Voice Organizer is a palm-sized device that records voice messages and plays them back either at a verbal command or at preset times. I know it sounds hokey, but along with about 15 of my friends and colleagues, I am completely addicted. At US$199.95, Voice Organizer is cheap for the use I get out of it.
Voice Organizer comes standard with 512Kbits of memory, which will hold 240 seconds of voice recordings. You can also buy a 4-Mbit memory upgrade for $49.95.
I use the basic scratch-pad buffer to record daily to-do lists. Voice Organizer is also programmed to remind me to change the network backup tape every Friday at 4 p.m.
The most convenient feature, however, is a phone directory. Speak a person's name, and his or her number comes up on the device's 1-by-21&fraction;2-inch LCD along with any prerecorded message you may have made.
The only thing I find practically useless is the calculator: I can't program it to compute equity index options. Your mileage may vary.
About a month ago, I lost my Voice Organizer while traveling. I ordered a new one immediately upon arriving home in Zurich but was completely helpless during the three days it took to have a new one shipped from the States. If I lost my Newton, I'd wait until the next generation came out, then maybe replace it.
Voice Organizer's rechargeable batteries save weight but require you to travel with a recharger. Fortunately, it withstands a few days of reasonably heavy use before running low, and an internal backup power supply ensures you won't lose your data if it goes flat.
Just for fun, I trained my Voice Organizer in Japanese. (It can handle any language.) It worked even better than in English, but I felt like a show-off, so I switched it back.
Voice Organizer with rechargeable batteries, backup lithium battery, and recharging stand: US$199.95. Four-Mbit memory card: $49.95. Voice Powered Technology International Inc.: (800) 255 2310, +1 (818) 905 0950.
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