microcassette
A smaller version of the analog audio cassette. Introduced in 1969 by Olympus, microcassettes were widely used for recording dictation and messages in a pocket-sized device. Because the recording speed is slower and the tape is thinner than an audio cassette, a tiny microcassette can hold 30 minutes per side. A dictation feature of many devices was variable playback speed.
Microcassettes were also used to record messages in some telephone answering machines; however, in the 1990s, tape-based recorders of all kinds evolved into solid state devices. See voice recorder, audio cassette and cassette.
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| Microcassette and Recorder |
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| The red and white microcassette is resting on an audio cassette for size comparison. Both use 1/8" wide tape, but the tape is thinner in the microcassette. Microcassette recorders are small enough to slip into a shirt pocket. |