PocketREC Broadcast Edition software turns a standard PocketPC into a powerful, professional Digital Audio Workstation. All steps in the workflow of electronic news gathering have been implemented into an intuitive, integrated and easy to use handheld system. PocketREC does not only enable a drastic raise in the recording and editing efficiency, i.e. the entire production process, but also in enabling a quick direct, wireless or wired transfer of the content back to the station using latest technologies.

The PocketREC system has been designed to support the journalist in the most optimal way in recording, managing, editing and transferring audio and other multimedia content. All typical pieces of the classic reporter set (notebook, minidisk, digital camera, chargers and for all those devices, etc.) can be substituted by a single device that typically weights less than 200g. The same device can operate as the journalists' mobile phone as well, by using PocketREC on a PocketPC Phone device - direct transfer of recordings without additional hardware included.

picture: End-to-End audio content gathering, editing and delivery with PocketREC

PocketREC Full Broadcast Edition package contains 4 modules, each representing an individual, vital step of the audio recording, editing and transfer workflow:

The integration of the PocketMANAGER into the content delivery workflow enables new possibilities in remote content delivery that haven't been available in broadcast business up to now. The reporter can not only upload the pure audio file, but also define metadata information like title, comments, storyboard, i.e. all the information that without PocketREC has to either separately delivered back to the radio station or reversed engineered within the radio station from the audio file. The journalist and can also attach images and videos to the audio cut, a very valuable benefit regarding the ongoing convergence in broadcast content delivery.

The PocketREC Rich Media Router ensures a flawless integration of transferred content into existing Radio Automation, Content Management or Digital Asset Management Systems. For more details regarding the PocketREC RMR, please refer to the PocketREC Server Platform documentation.

Additional advantages from combining all steps of electronic news gathering to a multifunctional palm size device focuses on the possibility to use the same unit for other typical PDA tasks, like contact management, scheduling, e-mail, internet browsing etc. Many journalists already carry a PDA with them for exactly this purpose, and PocketREC now enables them to use a PocketPC for all tasks of their professional journalistic work, too.

picture: PocketREC for uncompromising workflow and device convergence

In this situation, it is important to see the real strength and benefit that arises out of a PocketREC solution: It must not be seen like a minidisk recorder only, but as a complete minidisk + notebook replacement. Therefore, also the cost benefits from deploying the PocketREC system within a broadcast organization will become obvious, if compared to the TCO of a minidisk + notebook solution.

Furthermore, with a PocketREC enabled PocketPC Phone, none of your journalists will miss the story of their lives because of a missing minidisk recorder: Their mobile phone and therefore PocketREC will always be in their pocket!

Finally, PocketREC also enables the journalists to concentrate less on technical and more on their actual tasks: interviews, high quality journalism with good stories, investigations, etc.