Use Your iPod as a Recorder

Among the loads of iPod accessory ideas that are still in the process of being honed to perfection, there are some that still have a ways to go. Doctors aren't regularly using them to check out patient X-rays, for example, and no one seems to have figured out how to replace a Tivo with one of the little white boxes just yet. But one iPod app that product designers seem to have nailed relatively recently is a straightforward attachment that turns an iPod into sound recorder.

With an attachment like Griffin's $25 iTalk Pro voice recorder, you can simply plug it in and start using it as a way to record memos or entire meetings. If you want better sound quality, chip in an extra $20 for Belkin's TuneTalk version, which contains two omni-directional mics. Before you buy a mic, though, make sure your iPod version is compatible with the new technology.