More Solid AI Notetakers

This is a nascent category that's growing. Here are others I've tested, but I'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

Vocci Ring for $299 : AI notetaker, but make it a smart ring.…