OM System VN-541PC Digital Voice Recorder

The VN-541PC exists to be simple. One button starts a recording, there is 4GB of internal memory behind it, and the large segment LCD tells you the state of things without a menu. For lecture notes, site memos and interview backup it removes the failure mode of a phone app that was not actually running.

Four scene presets - Memo, Talk, Music and LP - set the bit rate for the job, from 32kbps down to a 5kbps LP mode that stretches the internal memory to 1570 hours. A low-cut filter takes out air-conditioning rumble, and it connects over microUSB as a mass storage device, so files come off without software. 108 x 37.5 x 20mm, 67g with battery, up to 60 hours per set of alkalines.