Though we're sure nobody set actual barriers regarding the size and price of handheld digital recorders, the new TASCAM DR-07 would have probably broke them literally as it did figuratively with its introduction at Winter NAMM 2009. With an estimated street price sneaking in under $200, even people who only have $200 can portably record, so watch what you say to people unless you're sure that they don't have anywhere near $200.

The TASCAM DR-07 is based on the DR-1, which spawned an even more portable recording craze for the company that's perhaps most renowned for its Portastudios of yore. It records to SD or SDHC media and comes stocked with a 2 GB SD card. The DR-07 also features a stereo pair of electret condenser mics which capture sound in 24-bit WAV or MP3 formats.

Power the DR-07 up with AA batteries and enjoy capabilities like computer transfer via a USB 2.0 connector. Recording features are sheltered in a compact and sturdy case designed to be intuitive to use, based on TASCAM's veteran status in the industry. Paul Jenkins, the VP of Sales and Marketing for TASCAM, goes into further detail:

"TASCAM has culled 30 years of recording experience into a lineup of the best portable recorders available anywhere. From the affordable DR-07 and DR-1 through the professional DR-100 and HD-P2, only TASCAM has a selection of recorders that takes musicians through every stage of their career.”

Furthermore, fans of TASCAM instrument trainers will be happy to know that the DR-07 includes functions that let you loop and slow down playback without affecting the pitch for practice purposes. Lastly, the DR-07 has a mounting hole and an included windscreen to increase range of recording applications.