The Digital Voice Recorder
The Digital Voice Recorder is a technology that is an example of the evolution of several technologies that shared the same theme in history, audio recording! Throughout history, there has always been an invention of recording voices and music for society to listen to repeatedly at their leisure. It could be used for note taking, lessons, or simply for the listening pleasure of stories and music.
Various technologies have been invented to be portable and capable of storing a lot of material. The technologies that I immediately think of that the digital voice recorder has evolved from are the 8-track tape, the cassette tape, and of course the LP. These technologies were evolved from the phonograph and the gramophone back in the 1800's. All share the theme of being able to record and to playback audio recordings.
Growing up, I remember that my parents had the 8-track tape player, (invented in 1965) in the car and we would sing along with our favorite music groups. (William Lear, 2010) This later became the cassette tape player. As a language teacher, I have used cassette tapes, audio CDs and MP3 players to play the audio lessons that support our text. My colleague still pulls out a record player and plays music in Spanish for her students! They just look at her in awe, questioning this strange contraption!
Today, the Digital Voice Recorder can perform multiple actions. In the example of the Sony Memory Stick Duo Voice Recorder, one can find features such as a voice recorder that organizes and edits recordings in 340 folders. This means that I can record my students during oral examinations. I can record myself to create podcasts for my courses, all on one device. There is even software for sending audible emails—with an attachment! A completely new and innovative idea! (Memory Stick Duo Voice Recorder, 2010) Some digital voice recorders offer the feature of MP3 players and recorders, I have one that does this and it didn't come close to the cost of this Sony Memory Stick!
The digital voice recorder can be added to the long list of technologies that have been produced to provide society with voice and musical audio recordings.
References:
Bellis, M. (2010). Photo Gallery - Gramophone & Emile Berliner. Retrieved July 15, 2010, from About.com Guide: http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/ss/gramophone.htm
DVD: Laureate Education, Inc. (2009). Emerging and future technology. Baltimore: Thornburg, D.
Emile Berliner: The History of the Gramophone. (2010). Retrieved 14 July, 2010, from About.com: http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventions/a/gramophone.htm
Memory Stick Duo Voice Recorder. (2010). Retrieved 15 July, 2010, from Sony Electronics, Inc.: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665927715
William Lear. (2010). Retrieved July 14, 2010, from About.com: http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bllear.htm
I smiled when I read your post and how we went from two different inventions and still connected to the same earlier links. When you think about it, they are all recordings. I was looking at it strictly from the music aspect and not the sound. Where do you think technology will go from here? I was not aware of the Sony Memory Stick.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Regina. Do you think there will continue to be a need for memory stick-type devices when many smart phones perform similar functions?
ReplyDeleteRegina,
ReplyDeleteIt is funny that you picked the digital recorder for your topic because I just bought one to do my interviews. My laptop has a recorder, but the problem I had was carry this around. With the invention of the memory stick recorder, individuals do not have to work about many problems (batteries, damaging screen, etc.) when it comes down to performance.
I am curious like the group, do you think this technology will transform again?
The memory stick is way over priced! They are going to have to cut that cost by a lot!
ReplyDeleteI do think that it will transform again! After all, like Anne pointed out, you can voice record digitally with most smart phones--mine (Palm Pre) doesn't for some bizzare reason! I think that it will probably have longevity as the CD, I don't think it will have the longevity of the LP!
ReplyDeleteThanks!