Viaim OpenNote review: I wore this open-ear voice recorder all day, and its AI meeting summaries proved invaluable

TechRadar Verdict

AI transcription headphones with an open design that delivers clear audio for calls and music while still letting you hear what's going on around you. Like most modern earphones, they can be used for music and making calls, but it's the real-time transcription and meeting summaries that make them stand out, with transcription available for 78 languages, auto summaries, and action points to make you more productive. Hooking the OpenNote earphones over my ears, the speaker section fell neatly over the opening of my ear. Audio for music was ok, but lacked the bass depth I’m used to with in-ear or cans; however, I could still make out the ambient noise and conversations around me, making these far more sociable and work-oriented than standard earphones. Beyond music, the transcription and summary tools through the app do their work, providing clear notes and action points. Music isn’t the core; however, productivity is, and for that use in the workplace, these earphones excel.

Pros

• +Accurate transcription
• +Open-ear design
• +Long battery life

Cons

• -Limited bass
• -limited free transcription

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• 30-second review
• Price and availability
• Specs
• Design
• Features
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• Final verdict
• Should you buy it?

Viaim OpenNote: 30-second review

I’ve looked at a fair few of these AI note takers in recent months, and they’re getting progressively more impressive. The Viaim OpenNote takes a slightly different approach to some, like the superb Plaud Note, as in the hardware is designed as a pair of open-ear earphones, essentially the type that hook over your ear with the small speaker unit resting just outside the ear canal, and like so many other earphones of this design, they enable music playback and enable you to make calls.

However, music and calls are only part of the story; they also offer internal recording, making them an ideal option for work and meetings. When you enter the office, simply squeeze the speaker section, and it starts capturing whatever's being said. Once the meeting has finished, the audio can then be sent to the app, where it’s then transcribed and summarised. Unlike some rivals, the recording is activated and stored in the earphones, so no need to use your phone to capture.

In meetings, wearing a set of earphones may well look a bit rude, until you explain, and here’s where the open design really comes into play. As the earphones don’t go into your ear, you can hear everything around you as if the earphones weren’t in. So, throughout the test, I was able to attend meetings, record the session, and afterwards download the transcription for use as key points and action points, and even visualise it using a mind map. In meetings, I found that through the app the “Live Recording” option meant that I could actually take them out of my ear and just leave them on the desk to the same effect.

Where they really came in use was through phone calls, again enabling them to record calls through the App and then deliver the prepared summaries of what had been said and what was needed.

For work, these earphones are exceptional, and I liked that I could work, listen to music and podcasts, talk to people without needing to remove them, and record conversations with a quick squeeze. It all became very second nature with the summaries becoming invaluable. If you love your music, the lack of insulation and isolation in the design will be a bit of a let-down, but for their core use as work-focused, AI-enhanced earphones, they’re impressive.

Viaim OpenNote: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From $169
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Viam and online retailers

The Viaim OpenNote is priced at $169.99 in the US and is available in black or white directly from the Viaim store.

It's also listed for $221 on Amazon.com, as well as sites like Newegg and Target. A confirmed UK price is still to be announced at the time of writing.

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