Taking notes can take your focus away from what is being said.

But you HAVE to.

Some folks feel that once you write something down, it sticks better.

I don’t necessarily agree and here is why.

There are a number of devices out there that can record, transcribe, and summarize your conversations or meetings and each one has a primary purpose.

One of the jobs I do is interview filmmakers and for those calls, I am usually on zoom.

In those cases I use an in ear bud called RecDot from Viaim

It’s a noice cancelling earbud, fitting inside your ear like what you are probably used to.

After the calls, the software can give me a transcribed text,  a summarized recall, and going further, breaks down my questions and adds the answers in a format I can work with.

This unit connects to the phone and records on the app.

When I’m at a conference, or at an event where there may be a conversation on stage, I turn to the OpenNote from Viaim which is an open-ear design so gives me situational awareness.

NO need to connect to the app, as a simple 2 tap on the either left or right ear bud starts the built in recording module.

I then later on download to the app and get the same assets as the RecDot. I find that this unit is great for those audience based events, and I was honestly surprised at the quality of the assets generated.

My first test was when I was about 15 rows back, on the side of a theater, with 20 ft between the 1^st row and the stage.

The transcription and summarized content was exceptional.

The simplest unit, the NoteKit, plugs into a laptop and captures a meeting, does realtime transcription and downloads to the desktop app. Yes, it has a mute function to control the recording.

When on the road or in a place I am doing a call on the phone, the Plaude Note Pro comes into play, as it’s a magsafe unit, that attached to my phone and a simple button press starts the same functionality as the rest.

In addition, this unit can be laid on a conference table and record a meeting. This has a slightly constricted area to capture the sound, as it’s not the largest reach.

PLAUD NOTE Pro

An upgraded version of the standard Note that includes an InstantView AMOLED display, 4 microphones for a longer pickup range (up to 16.4 ft), and automatic phone call detection.

The use cases above are how I actually employ the various units.

In all of the cases, having a transcribed convo leads to all parties confirming information, as you can also do a follow-up communication to make sure everyone is on the same page.

With the RecDot and the OpenNote, you download to the app on the phone, and the upload the format you require. Same with the Plaud Note Pro

The OpenNotes and RecDot advantage for me is the fact that both do not need to be connected to a phone, and are freestanding recording devices, with Bluetooth to download to the app at a later time.

One thing to remember about all of these units are 2 things:

1. Each one is subscription based for the services ( transcription, summarization, translation, to-do list) Viaim is free for 600 min total a month, no matter how many units are connected to the app. Plaud gives you 300 min a mon. free for the same time

2. When ever you record another party in a meeting or conversation it will announce” this call is being recorded”. It is a legal requirement, and I’m sure you’ve hear this on many business calls. I have used this to my advantage in a business dispute, as sometimes when people know they are being recorded you get the right info. Check into your state for the rules on this. NY is a one party consent for recording a convo.