Help With Finding The Right Portable Digital Recorder

Hi. I don't know much about recorders; I am still in the tape cassette mode. I need a portable digital recorder to record voices close up and at a distance, as for lectures, etc. I would also like it to do a decent job of recording singing Not sure it is possible to find a recorder that does both voice and singing decently. Don't want it for professional; for that I know a dedicated singing recorder is necessary. I want something small for my spy activities as well. [really]
I would appreciate any suggestions. Sadly, I don't want to go over a $100. Go fund me. Also, I am looking at a Sony ICD AX4 12. Does anyone know what the cons would be on that?
Thanks for any help. Have been looking over a week. This technical age is wearing me out.

 

The one you're looking at seems to be rather expensive: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICD-AX412-Stereo-Digital-Recorder/dp/B004M8STL8
I suggest this as an alternative: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JVLPFNG/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza
No backlit display but it is in your budget and offers the same recording options.

 

Thanks, Just playin. From the reviews, tho, I am getting the impression that it isn't picking up talking that well. I need something that will pick up speaker in lecture hall, and close up. This seems to pick up a lot of background noise, including when recording someone talking at close quarters. People also say its made of cheap plastic, don't know if that's impacting acoustics. Not familiar with these.

 

Well, I think any of them will pick any background sound. I am surpised how well our cheap (I think I paid some 70 bucks or something around) for a Sony digital personal recorder, my wife uses for recording meetings of around 50 persons and does it clear enough to make a transcript later, in addition of that this one came with Dragon software, I got it at Staples.

 

Chapincito, some have features that keep background and other extraneous noises down. Nice that it came with Dragon.I am looking at the slightly older models but still have good features. They don't have to be expensive to have some good features, it seems to me.What is the model no. of your Sony? Does it record in stereo, have a usb cord or plug right in to computer usb; no. of bits, are batteries rechargeable, how many mikes; at what distance will it record, as in back of lecture hall. Does it record in mp, wav, so on? Memory sd card? Sound quality for singing? Stop, pause, rewind? Ease of use? I know its a lot, but these are what I am looking for as I want it for singing practice, dictation and lectures, and my work at the CIA
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