iDictate – Digital Voice Blog

A couple of months ago the new DM series digital voice recorder from Olympus landed in Australia, the Olympus DM-5.  This is the is the first big colour screen recorder from Olympus so I was keen to see how it looks and performs.

Adding to the mountain of new Olympus digital voice recorders about to launch in Australia this month (September 2010) is the stunning new DM-5. Joining the DM-450 and DM-550 in the DM series the Olympus DM-5 heralds a new look voice recorder for the Olympus brand.

As always with Olympus recorders, they are packed full of features, huge amounts of memory and probably the best audio recording quality you can get from a digital voice recorder. If you are recording an interview, meeting, focus group or the speaker at a conference or lecture you won’t go wrong with an Olympus digital note taker. Here are some of the features included with the new DM-5:

• Massive 8Gb of in-built memory
• Record in .mp3, .wma or PCM .wav
• Mac & Windows compatible, plug-and-play no software required
• 3 Programmable buttons to easily access your favourite feature
• Voice activated recording
• Rechargeable batteries: charge from USB or mains power
• 29 Hours of battery life
• Expandable memory via microSD slot
• Mic record level controls
• Huge 2.2 inch backlit colour display

So as you can see not just an awesome, high quality voice recorder but choc-a-block with features and memory. I have mentioned in previous blog posts how the trend for note takers is moving away from just being recorders. Again we see mountains of memory, more than you would ever need for voice recording alone (522 hours on the highest quality record mode) so the humble digital voice recorder now becomes your  backup drive, your mass storage device for documents/photos/videos and your media player for music, podcasts or audio books (audible.com compatible).

Something new for Olympus recorders is the large, 2.2 inch, colour screen. At a glance the status of your recording can be viewed without the need to cycle around menus, its all there in full colour. Flicking through the menus is also easier and clearer thanks to the vast amounts, compared to other voice recorders, of screen real estate. We hope to get one of the first DM-5′s into our office in the next day or two, as soon as we do we will post a blog review with audio samples and some close up pics.

RRP for the DM-5 in Australia is $599 incl. GST and they are expected to be available in Australia from 8th September 2010 onwards.

Another month, another round of new digital voice recorders coming from Olympus Imaging Australia. This month we sadly see the end of life for the WS-450S, WS-550M and WS-560M digital voice recorders, although stock of these will last for a month or two yet. Sad because these little recorders certainly keep the benchmark very high when it comes to digital note taking and for interview and meeting recording. The good news is they are being replaced by even more stunning recorders in the form of the WS-650S, WS-750M, WS-760M and a new addition to the DM series the new DM-5, where to begin !

Lets start with the new range of WS series recorders; perfect for interviews, meetings, focus groups, lectures and conferences.

Here are their features at a glance …

Olympus WS-650S (RRP $169 incl. GST)

• 2Gb In built memory
• .mp3 or .wma recording
• Mac & Windows compatible

Olympus WS-750M (RRP $229 incl. GST)

• 4Gb In built memory
• Linear PCM recording (.wav)
• .mp3 or .wma recording
• Micro SD slot for expanded memory
• USB chargeable battery
• Mac & Windows compatible

Olympus WS-760M (RRP $269 incl. GST)

• Massive 8Gb in built memory
• Linear PCM recording (.wav)
• .mp3 or .wma recording
• Micro SD slot for expanded memory
• USB chargeable battery
• FM Radio Receiver
• FM Radio Recording
• Virtual Zoom Mic – Focus precisely on a single, distant audio source
• Auto Recording – Essential for long recording sessions, save battery power and cuts down superfluous recording.
• Mac & Windows compatible

As you can see a very slight design change from the last set of WS series recorders, the mics have been placed on the top of the unit now. One of the reasons for this is to allow the recorder to sit in a shirt or jacket top pocket and record. Also, there is a choice of colours for the units, well overseas anyway, we are yet to see if colour options come to Australia. What continues to amaze me is the amount and the cheapness of the storage, 8Gb is a huge amount of storage for a voice recorder which obviously now transforms it from just an excellent digital voice recorder into being also a music/podcast player and media mass storage device.

Details on the new Olympus DM-5 to follow …. the DM-5 will have an RRP in Australia of $599 incl. GST

Of course all these recorders will be available to buy from Dictate Australia – Olympus Gold Partner – with super fast delivery Australia wide.

Any questions or for further information grab us in one of many ways. Not sure of anything please ask, we are quite friendly you know:

• Phone: 1300 787 092 (option 2)
• Email: sales@dictate.com.au
• Twitter: @dictates
• Facebook: facebook.com/dictate.australia

Click here to read the Olympus Europe press release for the new WS series recorder.