0ur opinion:

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Take it here, there and anywhere. The compact brushed silver WS-300M is equipped with 256MB of internal memory for up to 68 hours of recording time and stores up to 120 music tracks. Users can enjoy a great sense of freedom, not being bound by cables, docking station or special software, simply plug directly into any PC and you are ready to upload and download your files as you choose.

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Slim, attractive, and highly functional, the 0lympus WS-300M digital voice recorder packs 256 MB of internal flash memory into its lightweight housing, letting you record up to 68 hours of high-quality audio in WMA format. lt's ideal for recording notes or long lectures, interviewing sources for an upcoming story, or capturing spur-of-the-moment song ideas before they disappear into the air. As an added bonus, the WS-300M can store up to 66 WMA or MP3 songs for high-quality stereo playback, letting you listen to your favorite tunes between (or during) classes or while waiting in line at the DMV. All this in a tiny body that measures 1.5 inches wide by 3.73 inches tall--roughly the size of a pack of gum.

The WS-300M features five separate file folders capable of holding 199 files each, so you can organize nearly 1,000 files by subject, theme, or other categories. Users also have the choice of four recording modes: HQ, which minimizes background noise and is great for recording people with low speaking voices; LP and SP modes that offer extended recording times; and the unique Stereo HQ mode, which makes two-channel recordings. And thanks to the voice activation option, users don't need to press a single button to start recording. The WS-300M will instead record as soon as the built-in microphone picks up sound.

Perhaps the most convenient feature, however, is the built-in USB connector. To attach the WS-300M to a PC, all you need to do is remove one end of the recorder's body, which reveals a male USB plug. This USB Direct design eliminates the need for a USB cable (the male plug connects directly to your computer), making the device even more portable. 0nce connected, you can download music files, images, or documents, in effect turning the recorder into a small hard drive, or you can transfer voice recordings to your computer for storage or multimedia use.

The unit also offers built-in W0W sound enhancement to produce rich, three-dimensional audio with a nice bass component. Additional audio improvements include a user-selectable equalizer that lets you tailor the sound to your taste or environment, along with 0lympus's innovative noise-canceling technology, which makes the audio even clearer by removing unwanted hiss and background noise. You can even adjust the built-in stereo microphone's recording level to meet your needs.

Every bit as important are the playback functions, which include fast (50 percent) and slow (25 percent) playback, random play, and repeat play. And should you need to identify and quickly retrieve important sound bites, all you need to do is insert an index mark and refer to it later. Additional features include a locking function, which keeps important data from being erased; an easy-to-read, backlit, full-dot LCD; and a pair of stereo headphones.

What's in the Box
WS-300M digital voice recorder, stereo earphone, one AAA battery, USB cable, user's manual.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Very bad product - avoid at all costs ...
Before considering to purchase this recorder, please do a search for the model number on google: OLYMPUS WS-300M. You will find that many many people have "memory error" malfunctions the moment they change the battery for the first time. From this point on the product no longer works (ever). The manual says that this error message indicates that the unit needs to be returned to OLYMPUS as it is an internal memory error.

It is very light and compact, but the battery disconnects from the main unit when you use the USB port meaning that you may need to reset the date and time.

Maybe you can return it when it malfunctions, but you know what a hassle it is to deal with returning anything purchased on the internet.

This product is not worth the hassle. Mine worked for abou 20 minutes and never again. I spent USD80 and it was money out the window. I am sure Panasonic or Sony make less nice looking but more reliable products.

Good Luck !!!

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Buyer's feedback: - Finicky
I bought one of these last year and loved it for the first several months. The sound quality was great. It was easy to put recordings on my computer, and it was Mac compatible. But every time I've used it in the last two months, it's shut off a few minutes into an interview. I've replaced the battery, cleared the contents, everything. But the problem keeps happening, so I'll have to replace it with another model. As a journalist, I can't afford for my digital recorder to be this finicky

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Buyer's feedback: - * Good buy, lots of fun ...
I love this little dvr. I use it as an audio diary, so I am always alone and in a quiet place while recording. I don't know how it would be for use in a classroom or meeting, don't know the strength it has to pick up a speaker from afar. For how I use it, it is great. I tried the music feature also with no problems. I liked that the file format is WMA as I have trouble converting my files and never could find an answer as to how to do it. When your folder is full just plug it into your computer and burn a cd. Couldn't be easier. If I would list one complaint it would be that it doesn't let you know when your folder IS full, and I have all ready lost entries. Also, because of its small size, the screen is very hard for me to see, but I do have eye problems, so that may not hold true for everyone else. All in all I love this little dvr and I'm very happy I bought it. (Got it at Radio Shack, cheaper than on Amazon, which is unusual)

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Buyer's feedback: - handy for all computers, bad dication
I've had better sound out of other recorders, BUT I was searching for anything Mac compatible. Actually quite challenging.

This is easy to use and I like that I don't have to install software with every computer I use. I plugged it directly into my Mac and my friend with a PC strolls on over to download it to hers really fast before our next class. Easy.

Dictation is awful. I read some reviews on this sight and the guy who used it to speak into on that setting was entirely correct. It sounds like The Matrix is about to take over. I seriously can't listen to it because of the warped sound. Dictation is not an option on this item. If you want dictation, I also bought an Olympus DS-330, (darn forgotten Ebay bid), and that's a-whole-lot more professional. I may use it for dictation, but the lecture recording is not as good as the Olympus WS-300M.

If you don't have to mess around with the market's incompetent attempt to accommodate a Mac, I would recommend the Olympus VN-3100PC. It has 71 hours of pure lecture joy recording capacity. That was the first one I bought. Oops. PC only. I think it has better sound than the WS-300M and it's not as light.

Oh - this is not made out of material like an iPod nano or something - it's a light plastic. As such, you can really hear the pushing of buttons and shuffling around regardless of careful handling.

So, this recorder was stolen, the first one was for PC and the third one I got off of eBay where they failed to mention that there was no software so I can't get lectures onto my computer unless I pirate something or wander around campus searching for someone with the disk because Olympus does not have very friendly customer service, (i.e. they may be non-existent or possibly alien). Beware of second hand deals.

Having gone through all of that, I think I'm just going to get a iPod with a microphone. There's plenty of memory and I don't have to worry about it not hooking up to my computer. Plus, if it ends up sub-par I at least have an iPod. For Mac people, we just don't have very many options.

I hope that helps and you don't have to stare at reviews for hours at a time thinking, "Oh my God, I'm getting closer to death every hour I sit here."

Caboose.

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Buyer's feedback: - * Doesn't work at a distance ...
I had high expectations for the Olympus WS-300m but I find it does not record well beyond a distance of a couple of feet. It's great for dictation and the tiny size is much appreciated, however, when voice activation is turn on and set to the highest level of sensitivity it shuts down and misses nearly everything when placed a few feet from the source. As a test, in case my voice is too soft, I turned on the radio and adjusted the volume so I could hear it easily at a distance of 15-20 feet. The Olympus WS-300m goes into Standby mode when it is only 2 feet away from the radio. I put in a new battery and the result was identical. I also made sure I had the microphone set to "conf" and not to "dict" for dictation. I studied the manual carefully. I compliment them on the clarity and comprehensive nature of the manuel. But nothing worked to enable me to record with voice activation at a distance. Either I have a lemon or I have failed to comprehend the instuctions or this is the most overrated digital recorder sold on Amazon.