This is a multi-faceted question.

One of the skills I have to offer here is voicing poems or other text, but I can't for technical reasons. I'd like to remedy that.

I've tried using my mp3 player, and you can hear the results on the RECords I did of Jessica Standifird's poem, "Say Hello" (one version resourced below if you care to hear). It was OK, but there was an awful lot of room tone. I had unplugged everything in my apartment to try to avoid that, so maybe it can't be avoided.

Anyway, my mp3 player is a cheap piece of shit and seems to have decided to stop working altogether. I choose to see an opportunity in this, because it coincides with a rare moment where I have a teensy tiny bit of cash I could possibly spend on a better one.

I honestly don't know how people record VOs around here. Do you record directly into your computers? Do you record on some other digital recording device and transfer it? How would you recommend a poor grad student who can only spend a little go about doing this?

I can't record directly to my computer, though... it's too noisy. It makes a very loud humming noise that I think must be the soundtrack of insanity (resourced below for your listening pleasure), and that would turn up on any VO recording I tried to do.

I am very, very technologically behind, mostly for financial reasons. I'm not looking to invest a lot of money just for this, because, well, that would be hard to justify. But if I had a video camera that recorded sound, is it easy to split off the audio only? 'Cause it would be really cool to get sound-recording capabilities along with replacing my current 4-megapixel camera, IF I can afford to.

Any advice on both equipment to purchase (any brands/models you recommend?) cheaply and also on technique, software, etc. would be appreciated.

I did learn some basic production in college, but we were working in analog and on equipment that was from the '60s or something. If cutting and splicing open-reel 1/4" audio tape comes into the equation, I'm all set! ;)

I currently have a clamshell iBook running OS 10.3.9. It has no mic input, only USB, internet, and headphones inputs. I'm told a friend is going to give me her ~3-yr-old Mac laptop in the coming months, but I don't know when.