I don’t spend that much time in the car, but when I do I always think of something important that I’d like to remember. Never without a pen and notebook, you’d think I’d be all set, but these do me no good while driving. And don’t get me started on the iPhone, which requires the following process to record even a simple message…
- Dig iPhone out of pocket (that’s where I keep it)
- Swipe to open
- Type unlock code
- Find and launch dictation app (and I’ve never found a great one)
- Press Start/Record button
- Speak
- Press Stop button
Most of those steps require that I look at the phone, and by that time I don’t care any more. My ideas aren’t usually worth that sort of effort.
Instead, I bought a Micro-cassette Recorder. That’s right, an old-fashioned miniature tape recorder. In this case, a Sony BM-575, which is made of metal and should handle the abuse I want to throw at it. What a great device! I leave it on the seat next to me or the nearest empty cup holder, and when I think of something worth remembering, I…
- Grab the recorder
- Slide the big obvious button to Record
- Speak and release
See, now that’s how it’s done. No menus, no dicking around trying to find the app or button I need. I never need to take my eyes off the road, since to record and play my voice there’s just one button, and that’s all it does.
Once a week or so I play everything back, write down anything important, and reset the tape counter for next week. It may seem archaic and unnecessary, but it’s actually better, faster, and more useful than anything else I’ve tried.