I got tjhis little recorder primarily because I couldn’t figure out from the product description anything about why it would say it is “AI-enabled” etc… nor how on earth a digital recorder would reasonably utilize AI in any meaningful and truly useful way.
Well… What I learned wasn’t too surprising:
— This is more HYPE than PRACTICAL
— The digital recording is OK, but not exceptionally sensitive, quality or anything to justify its price
— ChatGPT-enabled as this says is mere connectivity via an app that transcribes a recording. As far as I can tell… nothing more
— One thing I’m not at all fond of, the app itself appears to do more SPYING than anything useful. For what it claims to do (transcribing speech to text) it definitely asks for EXCESSIVE PERMISSIONS on the phone or tablet, including Location / Camera / Mic / Storage / Device Info / Browsing History / Nearby Devices… and much more.
The physical case design of the device is impressive and nice looking, but if you intend to use it for any kind of quiet surreptitious recording, that’s a bit tough, since a blue light blinks incessantly the whole time the thing is turned ON, (trying to connect via bluetooth to its super nifty app that is neither super nor nifty… it only pumps your data up to the cloud and pretends to use ChatGPT to transcribe it.)
I did not reverse engineer the app to find out exactly what it’s doing, but I suspect that, in reality, it’s more likely that the transcribe routine is on the local app, and not ‘in the cloud’ nor anything really to do with ChatGPT at all… except if it’s engaging AI to better effect its spy routines.
Near as I can tell, the only reason this wants to connect out to its mothership is for two reasons:
1) to track and process the sale it tries to get you to embark on for “X-gigs of batched transcription”; and
2) to harvest, process, and share your session, identity and device information among its affiliates.
NB: Be cautious about using this devicei and its app, and read Privacy Policy very carefully to understand it!
So, let’s recap:
ISSUES with the device:
— Near total HYPE about anything truly AI-related
— Overpriced as a mid-line average voice recorder
— Overzealous about selling you unnecessary transcription service
— Oversealous about expoiting too many permissions
— Takes too many unnecessary liberties with your identity, device, data
— Cannot operate without having bright blinking lights always ON
— Tho listed in contents in manual, no MagSafe ring was in the package
FEATURES or positive things about the device:
— Its case looks nice and sleek
— It does function as a totally disconnected Voice Recorder (albeit not a super good one)
— You can record, playback, store, save, transfer voice files without ever downloading their app or connecting the device to anything except a USB cable.
(PS: I also performed a connection stream test to see if, while connected via USB, quietly tries to use the CABLE to reach out to its mothership. As far as I can tell, it does not appear to attempt any connectivity for anything questionable or nefarious; only allows charging and file movement.)
Bottom line: There are many more flexible, less expensive voice recorders on the market. This one’s AI hype is, as far as I can discern, just that: hype, and not worth the extra cost.
At best… 3 stars of 5. Maybe less?
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