If you’re already a Typing Company regular, you probably realise how simple using a dictaphone app on your phone can make your life. All you need to do is record your work or thoughts as you experience them, and then pass the audio file on to your favourite typist to keep your admin spotlessly up-to-date. One of the keys to getting a positive experience, however, is ensuring that your source recordings are of a high enough quality to be easy to understand and access later. In this matter, not all apps are created equally! Today we take a closer look at 5 apps everyone using a dictaphone on their phone should try.
What to look for in a dictaphone audio recording app
Audio recording for clear dictation needn’t become a complex matter, and you don’t need a sound engineer’s degree to ensure you get great results. All you need to make sure of is that the resulting recording:
- Is clear and you can easily discern what’s being said
- The file format is easy to share, and
- You find the interface easy to operate
With these key aspects under consideration, we’ve hand-picked 5 easy-to-use dictaphone audio recording apps you’re sure to love.
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Easy Voice Recorder
Easy Voice Recorder makes a top spot in a lot of these lists, primarily because it offers surprisingly high voice quality for a free (with in-app advertising) app. It allows you to record in multiple audio formats without quality loss, and can be directly shared via an app or your email. There’s also 1-click recording from an icon press on your home screen, and support for Android wear offered too.
As with most such free apps, a lot of the best functionality of the app is locked behind the paywall, but even on the free version it’s pretty simple and practical. If you need a simple, quick solution to your dictation problems without too much hassle or fuss, and you’re on Android, this could be the choice for you.
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ASR Voice recorder for Android
There’s little doubt, in the premium version, that ASR Voice offers Android one exceptional feature- which is the ability to record in a variety of formats including lossless and high-fidelity. This can be incredibly useful for dictation purposes, especially if you’re passing the audio on to someone else to take notes or do work from. It has way more features than the average Android stock recorder. There’s playback speed control if you find something hard to discern, you can instantly share through social media and email channels, and there’s support for widgets to enable easy start and stop.
The downside of this, however, is that the free version is loaded with ads, and they’re pretty annoying. So we’d suggest only trying the premium version unless you’re incredibly patient with nag features.
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Voice Record Pro
This app seems to be aimed at journalists, but there’s no reason you can’t use it too! It’s a pretty straightforward app to use with an intuitive interface. It records in a range of standard formats, and converts easily too. Uniquely, you can add photos and bookmarks, and merge multiple audio recordings together as a single file.
It allows export and import to common file-hosting sites like Drive, Dropbox and iCloud Drive, as well as via FTP server. It also has an ‘append record’ function. You can grab this one in the iStore.
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HT Professional Recorder
Another great dictaphone audio recorder for iPhone, HT Professional Record is perfect for recording multi-person meetings, lectures or other audio in large spaces. It also has a bookmark function open for you to use, to make sure you can easily find specific parts of the recording. An overwrite dictation function allows you to correct mistakes in real-time too. A ‘repeat’ mode, and 3 different microphone sensitivity levels, is also convenient for audio note-taking and brainstorming. Unfortunately, it only allows for .WAV attachments, but can directly email in 30-minute lengths.
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Hi-Q MP3 Voice Recorder
Of all the apps on our list, this is the simplest. It also delivers surprisingly high-quality sound, and it is perfectly able to handle formal speeches or simple ‘notes to self’. High-fidelity 44kHz audio sampling allows for immediate access no matter where you take it, and the simplicity of the interface has a charm and ease of use. Files are recorded to MP3 (by default) for convenience, and automatic upload to Dropbox or Drive can be set to make quick backups. Home screen widgets allow you to start, pause and resume easily, and you can customise the audio settings and file formats alike. You can also choose 2 different microphone sensitivities, depending on the setup of your device. Clips are easy to sort, rename and delete, and wi-fi transfer is built in. There’s even some input gain settings to play with.
All in all, it’s an impressive app, and it’s free, too.
Each of these dictaphone audio recording apps for mobile phones combine clarity of recording with easy functionality and convenience of use. If you’re looking to try out voice recording, instead of carrying the burden of having to take manual notes, each one will offer a quality experience and the features you’re looking for to make the process seamless. You’ll find it easier than ever before to coordinate your workload with your favourite Typing Company typist, and your work day will slide past seamlessly with the burden of extra admin removed from your shoulders forever.