Griffin iTalk Review
In iPod on 15 October 2004 3:24 pm with 13 comments
(ID: #74) 
Sorry for the delay, I just edited it as best I could to get it up. Enjoy!
I bought a Griffin iTalk
Here’s the equipment I have:
- 3rd Generation Apple iPod
- Belkin Auto Kit w/ Dock Connector
- Cassette Adapter
Preparation
I made sure the battery was topped off as much as possible before class.
iPod fast-charges the battery to 80 percent of capacity in an hour. However, it can take 4 hours to fully recharge the battery.
Source: Tips and tricks to get the most out of your iPod’s battery
So, I kept it plugged in for an hour, then unplugged it and replugged it back in for the rest of the evening. By then, it had to be full!
Tests
My first two classes (MWF) are about 50 minutes in length, while if I have accounting (MW), that’s about two hours. So, my iPod would have to last about four hours max.
I sat near the front in my first two classes, and in my third class, I’m in the back. I’m essentially testing the ranges, since I sit anywhere from 10 feet to 30 feet away.
If I was less than 15 feet away, then the teacher came in pretty clear. The one where I’m in the first row, when she gets excited in her lecture, then the audio gets a little distorted. My last class on Wednesday where I sat in the very back. At the end of my classes for that day, around the 3:30 mark, my battery meter was empty but still recording. No matter what, I wanted to record as much as I could - and it lasted.
Results
I got in the car, turned the Belkin Auto Kit all the way up, the stereo bass all the way down, and listened to my Religion class (20ft). Pretty nice, not too loud. My English class (10ft) was next, and that was loud and clear. My last accounting class was (estimating) maybe 30-35 feet away, and that was too soft. The next time I recorded my accounting class, I put it at the side of the room by the wall, away from everyone but to the side of the teacher. When he was at the front, the iTalk picked up his vocals pretty well. Unfortunately, he’s one of the teachers that move around the classroom. (Not to worry, he’s still one of my favorites!)
The majority of the time, my iPod was on my desk. If I rustled some papers or coughed, it picked up the sound up very well.
Like all the other people that comment on the integrated iTalk speaker, it’s not suitable to listen to the voice recordings. It really was over-hyped. However, if you play a song at almost full blast thru the tiny speaker, it has the potential to be a decent alarm clock (if you’re not a heavy sleeper). Personally, I’ll use headphones or listen to it in the car when I’m driving alone the majority of the time. But even then, you need to turn the volume up fairly high.
Usage Ideas
One thing you can do is after your class(es) is you can talk into it with a proper intro explaining the class lecture for the day, and any points you felt were important. Then when you get home, you can listen to it and transcribe it onto paper, except in a more organized manner.
Last night, we watched a movie for my one evening class. Afterwards, he wanted us to write a response about the movie to turn in for next week. Right when I got into my car, and drove off, I had the iTalk plugged in and I was dictating a crud summary of what happened in the movie. That way, when I type it up, it’ll refresh my memory.
Another idea I’m going to try is memorizing vocabulary words onto it. I can have flash cards, but I can also read the words and definitions into the iTalk. Then at night, or in the car, listen to it. Hopefully it’ll sink in better!
Additional Notes
When I was taking notes in one class, in the margins I’d note the time on the iPod where the teacher switched topics. That way, if I’m studying and I can’t remember what the teacher explained, I can more quickly browse to the (almost) exact spot for that particular lecture.
Problems
There were times when the iPod would be on, I’d plug in the iTalk to record, but a few seconds later, it’d stop counting up. I can’t recall the source, but you’re more likely to avoid problems if you plug your iTalk in when the iPod isn’t on.
Conclusion
I would recommend this if you have to record audio for under 4 hours max, unplugged. With an electrical source, it could go for an even longer period of time. It’s definitely been a valuable tool for studying.
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