Last year, I saw PLAUD’s booth at Showstoppers during CES 2024. This year, I saw their booth again where they showcase NOTE and PIN, two of their amazing note-taking tool that uses AI for transcription and summary generation.
PLAUD Note AI Voice Recorder stands out as a remarkable tool for professionals, students, and anyone looking to streamline their note-taking process. This sleek device combines cutting-edge AI technology with practical design, offering a unique solution to capture, transcribe, and summarize your important conversations and thoughts. Let’s dive into what makes the PLAUD Note a standout product in the market.
Build
PLAUD Note easily impresses right out of the box with its compact, credit card-sized design. It’s incredibly easy to carry, slipping effortlessly into your pocket or wallet. The device’s slim profile belies its powerful capabilities, making it a perfect companion for on-the-go professionals.
One of the standout features in terms of build is the optional case that magnetically attaches to iPhones or any MagSafe accessory. This case, included in the $159 package, adds an extra layer of convenience, allowing you to keep the PLAUD Note securely attached to your phone when needed. It’s a thoughtful addition that enhances the device’s portability and accessibility.
The build quality feels premium, with a sleek aluminum alloy body that’s both lightweight and durable. At just 0.117 inches thick and weighing a mere 30 grams, it’s clear that PLAUD has prioritized portability without compromising on functionality.
AI Features
The PLAUD Note’s AI capabilities are where this device truly shines. Powered by GPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, the AI transcription and summarization features are impressively accurate. In testing, meetings conducted in both English and Filipino were transcribed with 80-90% accuracy, which is remarkable considering the challenges of multilingual conversations. Sure you can do this on iPhone’s voice memo note, but
The AI doesn’t just stop at transcription. It goes a step further by generating summaries, meeting minutes, and even mind maps from your recordings. This feature is particularly useful for professionals who need quick, actionable insights from lengthy meetings or interviews.
One minor hiccup in the AI’s performance is its occasional struggle with names and speaker identification. However, given the complexity of this task, especially in multilingual settings, the overall performance is still commendable.
Software (iOS App)
The PLAUD app for iOS is the command center for your PLAUD Note device. It offers a clean, intuitive interface that makes managing your recordings, transcriptions, and summaries a breeze. The app seamlessly integrates with the device, allowing for easy transfer and processing of your recordings.
One of the app’s standout features is its ability to generate various types of summaries and visual aids, such as mind maps, from your recordings. This functionality adds an extra layer of value, helping users quickly grasp the key points of their conversations or meetings.
The app also offers customization options, allowing users to adjust microphone gain and save raw audio files for more flexibility in post-processing.
Storage Duration
With 64GB of onboard storage, the PLAUD Note can store up to 480 hours of recordings. This generous capacity ensures that you won’t run out of space anytime soon, even with frequent use. The ability to store such a large amount of data locally is a significant advantage, especially for users who prioritize privacy and prefer to keep their recordings offline.
Should you want to transfer the files to your phone, you can easily connect it to the app and you have the option to choose regular transfer or via quick transfer, which uses Wi-Fi direct.
Battery Duration
The PLAUD Note boasts an impressive battery life, offering up to 30 hours of continuous recording on a single charge. This long-lasting performance means you can confidently use the device throughout your workday without worrying about running out of power. The 60-day standby time is equally impressive, making it a reliable tool even when not in constant use.
Optional Subscription Plans
While the PLAUD Note offers robust functionality out of the box, there are optional subscription plans available for users who require additional features or increased usage limits. The device comes with a complimentary 300 minutes per month of AI transcription and summarization.
For many users, this free tier may be sufficient, but power users might find value in the paid plans that offer more transcription minutes and advanced features like speaker labeling.
Availability
The PLAUD Note is widely available through various online retailers and the official PLAUD website. Its growing popularity has made it increasingly accessible to consumers worldwide.
How do Filipinos Buy PLAUD Note?
For Filipino consumers interested in purchasing the PLAUD Note, the best option is likely through international online marketplaces that ship to the Philippines. Websites like Amazon or the official PLAUD website may offer shipping options to the country. It’s advisable to check local electronics retailers or authorized distributors as well, as availability may vary.
Our recommendation: buy via Amazon
Additional Considerations
The PLAUD Note addresses a common frustration with smartphone voice memos: interruptions during calls. Unlike iPhone voice memos that stop recording when a call is received, the PLAUD Note continues recording uninterrupted, ensuring you don’t miss any crucial information.
One potential drawback to keep in mind is the proprietary charging method. The device charges via magnetic pogo pins, which means you’ll need to be careful not to lose the specialized charger. While this design choice likely contributes to the device’s sleek profile, it does mean you can’t use standard USB-C cables for charging.
Should you get it?
The PLAUD Note AI Voice Recorder is undoubtedly one of the best AI devices available on the market today, offering robust performance right out of the box. Its combination of precise AI transcription, thoughtful design, and powerful software features make it a valuable tool for a wide range of users.
While it’s not without its minor flaws – such as occasional hiccups with name recognition and the proprietary charger – the overall package is impressive. The device’s ability to accurately transcribe and summarize multilingual conversations is particularly noteworthy, making it an excellent choice for diverse work environments.
For professionals, students, or anyone who frequently needs to capture and analyze spoken information, the PLAUD Note offers a compelling solution. Its compact size, long battery life, and powerful AI capabilities make it a worthy investment for those looking to boost their productivity and streamline their note-taking process.
As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect devices like the PLAUD Note to become even more sophisticated. For now, it stands as a shining example of how AI can be harnessed to create practical, user-friendly tools that genuinely enhance our daily lives and work processes.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
