Do You Need a Cell Phone Recorder? by Tom Rasmussen

With all the cool technology available, it can be tempting to buy gadgets just for the sake of buying gadgets. On the other hand, some technology can really be useful. The cell phone recorder falls into this category of possibly useful and possibly just a gadget.
Do you need a recorder to capture your cell phone conversations? Most people will automatically answer a resounding no to this, but may still want such a device because they’re cool. Other people will answer yes, I definitely need one. And most people will wonder how they would use a machine like this if they had it.
If you’re considering buying a cell phone recorder, how will you use it? Keep in mind that in most areas you can legally record phone conversations, including cell phone calls, only if you disclose the recording to the other party in advance and get their permission.
If you’re planning to record phone calls so that you can recall project and discussion details and make sure you’re on the same page with a client, supervisor or employee, then recording should be fine. Very few people will object when you have a strong reason for recording the phone call.
If capturing cell phone calls is part of a plan to discredit, embarrass or otherwise harm the other party, and you’re not planning to get their permission to tape them, a cell phone recorder could cause you some serious legal problems, and possibly some jail time. In that case, you should probably reconsider your purchase.
If you sometimes make calls from your office phone and sometimes from your cell, and need to record from both locations, one device will record from both phones, so you won’t have to purchase two recorders.
A cell phone recorder is definitely a cool gadget, and you will no doubt enjoy using it and impressing your friends with your new toy. But if you have a legitimate need to record phone conversations, legally, this may become an indispensable device for you. As we move more and more toward using our cell phones exclusively, being able to record your cell phone conversations becomes ever more important.