No, you’re not seeing triple — those really are three totally different models of voice recorder from Olympus. Well, they’re not actually that different. Core functionality is largely the same between them: a few gigs of internal storage, rechargeable AAA battery, built-in stereo mics, and a monochrome LCD screen (now bigger!).
People do, in fact, still use these; not everyone can get by with a 99¢ iPhone app for recording important meetings and lectures. Here are the key features of the new models, from left to right:
WS-600S: $80. Bargain bin version. 2GB inside.
WS-700M: $100. Value buy. 4GB inside, MicroSD slot, noise cancellation.
WS-710M: $150. Fancy style. 8GB inside, MicroSD, noise cancellation, and a directional microphone in addition to the standard stereo one.
They should be available in… September? Man, why didn’t they just wait and tell us then?
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