Philips just launched an Android-powered voice recorder called SpeechAir. (Photo : YouTube/ Philips Dictation)
Most journalist still use voice recorders for standard interviews, but things are likely to change with the launch of the Android-powered voice recorder SpeechAir.
At a first glance, the SpeechAir, aimed at legal and medical professionals, can easily be mistaken for a smartphone. The device sports three different microphones: one for 360-degree audio recording; one directional microphone for speech recognition; and one MEMS microphone for making VOIP calls, Android Police reported.
Different from most digital voice recorders in the market, SpeechAir flaunts a 480x800 pixel IPS touchscreen supporting more than 16 million colors. Corning Gorilla Glass and a rugged, anti-microbial cover protect this Android-powered voice recorder. In addition, the gadget comes with a 5-megapixel rear camera that can be employed to decipher bar codes. The case comprises a slider, physical buttons plus a super microphone grille.
The SpeechAir comes with a package including headphones, an international power supply, data as well as power cables, and a desktop docking station.
SpeechAir runs a customized edition of Android 4.4.2 and is powered by a dual-core Cortex A9 CPU clocked at 1.6 GHz. The device also offers 1GB of RAM, 16GB of native storage, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. However, the press release issued by Philips does not talk about Google or the Play Store, and, hence, users are unlikely to access any games on this voice recorder.
Perhaps the best feature of the Philips SpeechAir is that the device comes with software that will protect all recordings with 256-bit AES encryption automatically. The device can also be monitored remotely and is likely to be handy for users who want to protect any information or a source. Philips has also released an SDK to enable developers to write applications for it, Uber Gizmo reported.
As the functionality of the Philips SpeechAir goes beyond what most of the voice recorders available in the market have to offer, the device is likely to carry a significant price tag. However, Philips has not announced the pricing yet, but it will certainly be pricier compared to any standard voice recorder.
Watch the video "Hands-on Philips SpeechAir" below:
