The Sony IC Recorder ICD-BP150VTP ($199.95 direct, tested configuration) is thinner but wider than the other recorders we looked at, making it the most comfortable for one-handed operation by those with big hands, but still small enough to be comfortable for small hands. You can also clip it to a shirt pocket, much like a pen, for convenient, hands-free recording. Recording time is similar to the DS-330: 2 hours 7 minutes in SP mode and 5:39 in LP mode, which still produces acceptable quality for most purposes.

Sony's Digital Voice Editor software lets you play files, move them to or from the recorder, and convert them from the default Sony DVF (Digital Voice File) format to Sony's MSV or ISC format, or to WAV files. For manual transcription, you'll find keyboard commands that give you enough control to rewind a few seconds. Even better is the ability to set start and stop points for continuous playback, letting you loop through the same section repeatedly until you get all the words. If you primarily need to transcribe dictation or notes from someone who's willing to take the time to train the voice recognition software, the ICD-BP150VTP may be your recorder of choice.

The Sony IC Recorder ICD-MS515VTP ($299.95 direct, tested configuration) is the only recorder in this group with removable memory which, of course, is a Memory Stick. The unit itself is shaped much like a fat Memory Stick—tall and narrow—with most of the controls along the right-hand side. Users with large hands may find one-handed operation a little clumsy. Recording time with the included 8MB Memory Stick is 2 hours 51 minutes in LP mode or 1:04 in SP mode, but with a 128MB card, maximum recording time tops 47 hours. Sound quality in LP mode is acceptable for most purposes.

Sony's Memory Stick Voice Editor is similar to Digital Voice Editor, with a slightly more attractive interface and the ability to speed up or slow down playback. Of the three units, all that keeps this one from being the runaway winner is its surprisingly low maximum volume, which might make playback difficult to hear in noisy environments.

Both Sony recorders can turn any message into a reminder to play back at a preset time, which worked well in our testing. You can even define all of your messages as reminders. The Sony devices also connect to your computer via USB. The packages we tested came with Dragon Naturally Speaking 6.0, but you can buy the recorders without voice recognition software. A 15-minute training session was enough to cut transcription time dramatically for notes we recorded in a reasonably quiet room. Voice recognition works only on files recorded in SP mode.