We were impressed with the Plaud Note’s long runtime and credit card-sized form factorwhen we first saw it in April. Now, Plaud.AI is back with a new portable AI voice recorder that manages to be even smaller. They call it the Plaud NotePin.
The company describes the NotePin as “an advanced AI note-taking device,” that will “revolutionize how professionals manage their tasks” and “function as a memory capsule” to help business professionals improve their efficiency on the job. “Plaud NotePin is more than just an AI device,” Nathan Hsu, CEO and Co-founder at Plaud.AI, said in a press release. “It’s your always-ready Business Partner, handling mundane, daily tasks so you may concentrate on what truly drives value in your life and career. This small but powerful device is reshaping the professional landscape, allowing users to optimize their day-to-day workflow and focus on what matters most.”
The original Note was able to shrink its form down so far because the device offloaded nearly all of its heavier compute tasks to your connected phone. This appears to still be the case with the NotePin. The company claims that it is small enough to wear as “a wristband, a necklace, a clip, or a pin,” with one-button push-to-record. Once activated the NotePin will record what it hears and transcribe it into usable notes. The device offers “enhanced AI features” through its mobile app and web portal, which run on OpenAI’s latest GPT-4o large language model to label the conversation’s speakers and summarize what was said. That data is encrypted on-device to prevent unauthorized snooping and the device itself offers a built-in “Find My” feature that works across mobile platforms.
Plaud.AI is one of myriad device makers attempting to capitalize on the transformational technology behind ChatGPT, though few so far have managed to do so. The Humane AI Pin, for example,arrived to disappointing reviewsafter an initial period of hype. The $100"friend" AI, on the other hand, was met with widespread derision when it debuted in July. Perhaps addressing the AI transcription needs of the business community instead of the larger public will prove sufficient to bring wearable AI technology into the mainstream.
