Podcasting -recordable Mp3 player needed and advice please?

Hi

Hope some-one can help!

We are just at the early stages of podcasting, we've bought a good usb microphone and are in the middle of creating demo's using Audacity.
I would prefer not to have to drag the laptop with microphone around school and have heard about recordable Mp3 players.
On one education site they suggested an 'iriver'. Does anyone know if they are any good, can you get a micrphone to plug in externally or should I be looking at something totally different. I want the children to be able to interview other children and parents but not have to thrust an Mp3 player under their nose to get good sound quality. I'd also like to be able to record the children singing in the choir.

We haven't a huge budget possibly top figure of £100 so I'd be grateful for any advice to what portable recording device I should use to create Mp3's and even better.......if you know a supplier who accepts school purchase orders :D !!

Many thanks

Kathy

I have an iRiver H340. Very nice.

http://www.virgin.net/music/download...340review.html

I replaced the firmware with a 3rd party opensource equivelent called 'Rockbox' though to get some extra features and fix some of the bugs in the stock firmware.

http://www.rockbox.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/WhyRockbox

I work for Currys.Digital as a weekend manager (I know currys/dixons/pc world. Some of us to actually offer customer service lol), the iRivers are really good. Last year we had some on offer and they were cracking bits of kit, we had a lot people who didn't own a PC buy one and they used their stereo to copy CD's onto the unit. I had one guy who needed showing how to use it, and once i showed him and made notes he was able to use and has not been back with a problem.
We do sell some newer models but these DO NOT have line in functions, and i haven't seen any for a while. I'm back in store Saturday so can look on the system to see if there are any bargins around?

Robert!

Thanks for the replies, I think an iriver is a good bet but really think I may need one with external mic facility unless you think the sound recording quality would be good enough?

Thanks for your help, if you find anything let me know...much appreciated as I can order via purchase order via PCworld if they stock them too.

Kathy

Mine has a 3.5mm line in/mic jack socket.

Saying that inbult mic is greato n irivers listen to some of our podasts from conferences etc all done using iriver sat by the speaker..

Or the helpdesk show all done in a very nosey olympia

Russ

What about a digital dictaphone that records as mp3 such as the Sony ICD-U60???

Ben

Thanks all

will probably go for the 'iriver' and try and get one with line in, pcworld don't appear to have any.........so sorry, but does anyone know a supplier of iriver that accepts school purchase orders.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Kathy

My friend a few years ago got one of these

http://www.korg.com/gear/info.asp?a_prod_no=PXR4

for xmas, then he got drunk, climbed over a friends back garden wall and lost it. 3 months later this device was found and amazingly, after lying in the snow and being rained on etc, IT STILL WORKED !!! all except the mic.

the mic is a condenser mic and should be perfect for your needs. also will probably stand up to a lot of abuse by students

Got our irivers from
http://advancedmp3players.co.uk/shop/
Ordered online paid by cheque