Summary: I like the fact that the Olympus VN-4100 is small enough to put in your pocket or purse, and still able to record conversations. It's very easy to use, and was quite sensitive for such an inexpensive recorder. Maybe it was me, though, but several times I tried fast forwarding through the recording and I did something to bring it all the way to the end, so I had to start over again. I also kept thinking that the play button could also be used as a stop button; instead it toggled between normal, slow, and fast playback every time I pressed it, then had to remember to hit the separate stop button. I don't know how expensive recorders compare, but if you're looking for something inexpensive, this is around the same price as a tape recorder, but with the digital advantage. I can't comment on the battery life since I've only used it a few times so far.

Summary: The Olympus VN-4100 has proven to be an excellent choice for my use in family research. Often when I go to my local library to do research, I find a need to make written and sometimes lengthy notes about sources and material. The Olympus recorder allows me to record the information much quicker and more accurately. Its separate folders each allows for multiple notes, permitting me to separate my material by individual, family or source. It has proven to be an ideal tool, allowing me to spend more actual time in research rather than note taking. It is compact and easy to use. It easily fits into to pocket or purse and would be an excellent tool for many different uses such as recording telephone numbers, appointments, shopping lists, etc.

Summary: So far I have been pretty happy with this product. I didn't expect much considering the price but overall this seems to be a very good digital recorder. The sound quality is really good and it is very easy to use. The only negative I have is that it uses up batteries fairly quickly.