How do I make good mobile recordings?

AYou would be surprised at what that tiny mic on your phone is capable of. Guru listens to podcasts recorded using nothing but a Android handset, and while the content’s excruciating, the audio quality generally isn’t.

To do it better, Zoom’s compact $169 H1n (a replacement for the H1, a long-standing favourite) produces remarkable audio at a decent price, using a crossed-pair microphone array to deliver a good stereo image. Consider also the Tascam DR-05, similarly specced and coming in at $158.