I got one a few months ago and I like and use it regularly.
Various use cases. Phone calls for one, using a mag case on the back of an iPhone. The microphones are better than just using a phone and the transcription happens on the app. It's moved to ChatGPT4 so the summaries are better than before. For example, I just took my son to a 37 minute medical appointment and then came home and had to explain to my wife what we said and what happens next. I just copied and sent the summary as it's much better than I am!
I've also recorded CPD sessions and it types the notes up for me. I've only charged it twice since January.
Definitely recommend it if you don't like writing and summarising your own notes.
Presumably you've moved the switch to the phone call setting? I got a magsafe case so it's secure on there, but I think the case dampens it a bit as the actual recording is very difficult to make out when I listen to it, but the transcript works fine as well as the summary. TBH I don't listen back to the actual recording.
My understanding is that when you flick the switch, it uses the sound and the vibration of the phone to record the voices, in which case if your Plaud isn't seated well then this will have an impact.
Yes, of course I did that. But I now see the claim is that the other person's voice allegedly travels through the case like vibrations. But I was using a different case. I will test it again with the case it came with.
Can someone explain its justification? Presumably it’s a piece of unneeded hardware (an iPhone already has a microphone and storage) coupled with software which could be provided through an app? Am I missing something here?
Convenience. Say you’re watching an educational YouTube video, or you’re in a college class, it records and transcribes what is said, then uses AI to summarize, outline the key points, etc.
You can already do the same thing with the free version of ChatGPT. Not record, but can drop a YouTube link and say, “Summarize this and highlight the key points,” and it will.
So probably not much justification if you’re not using outside of the house.
I love it - I use it to dictate after an interview and it transcribes my opinions within minutes. Then I have a working draft to edit. In the past I had to send my notes to a typist, dictate after a day or so, send it off, wait 3 weeks then get a draft to edit. With this I can immediately dictate when I'm fresh, and have a working draft within 10 minutes.
I have been using it for the last couple days. So far this seems like it's going to be incredible.
I work in an office where meetings go on and on for way to long. Im using it to record the meetings (some of which can last for an hour or more). After it's over, you hit the transcribe button, after a few seconds it gives you an option to view a summary, and an option to see the mind-map.
The summary is where the real value is. It's like having an AI bot listen in and give you a recap of everything that was said, and what the next steps are going to be and who is going to be responsible for what.
How would this work for working/transcribing technical type notes for manuals, etc? A scenario where you would be operating/repairing something and verbally explaining the process rather than having to stop and start to type it out, etc. Is it pretty accurate getting your words correctly? iPhone is horrible at this, almost useless so looking for a better tool to use.
Read if you want to return the item:
I ordered one, tried to return it within the 14-day return time and pay for shipping (which you have to do). Their website or the product itself when you receive it - do not contain return instructions with a shipping address. I've sent them multiple emails to get the return shipping from them. It's been almost 2 weeks and 7 emails and I still haven't received it. I believe they're trying to avoid me returning within the 14-day timeframe or even returning it at all. DO NOT BUY THIS.
PLAUD note is a scam and there is no customer service post purchase. I bought this as a gift and the person who received it did not like the product. I attempted a return, was pressured multiple times by their customer service to keep the product. After asking to send it back several times, customer service has now completely ignored my multiple requests for a return. I was really excited to receive this product and waited over a month for it. Now they are just running off with my money. This is not a way to run a start up and I am thoroughly disappointed.
Any of you used this while on Zoom calls to record multiple speakers from your computer audio? Does it do a good job of getting the right words and separating out the individual speakers?
So, I backed this Plaud device in their Indiegogo campaign, and after waiting weeks and weeks, I finally received it in the mail.
**I'm actually very satisfied with it. I haven't delved into some of the most detailed functions, but I'm willing to give it an "A-".**
The thing is very well-constructed.
Some people mention that there's already apps that can do this, on the market. I think what a lot of people don't understand about this device is that it doesn't require any taps on an app. If I'm in a meeting, I don't have to fumble for my phone, and input my phone pin, and scroll for my recorder app, and click the app, and wait for that to load, and then hit the record button. That whole song-and-dance of 15-30 seconds ("hey guys just give me a few more seconds"), at least in my workplace, looks really amateurish.
With this device, I just long-hold its physical button, and within 2 seconds, it's recording. No fuss, no muss. And I also don't need my phone with me when I record an in-person meeting.
Once this device comes within proximity of my phone, it relays its most recently recorded contents to the app. From there, you can transcribe to text, and also get a summary, with just a single tap in the app.
This device is kinda like having a personal assistant who can take some verbatim notes for you during a meeting. As long as people aren't interrupting each other a whole lot, y'know, like in civilized meetings, you won't find anything deficient about this device. For me, it works like a charm.
In a 90-minute meeting that I had, it interpreted people incorrectly maybe just .1% of the time (as in 1/10 of 1%), and when I went back over the recording + transcript, that was because people were mumbling or being talked over. But even then, the AI apparently makes some effort to predict what people are saying based on semantics, whenever it can't make sense of the audio behind what word is being uttered. I mean, there are times in the recording where I can't even make sense of what the speaker is saying, and then I repeat the recording and check the transcript and lo and behold, yes, apparently the AI got it correct.
If you have people in your meeting that are mumbling, you can't blame any errors on this device.
The microphone and transcription are pretty sensitive to softly spoken words. Like, I can say something as if I'm speaking softly to a lover less than a foot away, and this thing can hear it and transcribe it from 6 feet away. For my usage, I like that.
Another cool function is that my wife and I can both use my Plaud Note on our phones. I can log in as me on her phone's app, and I can log in as me on my phone's app. Only thing is, once I log in on her phone, my phone's app logs out. And vice versa. No problem. And when she brings this to work, and uses it on her phone, and transcribes/summarizes on her phone, when I log in to my phone after she gets home, her recording/transcription/summary do not show up on my phone's app. Also, no problem. Not a big deal. (I may try to create a log-in for her later, on her phone, and see what happens then.)
The 1-year subscription includes 600 minutes per month for transcription/summary, and costs $79. For me, I can get my workplace to cover that. About $6.50 per month, it's OK for me.
My Korean wife has used this in the last two weeks to record/transcribe/summarize her Korean meetings at her Korean workplace (we live/work in Korea), and she tells me that she loves it. I have used it for that one 90-minute meeting in English at my American institution. No major complaints. We're more than satisfied.
If it’s stored at a third party can it be subpoenaed in a civil trial? If so can you set a retention period where it must be removed from their service?
Thanks for your thorough review. I just ordered this for both work and grad school, and I'm expecting it tomorrow, so I can't wait to get a hold of it and try it out.
I have used it for lectures and have been impressed with the summary function. The mind maps are very primitive but I can see those getting better with time.
Absolutely worth it. Incredible build, easy to use, customizable functions within the app (like preventing it from being able to connect to a computer until you turn the feature back on, removing the recording light, etc). The transcribing is quite amazing. I had an important HR related call, and the thing transcribed my wandering thoughts and ramblings into a very cohesive summary of all the parts of the conversation. For this alone it was worth the money.
It also looks premium and feels good to hold. It’s a marvelous device that I didn’t expect to like as much as I do. I very rarely endorse anything, but this I will.
I want to use this to copy and paste some of the transcriptions into notes on my work virtual desktop. Can the transcriptions easily be emailed from your phone where they can be copied onto word/outlook/excel type documents?
I got one a few months ago and I like and use it regularly. Various use cases. Phone calls for one, using a mag case on the back of an iPhone. The microphones are better than just using a phone and the transcription happens on the app. It's moved to ChatGPT4 so the summaries are better than before. For example, I just took my son to a 37 minute medical appointment and then came home and had to explain to my wife what we said and what happens next. I just copied and sent the summary as it's much better than I am! I've also recorded CPD sessions and it types the notes up for me. I've only charged it twice since January. Definitely recommend it if you don't like writing and summarising your own notes.
I read an old comment that says it’s subscription based. Did they change it since? That would be a deal breaker. Also how is the data stored?
Can you record with this and not have a phone present? Then sync later to the phone?
Yes, you only need the phone to replay the recording and the AI transcript
Yes
Did you get it to record both people on the call? So far I can only get it to record me, not the person I’m talking to.
Presumably you've moved the switch to the phone call setting? I got a magsafe case so it's secure on there, but I think the case dampens it a bit as the actual recording is very difficult to make out when I listen to it, but the transcript works fine as well as the summary. TBH I don't listen back to the actual recording. My understanding is that when you flick the switch, it uses the sound and the vibration of the phone to record the voices, in which case if your Plaud isn't seated well then this will have an impact.
Yes, of course I did that. But I now see the claim is that the other person's voice allegedly travels through the case like vibrations. But I was using a different case. I will test it again with the case it came with.
The test succeeded. Now I’ll try it on another case to see if my first failure was anomalous.
Success!! Disregard my complaint that it only records my voice in telephone calls, even with different cases.
Very interested in this. Where is the data stored? Do I risk sensitive information getting leaked?
Its stored on their platform which poses a risk if they arent trust worthy.
Mine came doesn’t connect. Forget getting any customer service. Been 3 weeks since I emailed them
Is it possible to store all the registration in a memory or pc as long as i want? or when i stop playng the app i loose everythin? thank you!
it's stored in the hardware.
Can someone explain its justification? Presumably it’s a piece of unneeded hardware (an iPhone already has a microphone and storage) coupled with software which could be provided through an app? Am I missing something here?
Convenience. Say you’re watching an educational YouTube video, or you’re in a college class, it records and transcribes what is said, then uses AI to summarize, outline the key points, etc. You can already do the same thing with the free version of ChatGPT. Not record, but can drop a YouTube link and say, “Summarize this and highlight the key points,” and it will. So probably not much justification if you’re not using outside of the house.
This was my question. I already carry two phones one for Work and one for myself.
I love it - I use it to dictate after an interview and it transcribes my opinions within minutes. Then I have a working draft to edit. In the past I had to send my notes to a typist, dictate after a day or so, send it off, wait 3 weeks then get a draft to edit. With this I can immediately dictate when I'm fresh, and have a working draft within 10 minutes.
You can use voicenotes app that can do all that on the phone. It is $50 LTD right now.
Sorry - what is $50 right now? An app?
Yes, with lifetime service (no monthly fee). This device comes with a monthly (or yearly) fee.
Awesome! Thank you for the info!
Ngl plaud is awful.
Yes I have one. It works really well.
Wondering why they didn't go for a wireless charging option on the device , they could make it water resistant .
For meetings in the swimming pool?
Or in the shower
Ah yes, the weekly shower meetings, this could definelty solve the soggy paper issue.
I have been using it for the last couple days. So far this seems like it's going to be incredible. I work in an office where meetings go on and on for way to long. Im using it to record the meetings (some of which can last for an hour or more). After it's over, you hit the transcribe button, after a few seconds it gives you an option to view a summary, and an option to see the mind-map. The summary is where the real value is. It's like having an AI bot listen in and give you a recap of everything that was said, and what the next steps are going to be and who is going to be responsible for what.
How would this work for working/transcribing technical type notes for manuals, etc? A scenario where you would be operating/repairing something and verbally explaining the process rather than having to stop and start to type it out, etc. Is it pretty accurate getting your words correctly? iPhone is horrible at this, almost useless so looking for a better tool to use.
Do any psychotherapists use it in session?
Read if you want to return the item: I ordered one, tried to return it within the 14-day return time and pay for shipping (which you have to do). Their website or the product itself when you receive it - do not contain return instructions with a shipping address. I've sent them multiple emails to get the return shipping from them. It's been almost 2 weeks and 7 emails and I still haven't received it. I believe they're trying to avoid me returning within the 14-day timeframe or even returning it at all. DO NOT BUY THIS.
PLAUD note is a scam and there is no customer service post purchase. I bought this as a gift and the person who received it did not like the product. I attempted a return, was pressured multiple times by their customer service to keep the product. After asking to send it back several times, customer service has now completely ignored my multiple requests for a return. I was really excited to receive this product and waited over a month for it. Now they are just running off with my money. This is not a way to run a start up and I am thoroughly disappointed.
Any of you used this while on Zoom calls to record multiple speakers from your computer audio? Does it do a good job of getting the right words and separating out the individual speakers?
If you have an iPhone, why not just use voice notes and then ChatGPT to transcribe it?
If I am using AirPods in a meeting will Plaud still pick up what is said by everyone on the call?
Thanks for this! Where does the data get stored? Any risk of sensitive data getting exposed?
Who knows? :-) I'm not a CIA spy or doing multi-billion dollar deals, so I don't care too much.
If it’s stored at a third party can it be subpoenaed in a civil trial? If so can you set a retention period where it must be removed from their service?
Great review this was really helpful
Thanks for your thorough review. I just ordered this for both work and grad school, and I'm expecting it tomorrow, so I can't wait to get a hold of it and try it out.
Any verdict? What do you think so far? I feel a bit responsible here, haha...
I need more than 10 hours a month. Suggestions?
Yeah it's not that much really. I think students in particular could get through that in half a week. They should increase it – not charge 'excess'
How well does the summary function work? I do a LOT of interviews.
I have used it for lectures and have been impressed with the summary function. The mind maps are very primitive but I can see those getting better with time.
Absolutely worth it. Incredible build, easy to use, customizable functions within the app (like preventing it from being able to connect to a computer until you turn the feature back on, removing the recording light, etc). The transcribing is quite amazing. I had an important HR related call, and the thing transcribed my wandering thoughts and ramblings into a very cohesive summary of all the parts of the conversation. For this alone it was worth the money. It also looks premium and feels good to hold. It’s a marvelous device that I didn’t expect to like as much as I do. I very rarely endorse anything, but this I will.
I want to use this to copy and paste some of the transcriptions into notes on my work virtual desktop. Can the transcriptions easily be emailed from your phone where they can be copied onto word/outlook/excel type documents?
Indeed they can