Lots of MP3 players have voice recorders, but what about a voice recorder that syncs and plays MP3s with ease? The Olympus Digital Voice Recorder WS-321M conveniently plugs right into an available USB port (no cables needed), syncs with Windows Media Player, and plays WMAs and MP3s, in addition to its main purpose as a voice recorder.

The WS-321M has 1GB of storage and measures a tiny 3.73 x 1.51 x .43 inches. On top are headphone and mic jacks, with Play, Stop and Record buttons on the right side and the Hold switch and Music/Voice Selector on the left. The OK/Menu button on the front acts as a Play button if pressed quickly and a Menu button if held down for a second or more. But the coolest thing about this device is that it connects to a USB port with no wires necessary. Simply press the release button on the back of the recorder, slide the cover off, and plug it right in. (See image after the jump.)

To get music files (WMA and MP3 formats) onto the player, you can use Windows Media Player or simply drag and drop directly to the player--it's also a mass storage device. I had no trouble using either of these methods to load music on the player. It doesn't support playlists, but you can play tracks by artist, song or album and create your own folders for each artist. You can then play by file, folder, or play all; there's also a random playback (shuffle) mode.

Not surprisingly, the sound quality wasn't very good, with muddy bass and tinny highs. The player has EQ presets and a WOW Effect, which is supposed to optimize sound quality, but audiophiles need not apply. But this device is great for listening to recorded podcasts or for use during a workout. For $200, you should only buy this if you're planning to use the voice recorder frequently. I'd love to see a quality MP3 player and voice recorder in one; the voice recorders included with many MP3 players are too basic for professional use. After the jump: Voice Recording.

Of course, this device is a voice recorder first, and this it does well. The microphone has two recording modes; use either depending on your surroundings. The Conference mode has the highest sensitivity and records sound in all directions--ideal for a conference, of course, plus seminars, lectures and other events. Dictation mode has a lower sensitivity and is best for small groups or one-on-one conversations. You can also plug in your own external mic for extra flexibility. I found it picked up voices very well, in a variety of situations--my quiet cubicle, a crowded street, and a large conference room.

To help you record only what you want to record, the device has a filter that blocks out ambient noise. You can also set it to record continuously, stopping only during long periods of silence, so you don't end up with lots of dead air when you play the file back later. You can select a variety of quality levels, depending on what your priority is: The higher the quality, the more space your recording takes up. In testing, I found the recorder picked up sound well, blocking out background/ambient noise when I wasn't speaking (similar to a cell phone or headset).

If the audio is difficult to understand during playback, you can apply a noise-canceling function and voice filter which cuts low and high frequencies. And if you need to transcribe your recording, the auto backspace review is a handy feature that rewinds and plays the last few seconds of audio, so you don't have to manually rewind. This feature is indispensable when recording lengthy interviews or conversations, no matter how speedy a typist you are. You can also set index marks in your files so you can easily find and play key parts.

The WS-321M (1GB) is available on Amazon, and nearly every electronics store you can name for $149.99 list. The WS-331M (2GB) goes for $199.99 list, and the 512MB WS-311M is $99 list. All models run on either one AAA battery or an Ni-MH rechargeable battery.

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