Smartphone and Tablet Accessory Review: The i-Microphone Voice Recorder

Safari

I do a tremendous amount of writing using voice recognition and if there is one thing that makes or breaks the accuracy is the microphone you use. Both my iPhone and my iPad do fine on their own but I do see a significant improvement when I use a high quality headset. That’s why I was interested in the i-Microphone. It is a small attachments that promises good audio recording without the hassle of a wides headset. It isn’t expensive so I thought I might order one and check it out. Fortunately the company was kind enough to send along a review sample instead and I have been using it for a few weeks now Here’s a look.

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About:

The I-Microphone trumps its competition in build & sound quality. The I-Microphone turns your mobile device into a powerful audio recorder. It was developed specifically for a variety of Apple products, but also works flawlessly with other smartphones and mobile recording devices. Place one into your hands and you’ll immediately tell this is no ordinary microphone accessory. Great for recording lectures, meetings, interviews, voice memos, and more!

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Simplicity is the key to the i-Microphone. It comes in simple packaging that just has the microphone and a wind screen inside. The microphone is small so if you have a tendency to lose things you may want to decide on a storage place for it when not in use BEFORE you get it. If you don’t I suspect it may go missing within hours.

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On the iPad the i-Microphone all but disappears when you plug it in. It really is that small.

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Here’s a closer look.

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On the iPhone it looks far more proportioned. Then again, this isn’t about looks. No, this microphone is all about sound so… how DOES it sound? Well, it definitely boosts the volume of the recording. In fact it records up to 12 dBs louder than the internal mic. In my tests i did not find that it significantly increased the accuracy of the transcription but, then again, it didn’t reduce it either. When using the i-Microphone to record a voice note I did find a slight increase in the clarity of the recording.

I think where this accessory comes in most handy is when you want to record audio that is coming from a distance such as a lecture hall. In that environment the microphone helps boost the sound that is captured. That can be a big help if you are recording a lot of lectures and classes. In that environment it will boost the sound but it will laso capture more of the background noise.

The one downside that I di find with the microphone is the fact that, because it plugs into the 3.5mm headset jack it cuts of the speaker and leaves you with no way to hear audio until you unplug it. Thankfully unplugging is as simple as can be.

If you record a lot of audio in large halls this is worth a look!

The i-Microphone is available for an MSRP of $29.99 and can be ordered through our New Gear Daily affiliate store for $28.88.

MSRP: $29.99

What I Like: Well built from brass so it will last quite a while; boosts audio; simple to use

What Needs Improvement: Good sound but not great sound that captures more background noise; When using the i-Microphone there is no way to attach a device for audio-out

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.