Of all the digital gizmos I carry (Newton, Duo, pager, wireless modem, plus occasionals like a cellular phone and Zoomer), my favorite is the Sony Scoopman. Officially known as the NT1 Digital Micro Recorder, Scoopman is a lightweight (less than 6 ounces), Lilliputian (4.5-x-2-x-1.5-inch) recorder that uses postage-stamp-size 90-minute digital tape cassettes and runs for six hours on a single AA battery. Scoopman is so small that it almost disappears in my briefcase, and the tiny tapes are easily lost in a shirt pocket.
I bought Scoopman to tape interviews - its sensitivity and sound quality leaves cassette recorders in the dust; it is unmatched by anything except my mini-disc player. But the big surprise was that Scoopman is a killer stereo music player! It is invaluable as an antidote to jet-stress on long flights - no more vapid airline music!
I rate Scoopman as my number one sanity/productivity tool. Only one bummer - price. Scoopman costs upwards of US$900, and the cassettes go for $18, but anyone who travels a lot will find it worth every penny.
Sony: (800) 222 7669, +1 (201) 368 9272.
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