The Ultimate Capturing Tool

[Anonymous]

I have used pen, paper, computer, PDA, etc., to capture my thoughts as they have popped up but nothing can beat a digital voice recorder in pre-capturing a thought. When I use the word 'pre-capture' I mean the words will be finally transcribed on to paper and be thrown into the in-basket for later processing. But the voice recorder is an indispensable tool for capturing thoughts on the fly, esp. when you are exercising (believe me I get brilliant ideas while exercising!), driving, etc., etc.

Another aside: please use voice recorders with 20-30 mins or less of recording time. The 8 hr or 4 hr recorders are a sheer waste of money (can you imagine sitting and trying to transcribe 8 hrs of talking - not unless you are a reporter). Another important reason is that when you accidentally switch on the record or play mode the battery doesn't drain itself as the play time is max of 20 mins.

So please consider the 'pre-capture tool' for stress-free productivity.

Ashok Atluri
PS: I use Olympus VN-900 Digital Voice Recorder

 

[jmarkey]

Thank you for your thoughts. I have read so many favorable comments about voice recording that I think I will give it a try.

 

[Anonymous]

Voice recorder

I really like the voice recorder feature on my Palm T3; it is perfect for those quick voice notes you want to listen to later and decide what to do with them.

 

[Anonymous]

Single device with Palm+Cell+Voice Recorder

I am using a Treo 600 which has both PDA and Cell phone built-in. My voice recorder is an additional item I need to remember to carry. But I hope voice recorder will be in the next upgrade of Treo. Other than the small gripe Treo 600 is a very helpful tool in implementing GTD best practices.

 

[moises]

ubiquitous capture tool

I have a Palm Tungsten T2. And yes, the built-in voice recorder is a godsend, especially when I am driving home from work getting random thoughts.

I just finished listening to the GTD Fast tapes and DA mentions having something in your wallet when your PDA is not at hand. Now, in theory, I always have my PDA with me. But, in fact, there are times I do not. But I almost always have my wallet. So, I did a search and found a "wallet pen." This is a tiny pen that clips inside the center fold of my wallet. I now also put a few 3 inch by 3 inch post-its in my wallet where the dollar bills go. Now I always have a capture tool as long as I have my wallet with me.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree to say that this is a great tool. I use it for years thru the built in capability of my HandEra 330.

Owler

 

[Mardo]

ultimate capture tool

If you have your Mac IPOD a voice recorder is a simple addition and you can find where it is on your IPOD
Go Mac!
Mardo

 

[Ashok Atluri]

point is having it handy

The point is that you need to carry the voice recorder always with you otherwise you are frustrated pretty soon. Once you regularly use and transcribe the info, it becomes a very productive tool. In comparison, to wallet pens, etc., this tool is indispensable when you are driving, walking, exercising, etc. You just let those fleeting thoughts into the audio recorder and you know that's it. But as DA says on many occasions if your mind is not convinced about your transcribing the thoughts on to paper, the flow like state will evade you.

 

[BrianK]

One of the reasons I bought a SonyEricsson t68i mobile phone is that it has a built-in voice recorder. Oh, how handy it's been! And since I always carry my mobile phone, I always have it with me.

 

[Anonymous]

The ubiquitous capture tool

I am looking for a tool that is easy to carry around and something that we will never forget to take with us. And it should be easy to record our thoughts in as they popup - with one hand ( as on many occasions we can use only one hand - for instance while driving). I think that a tool like PDA cum Cell phone cum voice recorder would be a dream come true. I think this will happen pretty soon - given the pace of technological innovation. But as of now I don't think there is any gadget that fulfills this requirement. Please correct me if I am wrong. The PDA should be full fledged PDA with Palm OS or Pocket PC.