Plaud upgrades its card-sized AI note-taker with better range

Plaud, the company behind an AI wearable that actually works, is launching an upgraded version of its credit card-sized note-taking device. Just like its Plaud Note predecessor, the Plaud Note Pro uses AI to record, transcribe, and summarize your conversations, but it now comes with two additional microphones that allow it to pick up audio within a 16.4-foot area, along with a 1-inch display that shows battery level, recording status, and the current recording mode.

The Plaud Note Pro automatically switches between recording calls and in-person meetings, eliminating the need for the physical toggle on the original Plaud Note released in 2023. There’s also a new “endurance” battery mode that extends the Plaud Note Pro’s 30 hours of recording to 50 hours, in exchange for a lower 9.8-foot audio pickup range that comes with the base Note. You can view the AI-generated recordings, transcriptions, and summaries in the accompanying Plaud app.

The Plaud Note Pro comes with a button that you can use for a “press-to-highlight” feature as well, which lets you flag important information that you’re hearing. The large language models used by Plaud, including OpenAI’s GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Google’s Gemini, can then generate more detailed summaries for these key points from the Plaud app. Plaud spokesperson Alice Gordon-Purdy notes that highlighting isn’t exclusive to the Note Pro, as base Note users can still “highlight” details through the Plaud app or iOS widget.

Plaud is also updating its app in October, which will soon allow Plaud Note and Note Pro users to input text and upload images from their phones. It also comes with a new “Ask Plaud” feature that lets you ask questions about the information you’ve recorded or uploaded. As is the case with the first-gen Plaud Note, the Note Pro is MagSafe-compatible, letting you stick it to the back of your phone with a magnetic case.

The Plaud Note Pro costs $179 and is available for preorder now before it starts shipping in October. It comes with up to 300 transcription minutes per month by default, but you can upgrade to a $99.99 / year subscription for 1,200 minutes and priority access to new features, or a $239.99 / year plan for unlimited transcription minutes.