Using Voice Memos As A Podcasting App

With iPhone 3.0 and 3GS soaking up all the attention, perhaps Voice Memos is the most ignored feature of the iPhone.  There really has not been enough attention given to this most excellent app from Apple.

I spent an hour chatting with my cousin about politics, the potential of green tech growth, and international trade, I decided to make a podcast out of our conversation.  My cousin's a PhD in economics  and as for myself, I keep up with current events in economics, politics, and, for the most part, I am fairly intelligent.

I had my choice of my Macbook, an iPhone 3G, 2nd generation iPod Touch, and a G1 all are capable of recording the podcast.  I decided since the iPhone 3G was running low on battery and I didn't want to take my Macbook out of the backpack, I decided to use the Touch and the G1.

How did it go?  First the setting.  I don't like quiet rooms that some podcasts are created in.  There's nothing wrong with that. I just like to record the podcast in a more relaxed setting.  We were at a coffee shop, there was music playing, and some background conversations but none of these ambient noises were too overwhelming.  It wasn't as if there was a band playing or anything like that.

We started chatting with the iPod Touch and G1 recording.  After an hour of podcasting, I stopped the recording.  So which of the two devices did the job?  Or did it worked at all?

The quality from the Touch was incredible.  Using the headset from the iPhone 3G as the mic, the Touch picked up our voices clearly and crisply.  We could here the ambient noises, music, the machine churning out espresso, and other minor sounds but the focus, our conversation was not affected.

And on the G1?  Well, not so good.  The recording was through a headset mic as well.  Our voices were faint and there was a lot of white noise.  Imagine what a subpar AM reception.  That was what it sounded like.

I can't say enough how great the podcast quality on the iPod Touch is.  It definitely shows the attention to the app that Apple gave it.  I'm sure Apple created the Voice Memos to do no more than create short memos but podcasting?  I doubt that.

So, if you're at a conference, show, or anywhere else where you don't have your podcasting equipments with you, just take out your iPhone or iPod Touch and use Voice Memos.