[Eeyore]

Kunal wrote:

Thanks for that detailed reply.

The problem I'm trying to solve is this... my laptop does not have a
built-in mic, though it has plenty of USB ports and the usual mic jack.

So plug a mic into it !

However, I don't want a "large" or "bulky" mic that "dangled" off my
laptop, and would need to be detach every time I carried my laptop from
one meeting to another. Instead, I need a small mic (no bigger than the
Griffin/Belkin/Olympus ones I mentioned) that could remain discreetly,
yet "permanently" plugged into one of my laptop's ports - almost like a
thumbdrive.

There's nothing suitable that can be permanently attached. It would stick out
anyway ! The correct 'port' is the mic input jack.

Sorry.

Graham