iRig Recorder for Android

If you want to ditch your personal recording device, you can use your smartphone to replace it. iRig Recorder is an app specifically designed to capture the full power of your smartphone's microphone to record audio. Its layout is smooth, but the features and recording quality leave a lot to be desired.

The app doesn't put any limit on your recording and even lets you know how much data you have left. That makes it easy to know when you should cap your recording for space concerns. The app's menu also tells you how much battery life your gadget has left and other info. If only the app's performance was as good as its interface. First, iRig Recorder won't prevent your phone from sleeping. If your phone does go to sleep mid-recording, the app freezes your recording. That means you have to constantly tap the app to get it to keep recording. The app doesn't isolate sound well, so most of your recordings will come out sounding like a garbled mess. Since the only editing feature available is trimming, you can't make your recording sound any better. There's no widget to record without opening the app either. This app is free but it's not the complete version. The complete version costs $4.99 and offers some additional features, effects, and upgrades.

Since the app looks like it's geared to semi-professional recording, the poor quality is disappointing. iRig Recorder is heavy on style but not a home run when it comes to substance. If your phone packs a high-quality microphone, you might be able to make great recordings with this app. Just make sure you're prepared to constantly babysit the app so it doesn't ruin your recording.