For business workers, keeping track of everything that’s said in a meeting can be hard, more so if you regularly have multiple meetings a week. The same also goes for students that attend several lectures throughout their school year. This is where having a voice recorder can come in handy. These devices enable you to record voice audio in an-easy-to-access file format, which can be replayed whenever you want to re-listen to that information. This can be particularly useful for business workers who want to review meeting notes as well for students who want to revisit their lectures. For a voice recorder that can help you keep track of important information in a truly organized fashion, the PLAUD NOTE is the ultimate solution.
The PLAUD NOTE is an AI-powered voice recorder that leverages OpenAI’s Whisper STT model, making it capable of accurately recording, transcribing, and summarizing voice-to-text in 59 languages by using ChatGPT-4o and Claude 3.5 Sonnet, saving those recordings in WAV or MP3 format with a DVD-quality sound up to 1536 kbps, while also featuring AI noise-canceling algorithms that help filter out unwanted background noises by 25+ dB to ensure clear recordings, and 64GB of storage for accommodating up to 480 hours of recordings.
The device is compatible with MagSafe, and also integrates a dual-pickup engine that allows for one-press recording, for which users can switch between meeting and phone call modes. It also boasts Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, up to 30 hours battery for continuous recording, and USB-C charging support. Through the PLAUD App, users can effortlessly manage and share their recordings, transcriptions, and summaries with ease, and also have access to an Audio Trimming function for easy editing and removing unwanted segments with the option to import external audio files, along with a Speaker Labels function that allows you to visually distinguish different speakers within your recordings.
Engineered to capture, transcribe, and summarize audio recordings with unmatched precision, this AI-powered voice recorder is an outstanding solution for business workers that need to record meetings, phone calls, and interviews, as well as for students that need to record lectures.
Below is our in-depth review of the PLAUD NOTE, where we discuss in detail the many features this AI-powered voice recorder has to offer you.
DESIGN & SPECS
Starting with the device’s size, this voice recorder has an extremely compact form factor, measuring just 3.37 inches long by 2.13 inches wide by 0.117 inches thick. The device is about the size of a credit card, meaning you can easily fit it inside your pocket. Plus, it’s also rather lightweight, weighing just 1.05 oz. (30 g).
On top of its sleek dimensions, this voice recorder is also designed to be compatible with MagSafe, for which it comes with a MagSafe compatible case and a magnetic ring that make it possible to snap it onto an iPhone or an Android smartphone.
The PLAUD NOTE also sports a beautiful ultra-modern design, which gives it a very professional and discreet look.
Moreover, this voice recorder also packs a premium construction, as its outer shell is built of aluminum alloy.
Moving on to the device’s software and hardware specifications. For recording audio and converting that speech into text, the PLAUD NOTE leverages OpenAI’s Whisper STT (speech-to-text) model, which makes the device capable of accurately recording, transcribing, and summarizing voice-to-text in 59 languages (including English, French, Japanese, Korean, German, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Arabic, Russian, Persian, Cantonese, Greek, Polish, Hindi, Turkish, Swedish, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Hungarian, Czech, Hebrew, Slovak, and more).
In addition, this AI-powered voice recorder also leverages ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI’s latest multimodal model) as well as Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic’s advanced large language model) for its transcription and summarization functionalities.
By combining these three AI models together, the device’s audio recordings are smartly transcribed into texts, and instantly summarized into meeting notes, mind maps, to-do lists, and more, all of which can be accessed and visualized through the PLAUD App (discussed at the end of the article).
It’s also worth noting that these audio recordings are also locally encrypted during their transcription process to ensure your privacy (which is a valuable feature for meetings or interviews that can’t have information leaked).
What’s more is that this AI-driven voice recorder also features AI noise-canceling algorithms, which are used to filter out unwanted background noises by 25+ dB in order to preserve high-frequency sound details in speech, thus helping achieve clear recordings at all times.
For capturing speech, this voice recorder comes equipped with a dual-pickup engine powered by an array of two (x2) MEMS microphones that are used for normal voice recordings, plus a built-in Vibration Conduction Sensor that’s used specifically for phone call recordings.
As for its remaining hardware specs, know that this voice recorder supports a maximum recording range of 32.80 ft. (10 m), and its voice-to-text recordings are saved in WAV or MP3 format with a DVD-quality sound up to 1536 kbps.
The device also features 64GB of onboard storage, allowing it to store up to 480 hours of recordings (equates to around 240 meetings or lectures of 2 hours each).
INTERFACE / CONTROL PANEL
As for controlling its operation, this voice recorder has a simple control panel with a user-friendly interface that offers users the ability of one-press recording.
Integrated at the top right of the device, there’s a Recording button (used to turn the device on and have it start capturing audio), along with a mode switch at its left side that lets users swap between meeting and phone call modes, depending on what type of audio they’re looking to record.
For normal recordings such as meetings and interviews users should toggle the switch down (activates its air conduction sensor and MEMS microphones), while for phone call recordings users should toggle the switch up (activates its Vibration Conduction Sensor).
CONNECTIVITY
For pairing with its mobile app, this voice recorder utilizes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.
BATTERY & BATTERY LIFE
For its power, the device comes equipped with a 400mAh Lithium-Ion battery that offers users up to 30 hours of battery life for continuous recording. Note that its battery is rated to have around 60 days of standby time.
When it comes to recharging the voice recorder’s battery when it’s running low on power, you simply have to connect its USB-C charging cable plus the included USB-A to USB-C adapter to its USB-C charging port.
It takes approximately 2 hours for the device’s battery to recharge from 0% back to 100% power.
THE SMARTPHONE COMPANION APP – The PLAUD App
To access and manage your voice recordings, you simply have to install the PLAUD App on your phone (available to download for free for iOS and Android devices).
Via the PLAUD App, users can effortlessly manage their voice recordings and effortlessly convert them into transcriptions, summaries, mind maps, to-do lists, and more, with many templates available to choose from. Furthermore, these text files can also be shared with others after converted from voice to text format.
Additionally, the app also features an Audio Trimming function that you can use to edit and remove unwanted segments in your converted text files, for which you also have the option to import external audio files from your phone.
Lastly, the app also features a Speaker Labels function that allows you to visually distinguish different speakers within your recordings.
Keep in mind that the voice recorder comes with a free Starter Plan for the PLAUD App, for which users are offered 300 minutes per month of GPT-4o & Claude3.5 transcription and summarization.
For additional minutes, users are required to upgrade to PLAUD’s Annual Membership ($79 p/ year) which gives you 1,200 minutes of translation. For users with even bigger transcription needs, there’s also PLAUD’s Transcription Quota ($89 p/ year), which provides you with 6,000 minutes of translation.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside their package users will find: their PLAUD NOTE Voice Recorder, along with a case and magnetic ring (for making it compatible with MagSafe), its USB-C charging cable and USB-A to USB-C adapter, and a user manual.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
The PLAUD NOTE is currently available in three (x3) different color models: Black, Starlight, and Silver.
If you’re interested in purchasing it, know that each unit is priced at $159, and each purchase also comes accompanied by a 1-Year Warranty. You can order it online, either directly from PLAUD’s official shopping page, or alternatively, you can get it from Amazon.
