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My-Vox vs. Total Recall - Who should you speak to?


Thu Feb 8, 2001 - 9:19 AM EST - By Tom Balkos

Who should you speak to?

So you want to add the 'Voice dimension' to your daily organizational efforts? You've become proficient at using your Visor to plan your life, but graffiti just doesn't cut it sometimes? These two modules attempt to introduce the convenient feature of voice recording to your already efficient Visor.

How Do They Physically Stack Up?

The My-Vox sits nicely in your Visor as a standard sized module. There is a slight bulge out the back for the headphone jack, but that didn't hinder the the visor cover when attached to the back. This also bodes well for cases which utilize the visor cover as a restraining device. The top of the module has the aforementioned headphone jack and the 'Hot Recording Button' for quick recordings.

The Total Recall took a different approach to packaging its voice recorder. The module, when seated in the visor, sticks out approximately 10 mm on top and 5 mm out the back. This obviously poses a problem with cases that require the Visor to attach with the hardcover. The top of the module has two jacks for a microphone and headphones on each end, with the built-in microphone in the middle.

The front of the Total Recall has a red LED to inform the user whether the microphone is active and four buttons (hidden when the module is in the Visor) for Play, Record, Skip Forward, and Skip Backward. These are used with the 'Shuttle' (more on that later). Both modules have speakers on the back.

I was annoyed with the size of the Total Recall as it didn't allow me to keep the module in the Visor at all times. It also lacked a quick, or 'Hot', record button which forces the user to start the application on their visor if they wish to record a message. However, there was the 'Shuttle' (you'll have to wait a bit longer). As far as physical design, for use within the Visor (important to note), I will give a point to the My-Vox for keeping the entire package in a standard sized module.

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