i'm a 17 year old filipino student writer/filmmaker and when an idea pop into my mind, im always armed with a pen and paper to write my ideas and to review it later. there were also times when pen and paper are not appropriate, while in the bath, while sitting at the toilet, while walking, etc. so I decided to buy a voice recorder to record my ideas everywhere and anytime. I'm considering a digital voice recorder but it is out of my budget. microcassettes however are good and small in size but it cant be played in ordinary cassette players. i originally bought a cheap 375 pesos or about $6 Platinum cassette recorder but the microphone is so bad so i needed a replacement. im considering an aiwa model with Voice activated recording, 2x recording time and a tape counter for about 34 dollars but because of sony's clear voice recording, i got this tcm-200dv tape recorder for 36 dollars. i really love the cool features such as 2x recording time, speed control VOR or Voice activated Recording, Clear Voice system which filters sound to make it more audible and its design. the microphone in the aiwa model is positioned in the hood of the recorder which is very bad because you cant direct the microphone to the sound source you want; sony however, positioned it excellently in the body facing up so you can direct it easily to the sound source. the VOR also is nice but it needs a litte practice to use and is so sensitive. the only thing lacking in this product is a tape counter. the recording is excellent and you can use it on meetings and during class because the mic is sensitive enough to "hear" sounds from a distance. overall, i recommend this product for students and professionals. you will really deserve what you pay for.