Get a Professional Audio Recorder Out of Your iPod

As popular as the Apple iPod may be, it is still missing in some basic functionality that you can find on other MP3 players. The iPod doesn’t have a voice recorder or an FM radio, for example. The voice recorders on most MP3 players aren’t exactly the best, however, so if you’re looking for a more professional experience, you may want to consider the Alesis ProTrack.

Acting like a portable docking station for the iPod, the Alesis ProTrack effectively transforms the Apple music player into a professional-grade digital audio recorder. The professionalism extends to a set of XLR and 1/4-inch inputs as well, which you can either use for a line-in or a microphone. The built-in stereo condensor mics are arranged in an XY pattern.

The Alesis ProTrack works with the iPod Classic, 5th-gen iPod, and iPod nano (2nd and 3rd generation) and will be available in the third quarter of this year. No word on pricing.