Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder
A Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder? Hmm, either it is or it isnt right? I mean whats the point of a SEMI 
COVERT pen voice recorder! In a previous review I did get to grips with the COVERT PEN RECORDER and that really was a supreme piece of kit however, I feel if a surveillance product is to be developed then the word ‘covert’ applies top of the list otherwise it’s just your average voice recorder. Having said all this negativity, there are 2 valid reasons for advertising this product:
- The long 17hr recording time
- The audio quality
A 17hr recording time is very good for any voice recorder and this Semi-Covert Voice Recording Pen does deliver a solid 17hrs recording time due to a decent in-built fully rechargeable lithium. It’s easy to be misguided by recording times as many advertisers state 36/64/128/260 recording times and this is a crazy assumption as even the best recorders in the world do not have a battery performance to carry this through without compromising on audio quality however, not only can this Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder perform to 17hrs but the audio quality is absolutely fantasic. This device is easily on par with the audio of the Covert Watch Voice Recorder.
This Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder was tested out for useabilty and a bold step was taken to wave this in the face of innocence without causing the party to ask what the 4 buttons were! Unfortunately, whilst the Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder is a black colour and doesnt have any markings, it does let the side down with 4 buttons on display and this device simply isnt good enough to pass a visual examination. My recommendation is to use this device as a pure recording facility only suitable for the jacket pocket or leaving out of sight. The microphone is good enough to leave the Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder in an environment where an audio pick-up of 20ft is very acceptable.
The pen cleverly unscrews in the middle (the bottom half is the shortened ink cartridge) and the top half is the integrated flash chipset which allows you to connect the device directly to your computer and is absolutely visually impossible to know this secret compartment. Simply connect into the USB slot of your computer and it will be immediately recognised (Windows XP) as a mass storage device. The options to playback the audio files are now available. To back up the claim this device works on Windows Vista PC’s is also true however you do need to go to START MENU/MY COMPUTER, and then double click the REMOVEABLE MASS STORAGE DEVICE to get the same effect. Once a voice recording had been made, an automatic folder named ‘Voice’ is visible and inside this folder are your saved audio files.
This Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder is available in a 2GB version to offer maximum storage capacity. Charging is as easy as plugging it into your computer where it automatically recharges the internal lithium battery and the mechanical operation of this device is just as described - ‘Plug and Play’. There are no drivers or software to install and no cables either which is refreshing. Playing back the audio files is done either directly though your computers media player such as Windows Media, RealPlayer or QuickPlayer, or whatever audio software integration you may have installed on your computer OR you can use the supplied earphones which connect just the same as the data cable. Using these earphones is not just for it’s audio playback, you can store MP3 songs and listen back through the earphones too! I found the quality of songs extremely good clarity and no different to purchasing an MP3 player to do the same job.
Summary: This Semi-Covert Pen Voice Recorder doesnt shine as a covert device disguised as a pen but it does receive the highest marks for audio quality. If you have the option to hide this device or use in a top shirt pocket then it is a recording dream and playback (even at far distances) is very very impressive.
Verdict: 
