GOOD VALUE WITH PC CONNECTION.

THIS IS NICE AND EASY TO USE.
HOWEVER IT ONLY RECORDS IN MONO HENCE THE 4 STARS.
PC CONNECTION AND GOOD VALUE COMPARED TO ARGOS.

Sony dictation machine

It's simple to use and pretty to look at, but the recording leaves much to be desired. If you are recording at close range the Sony does a great job, but with distance the recorded volume falls of hugely and is over shadowed with an annoying background hiss. This makes it too difficult, if not nearly imppossible, to hear through the in-built speaker or supplied headphones. The only way that I could make sense of things was to use a set of headphones with a volume control and the Sony's microphone sensitivty set to maximum. Given the price of these gadgets the Sony's performance is well below acceptable. I do not have experience of hard drive dictation machines, but my minidisc was far better than this. This item is going back and I'm of to Olympus, they enable the hiss to be turn down post-recording.

OK - Not Slim-line, & Quite Noisy

Firstly, this is NOT Slim-line, but to be fair to Sony they don't describe it as such, that's in the Amazon heading. It's actually wider than my old Walkman because of the speaker.

I chose this over the plastic-cased models as I thought it would be more robust, & it's certainly 'nicer' than the plastic model I tried. However, a lot of background noise from the unit's motor comes out on the recordings, which is a bit surprising as the motor doesn't sound loud when you are actually recording.

It's OK, I've kept it, but it's disappointing - I expected much better from Sony & for the price.

Oh, & it takes AAA batteries, not AAs as described in some write-ups.

Superb voice recorder

Good points: it delivers stunning stereo recordings due to a top quality built-in microphone and a great Sony CODEC. The supplied voice editing software works well. All functions are easily accessible from menus displayed on the LCD screen - a big improvement on older Sony models where options were hard to select or needed confusing combinations of button presses.

Negatives: it's expensive and the in-built memory is shamefully small (32MB = 85mins in the highest quality mode). Adding a cheap 1GB card I now have over 44hrs of recording time - more than I'll ever need!

Tape Recorder

good design from sony, as allways..but could not record anything,soon as touch the record button, it stopped? faulty i think..

Lives up to the SONY name

I was delighted when I opened the box, it's much smaller than the image shows.

Remove the cap at the bottom of the device and you find a USB 2 connection, this enables it to be connected directly to the USB port, from here it works like a USB flash drive, so you can use it to store and back up all your important files, it's also a MP3 player, great set of headphones supplied.

After a two weeks use i can't fault it - 5 star all the way!

Mac users beware

Why is it that in 2009 Sony and Mac can't make somethings compatible!? I'm sure there's a perfectly justifiable explanation - there had better be - but for the punter it is just irritating. I bought this recorder because it seemed to be the best but never saw anything to infer that it wouldn't work with a Mac but low and behold it doesn't. The user experience is also pretty awful. Anyone out there who could shed some light on why Macs and Sony can't get their acts together, I'd love to hear the reason(s)!

Sony ICD-UX70

Very light and easy to use - one downfall (if it has one) is its very small size and potential to mis-lay or lose it, but it has the lanyard ability built in - shame it doesn't have the lanyard. Recording quality is excellent far better than the two Olympus devices I already have. Play back on the device is very quiet (maybe too quiet) through its speakers (not tried the earphones yet), but wonderful playback through a PC after easy transfer of recordings. Small, well spaced (I have big fingers but found them easy to use) buttons, easy menu system.

Don't waste your money on this!!!!

Somebody bought this for me as a gift to help me when I returned to studying last year. The recording quality on this is absolutely awful, it's very bulky, the battery life isn't very good and it just kept disappointing me over and over again no matter where or what I tried to record. It also has its own drivers and its on file format when recording which just causes more headache (this means it won't play on any media player until you convert the files to MP3). After trying all the settings I just gave up after about a month and left it to rot on my shelf. I have recently purchased a Olympus WS-300M and the Sony cannot hold a candle to it, the Olympus is cheaper, lighter, thinner, smaller and recording quality is light years ahead of the Sony. Save your money people and opt for the Olympus!!!!

must have

this item seems worderfuly great. its eems as one of the best tape recorders to have. i am getting it why shoudn't you, thats only if you want the best so go on.

Sony dictation machine

I bought the 1gb machine, which matches on all features bar the storage capacity, as the above reviewer it's simple to use and pretty to look at, but the recording leaves much to be desired. If you are recording at close range the Sony does a great job, but with distance the recorded volume falls of hugely and is over shadowed with an annoying background hiss. This makes it too difficult, if not nearly imppossible, to hear through the in-built speaker or supplied headphones. The only way that I could make sense of things was to use a set of headphones with a volume control and the Sony's microphone sensitivty set to maximum. Given the price of these gadgets the Sony's performance is well below acceptable. I do not have experience of hard drive dictation machines, but my minidisc was far better than this. This item is going back and I'm of to Olympus, they enable the hiss to be turn down post-recording.

Sony's best kept secret

If you are at College, University or just need good note back-up for meetings etc. (Get permission first)

This is THE item for you - it actually does what it says.

It's quiet and discrete to use so will not annoy others in lectures, class or meetings.

The multi mic actually works, but will pick up paper rustling so careful when taking written notes.

Very well designed.

I hope Sony do another version with longer recording time capacity soon.