Technique and an apparatus for producing postcards having an audio message for playback by recipient

A method for recording a customized message on a recordable postcard, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting said postcard having a thickness less than or equal to 5.5 mm into a slot of a recording unit, said postcard forming electrical contact with said recording unit;
• depressing a record button on said recording unit activating a microphone on said recording unit;
• and
• recording a first message onto said postcard by talking into a microphone disposed on said recording unit.

A postcard capable of playing an audio message recorded from a recording unit, said postcard comprising:

• batteries for energizing said postcard during play-back of said audio message and energizing said recording unit during recording of said audio message;
• a voice synthesizer;
• a memory storing said audio message;
• a plurality of electrical pin sockets that electrically attach to a recording unit;
• a speaker for producing audio signals based of said audio message stored in said memory;
• and
• a playback button that takes said audio message stored in said memory and produces audio sound by said speaker, said postcard being less than 5.5 mm thick and having a length less than 6 inches and a height less than 4 inches and a weight less than 1.5 ounces.

A portable system producing audio messages on a postcard not more than 5.5 mm thick, said system comprising:

• said postcard having a thickness not to exceed 5.5 mm, said postcard comprising:
• a memory storing up to 20 seconds of an audio message;
• a voice synthesizer chip connected to said memory;
• a battery electrically connected to energize said system;
• a speaker for converting electrical signals into audible sound electrically connected to said voice synthesizer;
• a plurality of electrical connectors disposed on an edge of said postcard to form electrical connection to a recording unit from electrical components in said postcard;
• said recording unit having a weight less than one-half of one pound, said recording unit electrically attaches to said postcard when said postcard is inserted into said recording unit, said recording unit comprising;
• a microphone for storing audio sound into said memory;
• a recording button enabling said microphone when pressed.