June 5, 2007

Why Can't Cell Phones Record Their Own Calls?

Yesterday's surprise phone interview with Sen. Lamar Alexander sent me looking today for a cheap technology that would allow me to digitally record calls to my cell phone. While Sen. Alexander's office was able to record the call and send me the digital audio file, not every person I or other bloggers interview via phone would be able to do that. So, I found this nifty little accessory. Essentially, you plug it into the earphone plug on your cell phone, then plug in your earphone and also run a plug to your digital recorder or your computer's audio-in jack, and you can record the call. One problem: On some cell phones it doesn't capture your voice, only the voice of your caller.

I don't know how the JK Audio CellTap works with my phone, the LG CU500, so I'm a bit hesitant to lay out $80 for it just yet.

Why don't cellphone makers make cellphones that can digitally record a call? My cell phone can store 500 songs. I can use it to shoot low-res video. I can even use it like a digital recorder - interviews done in person i can record with it. But not interviews done over the phone itself, which would seem to be a rather simple feature to add.

I suspect a cellphone that could record calls would be a big hit with journalists and with business people who want an audio record of important calls. It also would be a hit with bloggers and podcasters.