Digital meeting notetakers like Read AI, Fireflies.ai, Fathom, and Granola help record and transcribe online meetings. But for in-person or more versatile options, many people prefer physical recording devices. These physical notetakers transcribe audio and give users summaries and action items of meetings using AI.
Some of these devices are wearable — pins or pendants with dedicated mics for recording — while others are credit card-sized with dedicated mobile apps to transcribe and extract insights using AI. A few even offer live translation.
Below is a non-exhaustive list of physical AI notetakers and transcription tools.
Plaud Note/Plaud Note Pro
This credit-card-sized notetaker has been around since 2023, with a newer, AI-powered Pro version that has a small screen, four mics, and records audio within three to five meters. It also can switch between in-person recording and call recording.
The Plaud Note costs $159, while the Note Pro costs $179. They come with 300 minutes of transcription free per month.
Mobvoi TicNote
Mobvoi’s rectangular notetaker is priced at $159 and includes 600 free transcription minutes. The company claims the device shows real-time transcription and translation with support for more than 120 languages. The device offers 25 hours of continuous recording through its three microphones.
In terms of software features, the TicNote offers automatic highlight extraction and the ability to create audio clips or summarized podcast versions of a conversation.
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Comulytic Note Pro
Comulytic is a newer entrant in the hardware AI notetaker market. The company’s claim for differentiation is that its $159 Note Pro device doesn’t require any additional subscription for basic transcription. That means you can transcribe unlimited minutes by just buying the device.
The device can record up to 45 hours of audio continuously on a single charge and has more than 100 days of standby time.
The company has a $15 per month or $119 per year advanced plan that offers instant AI summaries, unlimited templates for summaries, an action item list, and chat with AI assistant without any limits.
Plaud NotePin/Plaud NotePin S
Plaud NotePin and NotePin S are the smaller and more pocketable versions of the company’s larger Note and Note Pro devices. The NotePin has a versatile design: You can wear it as a wrist band, a pendant, clip it to your bag, or wear it on your shirt with a magnetic attachment. Notably, the lanyard and wristband are only available with the NotePin S.
Both devices have two mics, and can record around 20 hours of audio continuously on a single charge. The NotePin S has a physical button to start/stop recording and capture highlights.
Both are similarly priced to their credit-card-shaped counterparts. The NotePin is priced at $159, and the NotePin S is priced at $179.
Omi pendant
The Omi pendant is a cheaper alternative to other notetakers at $89. This is because the pendant has to be connected to your phone and doesn’t have any onboard memory. The device has two mics and can run for 10 to 14 hours on a charge.
While Omi has its own app, you can use other apps, as the hardware and software are open sourced. Users have also built different connectors and apps for the device.
Viaim RecDot
Viaim’s earbuds allow for transcription during calls, with additional recording capabilities in the earbuds’ case. These buds are priced at $200 and Viaim claims they can transcribe audio in up to 78 languages in real time. The company’s app can also highlight key points in transcriptions.
Anker Soundcore Work
Anker’s Soundcore Work pin is a coin-sized AI notetaker with a puck-shaped battery pack. The $159 device can record for eight hours without breaks, or up to 32 hours if the pin is attached to its case, the company says.
Anker claims that the device has a five-meter recording range. Users get 300 minutes of transcription free per month.
Pocket is another credit-card styled puck that sticks to the back of your phone and takes notes. The company lists the gadget at $199, but it is often available on discount. Buyers don’t need to buy a subscription to use core features like transcription. The device supports over 120 languages.
The puck weighs 52 grams, has 64GB of on-device memory, and can last up to four days on a single charge. The company says the Pocket has two mics that can record audio in the range of 15 meters.
A $19.99 per month subscription gets you features such as unlimited cloud storage, more than 100 templates for different summary styles, AI-powered speaker labels, and home screen widgets.
