By Terry L. Brock
Small Recorder Gets Results
Recently I had the opportunity to review the H2 Handy Recorder from Zoom. This diminutive professional recorder is designed for on-the-go professionals who need studio-quality audio. It is used a lot with recording artists and capturing group singing (think choirs, social gatherings, etc.).
However, this device has some serious capabilities for mobile professionals who want to tap into the power of the Net for Relationship Marketing. Today, you can record audio of satisfied customers and then post those testimonials to your website. You can use this to record instructions. Remember, you can speak faster than you can type! Dictating responses to employees announcing new products or discussing company issues can help personalize messages.
A nice feature about the H2 is that is has the ability to do a two-way interview. The microphone has the ability to record on both sides, front and back. This way an interview can be conducted quickly and easily so that both interviewer and interviewee are recorded clearly and with rich, full-body sound.
I was pretty impressed with the quality of sound — and this ole radio and now Internet audio guy is hard to impress. The quality generated was nothing short of full professional quality. Think NPR Radio quality.
It runs on either the included AC adapter or 2 AA batteries. This is nice when you’re on the road and don’t have access to electricity. This is also nice that you can carry extra batteries and don’t have to rely on a proprietary power source.
The recording process took me a little time to figure out but once I did, it was easy to use. The unit can record with the internal microphones (plural) built in or with an external microphone. The external microphone must be self-powered.
I wish that the larger microphones would convert to speakers on playback. You need to play back through the included ear buds or other device. You can also play the sound from the SD card loaded into a computer.
Speaking of the SD card, they include a 512K card with the unit which is nice Many manufacturers don’t do this and it requires an extra step or extra trip to get it. You can also use an SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) card up to 16GB with the updated software available from Zoom.
All in all, this recorder is great for producing no-excuses, professional quality recordings for business or other use. Consider audio on your website and podcasts and this could be a handy tool to generate more customer response and interaction
(H2 Handy Recorder, Zoom, www.zoom.co.jp, $334.99, Support available in the US through Samson Technologies Corp, www.samsontech.com)
Discover Your Baggage Weight Before You Leave For The Airport
It is yet another hassle of flying today. You know what it is like. You rush to get to the airport. Traffic is a nightmare. Then you get to the ticket counter to check in your luggage and find out it is 10 pounds overweight. Ugh! If only you knew before leaving, you could have left that sack of potatoes home!
Well, good news is on the horizon for you. The folks at Balanzza have come up with the Balanzza Ergo. You can use two hands to life those heavier bags and see the weight in pounds or kilograms. The device beeps to you to lock in the weight of your luggage.
It works when you wrap the strap around your luggage and lift it. Up to 100 lbs. can be used with the device. For most of us lifting more than 100 wouldn’t be advisable anyway!
I travel a lot so I’m familiar with the challenges of the new weight restrictions. I’ve had to move items around in that embarrassing display of packing and unpacking with anxious fellow travelers watching the charade! Now, when you’re leaving from your hotel back to the airport to come home, the Balanzza Ergo comes to your rescue and tells you the weight.
Since weight is becoming more important in the ever-challenging travel world, this is a handy tool to have. It can also work in many situations where you need to know the weight of an object you are going to lift. Just make sure you can connect the strap around it!
(Balanzza Ergo from www.Balanzza.com, $24.05)
Terry Brock is an international marketing coach and columnist who helps businesses market more effectively, leveraging technology. He shows busy professionals how to squeeze more out of their days using time-honored rules and practical technology tools. He can be reached at 407-363-0505, by e-mail at terry@terrybrock.com or through his website at www.terrybrock.com.
