Lil' Reminder Suffers from Major Flaws

Grocery lists, doctor's appointments, work meetings, social engagements-- with everything we have to remember there isn't any wonder we sometimes forget things as simple as where we parked the car at Wal-Mart. Memory experts recommend keeping a pen and paper handy, but stopping to jot down notes can be time consuming and inconvenient. The Lil' Reminder is a small digital recorder that claims to be the solution to forgetfulness, but is it worth your money?

If you've battled insomnia recently, you've undoubtedly seen a worried looking woman searching for her car in a crowded parking lot. Enter the Lil' Reminder. The next scene shows the same woman speaking into a small hand held device. The device then replays her parking position. Problem solved,right? Don't count on it.

The Lil' Reminder is a great idea, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The first thing you notice when first examining the Lil' Reminder is how cheaply it's constructed. The plastic is very thin, and the product is extremely light. After being carried in a normal purse for a week, the plastic key fob broke. Unless you treat this product carefully, it could easily snap and fall off your key chain.

The next problem with the Lil' Reminder is the playback volume. Leaving yourself a reminder is only helpful if you can hear it. The volume is very low, and even when it is held to the ear, it is hard to hear in a normal shopping environment. So much for leaving yourself a grocery list on it. There is no volume adjustment, so it is one size fits all. This product would not be work for the elderly population targeted in the infomercial as most seniors must deal with some level of hearing loss.

If you are like most people, you have multiple things to remember. You can't depend on the Lil' Reminder to help you, though. It is only capable of storing one voice memo at a time, and the memo is limited to about six seconds of actual recording time instead of the 60 seconds that is advertised.

This product was extremely disappointing, especially because the product claimed to fill an important need. It's too bad that the execution of the product was marred by cheap materials and poor design. If you need a voice reminder, many newer cell phones offer a voice memo function.

The Lil' Reminder sells for $9.95 for one, but a second is free if you pay shipping. Some consumers have charged that the company has upgraded their order without authorization, so be aware of what you agree to if you buy this product.