Other AI Notetakers We’ve Tested
This is a nascent category that’s growing. Here are others we’ve tested, but we’ll also be keeping an eye on upcoming new hardware from companies like Omi, Boya, Mobvoi, and SwitchBot.
Photograph: Chris Null
Plaud NotePin S for $179: The 18-gram NotePin S is one of the smallest and most versatile notetakers on the market (you can wear it as a lanyard, even!), but it’s expensive given that it offers just 300 minutes of transcription unless you pay for a subscription. Transcriptions are not displayed in real time, though their eventual analysis is solid. It’s a handy little device with multi-language support (though not translation), 20 hours of battery life, and 64 GB of internal storage—but it’s just too costly in comparison to the field to recommend. A subscription will set you back $100 annually for 1,200 minutes per month or $240 per year for unlimited transcription time.
Photograph: Chris Null
HiDock P1 for $169: HiDock’s P1 is a big (91-gram) device that’s closer to an old-school tape recorder than a modern AI notetaker, complete with a bevy of onboard controls. It’s far more complicated than other notetakers, though its microphone is powerful, and its analyses are fast (at least when connected to a PC). It’s best for desktop scenarios rather than on-the-go usage; I couldn’t get it working with my phone. AI transcription is free, but additional features are available with a subscription.
Photograph: Chris Null
SpeakON for $129: This quirky device, weighing 27 grams, is more of an enhancement to your phone’s speech-to-text system than a true notetaker. Its main problem is that it only records while its singular button is being held down. That’s fine for capturing a few thoughts but a nonstarter for recording and digesting an hour-long presentation. (It doesn’t offer any real summary features, anyway.) Translations are included for 12 languages. No subscription needed.
Photograph: Chris Null
Looki L1 for $249: This oddball gadget is worn around the neck and is difficult to describe. An integrated camera means the system, 42 grams with its necklace, can capture not just audio but also video, allowing you to turn your boring old days into exciting vlogs, digital stories, and “unique comics” that you can then spam to TikTok and Instagram. Oh, it can also summarize (but not transcribe) meetings, but the feature feels like an afterthought. The digests are extremely short compared to other notetakers, and painfully slow to process online. It’s just not the best solution if you’re focused on audio work. No subscription needed.
Photograph: Chris Null
Flowtica Scribe for $159: AI notetaker, but make it a pen! The Flowtica Scribe may be the largest writing implement you’ve ever held, a 33-gram ballpoint that lets you take written notes alongside recorded ones. Other than the form factor, the concept is the same as other notetakers, with recordings quickly turned into intelligent summaries—but wholly unusable transcripts. One recent test stripped out all spaces from the transcribed recording, giving me a wall of gibberish. And while 39 languages are supported, some summaries of foreign (non-Chinese) speech randomly appeared in Chinese. You get 300 free minutes per month; the premium plan is $15 per month or $120 per year (for 1,500 monthly minutes). Unlimited service is $30 per month or $240 per year.
Photograph: Chris Null
Vocci Ring for $299: … now make it a smart ring. At a mere 3.5 grams, you won’t find a smaller AI notetaker, or arguably a more convenient one, either, as the Vocci Ring slips onto your index finger, where it’s always at the ready. It took some finessing (and two units) to get the ring working for me (the magnetic charging case is also very finicky), but when I finally did get going I was pleasantly surprised by the results: It delivered good transcriptions with rapid turnaround, and relatively terse but useful summaries. The form factor won’t work for everyone, but it may be absolutely perfect for others. You’ll get 300 minutes of service free each month, then up to 1,200 minutes for $16 per month or unlimited time for $30 per month.
Photograph: Chris Null
iFLYTEK AI Recorder P1 for $119: Why, look at the cute emoji on the tiny LCD screen of the P1 from iFLYTEK, best known for its translation hardware. That’s sadly the most interesting part of this 23-gram clip-on device, which is so half-baked the manual doesn’t even tell you what app you have to use with it. (Tip for similarly confused users: It’s called Deepting.) Recordings regularly stopped saving after just a few minutes (despite the activity light on the P1 indicating the mic was still on), and summaries were either very short or failed to generate anything other than an error. A Pro subscription gets you 1,800 minutes per month for just $13 monthly or $86 annually, but I wouldn’t bother.
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