iDictate – Digital Voice Blog

This month we have seen the demise of some digital notetakers from Olympus’ current range. Out go the Olympus WS-550M, VN-5500PC and VN-6800PC. The VN series recorders ends the line of super cheap discount recorders although some will still be available in the short term through national chains like Officeworks, no loss there I was never a fan of these.

The dropping of the WS-550M was a bit of a surprise, traditionally Olympus kept a range of two or three recorders in a series line up, with the loss of the WS-550M this just leaves the WS-450S and the WS-560M as the two remaining WS series recorders. These are fantastic little recorders with amazing audio pickup.

Not content with dropping recorders Olympus also have some new recorders in the pipeline for next month, we are just waiting for confirmation before announcing what they will be. You will be pleasantly surprised, some very cool recorders are coming.

Olympus have today announced that end of life has been declared for the three remaining analogue microcassette recorders in their Australian product range, they are the model numbers J500, J701 and J711. This will leave Olympus with a fully digital range of voice recorders and dictaphones.

Also joining the recorders in the dim and distant past will be the Olympus 1 pack and 3 pack 60 minute microcassettes. So even if you cling tightly to your old microcassette player thinking you will never let go and embrace digital, Olympus are turning the screw that little bit more by taking away the fuel for the old recorders engine, the tapes themselves. Sure, you can re-use your tapes … over and over and over and over … but one day you will have to admit that they are poor quality, a pain to store and even harder to find a recording.

Olympus are running out their remaining stocks which are already low and then that will be it. If you are nervous about moving to digital voice recorders don’t be, we are here to hold your hand and give you the advice you need. Just drop us a line at sales@dictate.com.au.

Olympus Voice Australia have just issued another new wholesale price list to its Australian resellers confirming three more discontinued voice recorders, a huge price cut for one popular recorder and the official launch of the new WS series recorders earlier than expected.

Discontinued: In the digital note taker range the very pricey but sheek WS-331M finally gets the chop along with the very popular WS-210S, which of course had to happen just as I wrote a huge review on the recorder! Also removed from the product range is the J300 analogue micro cassette dictaphone.

Price Cuts: The J500 analogue micro cassette dictaphone has been dropped to the same price as the axed J300 and is RRP $149.00 incl. GST now. But of note is a huge price cut for the WS-110 digital note taker dropping from RRP $355.00 incl. GST to only RRP $195.00 incl. GST

Launched: As reported in my last blog post “Olympus Australia Revamp Entire WS Series Range Of Digital Voice Recorders” the new replacement WS series digital note takers are now officially launched in Australia and their pricing has been confirmed.

• WS-450S (replaces the WS-210S) – RRP $295.00 incl. GST
• WS-550M (replaces the WS-311M) – RRP $395.00 incl. GST
• WS-560M (replaces the WS-321M & WS-331M) – RRP $495.00 incl. GST

The release of these new recorders came a week earlier than expected.

It is with deep sadness that I bring to you the news of the demise of the Olympus DS-30 digital voice recorder. Here we go again, yet another recorder dumped by Olympus Australia this year. This model discontinued will very soon also be followed by the DS-40, Olympus are running out their remaining stock, so two excellent and very popular large meeting/focus group recorders bow out in favour of a new, sleeker, younger, fitter, better looking model, the Olympus DS-55 (release date yet to be announced in Australia).

New Olympus DS-55 Stereo Mic

Only two weeks ago we reported on the end of life for the DS-50 which has been superseded by the new Olympus DS-65. The DS-30 and DS-40 are going the same way with a new Olympus DS-55 model due to arrive in Australia we hope in the next few weeks. We hope because the DS-30 is a very popular recorder and to be left hanging with just a pricey DS-65 could cause some consumer pain. In usual Olympus style, they are starting to become the Apple of the voice recorder world with no leaks and just suprise announcements, we found out when we tried to restock some DS-30s and found out they were no more. No news yet either on the DS-55, we have no idea of its RRP or release date we just assume that it is coming soon. More on the Olympus DS-55 when we have more news on, as a teaser check out the beatiful image to the left of the sleek silver stereo mic topping off the soon to arrive DS-55.