Background and Identification
Modern-day voice recorders evolved from tape recorders, which were first invented by Alexander Graham Bell’s Volta Laboratory in 1886. Magnetic tape recorders originated in Germany during the 1930s, but it wasn’t until the late 1940s that magnetic tape recorders became widely used in the United States. Since their origins, voice recording devices have improved drastically. Today they have sleek appeals with high-resolution displays. Some modern-day voice recorders even have touchscreens.
Voice recorders are commonly used in radio, journalism, and the recording industry. They provide a level of convenience for journalists and historians, allowing them to record important conversations to refer back to later in case they can’t take notes fast enough. Voice recorders are, of course, also used in media production, from songs to podcasts to video voice-overs. Voice recorders on Amazon range from being relatively inexpensive to as much as an inexpensive smartphone, having costs from around $20 to $200.
Voice recorders are thin, rectangular devices. They have a display and controls on the outside of a box-like encasing that houses internal components. Voice recorders come in a range colors, but they are commonly black. Voice recorders are manufactured by numerous companies, including Sony, EVISTR, Olympus, and many more.