allows iPod users to set aside their digital recorder with an attachment that's just under 2.5 inches long and about an inch tall. 

I purchased one of these some weeks ago before attending  Leadership Network's first Missional Renaissance gathering in Dallas where I needed to conduct a number of spontaneously recorded interviews.  My editor had pointed out to me that the smaller the recording device, the less intimated interviewees are and I was relatively unhappy with my current digital recorder.

Setup was drop dead easy.  I simply plugged the small device in the Nano's recharge slot and the iPod recognized it instantly.  A "Voice Memos" item was added to my Menu with the option to "Start Recording."  I didn't have to install any additional software.

The iTalk, with its twin microphones, performed splendidly.  I was impressed that the significant background noise during our meetings didn't inordinately impact the quality of the recordings when I was doing one-on-one interviews between sessions, during lunch, etc. 

But that wasn't the best aspect of the iTalk.  The very best feature for me was the ability to easily move the recordings to iTunes and manipulate them in that environment.  This was my biggest beef with the digital recorder I used before.  I realized that are more sophisticated (and more expensive) digital recorders out there, but for the one I had, to get the recording on my laptop I had to actually replay and record my interviews in real time.  With iTunes and my Nano, of course, as soon as I hook up the Nano to synch, I'm asked, "Do you wish to synchronize your Voice Memos?"  and I just click yes. And what I really appreciated was the functionality in iTunes when I needed to pause the recording during playback.   I would hit my spacebar to pause and then when I tapped the spacebar again to restart, the recording had rewound every so slightly.  This was a delightful discovery because I'm forever typing quotes word-for-word and this little rewind makes it enormously easier to capture the exact wording of longer quotes.  And - of course - within iTunes I can rename the memos as to interviewee, date, time, etc. 

Most of the interviews I do for my articles, though, are done over the phone.  To enable this I use a Radio Shack Wireless Phone Recording Controller (no clue why it's called "wireless," 'cause it's not).  Using the external microphone jack on the iTalk, I can connect my Nano to my mobile phone using the headphone jack.  This also works well. 

For pastors, the iTalk might be a good option to record talks that they're working on.  Though better mikes are out there, the iTalk's quality is such that I think it would also serve as an adequate podcast mike, particularly in interview situations where portability is key.  It's also a great iPod attachment for recording random notes-to-self in situations where writing a memo is less of an option (e.g. driving). 

iTalk retails for $49 but I also found online stores selling it for just under $35. 

Stephen Shields
sshields@faithmaps.org
faithmaps.org
faithmaps blog

Comments

[Chris S.]

Just thinking out loud here... It is probably called a Wireless Phone Recording Controller because it is to be used on a a WIRELESS PHONE.

[stephen shields]

ah - that makes since. wireless modifies "phone" not "recording controller." I guess I just am not used to referring to my mobile as "the wireless." "Pardon me while I take a call on my wireless." :)

But I think you're surely right. Thanks!