There’s no shortage of different forms of hardware for taking notes in meetings, including pendants, pins, and credit card-style devices. Still, that hasn’t stopped Vocci from releasing new devices for the same use case in the ring form factor. Although this is convenient, it can introduce privacy issues.
The ring form factor is one of the easiest for those who want their device to start recording with the push of a button. Pebble’s new Index 01 Ring, currently in testing, allows you to record notes and reminders by holding down a button. The Stream Ring by Sandbar works similarly with the top control pad. Vocci’s ring takes a different path, with meeting note-taking as its core function.
There is a button on the ring, double tap to start recording, double tap again to stop. You can also tap and hold the button to ask Vocci AI a question, but that only works if you have the app open. There are indicator lights and haptic motors to record feedback. The ring is lightweight, weighing less than 6 grams, and has titanium material (possibly coated) on its inner and outer surfaces.
The company says the Vocci ring can record notes for eight hours on a single charge. The device comes with a thick plastic case and can charge the ring up to three times.
This device captures meetings very well. I once had an hour-long conversation in a noisy cafe, and Ring was able to convert most of the chat into an accurate transcript. However, this note-taking method is not suitable if you want to take short notes.
The disappointing part of the Vocci ring is the software. The app itself is a little confusing. Take short notes and you’ll see insights that are longer than the notes themselves, generated by AI. Each recording includes a chat, which is the primary transcript. Highlight: A short snippet that you can capture by pressing a button while recording a conversation. Notes provide a summary and insight into the entire conversation.
The app has a tab called “Base” where you can find transcripts, recordings, and anything you’ve generated from them, but I found it redundant. I didn’t find a way to directly start a chat with the AI to get a transcript of the session.
The voice-enabled ring is the perfect form factor for taking short notes and reminders. It’s a shame that the app doesn’t have direct integration with the Reminders app. Software feature deployment is also slow. The company informed me that users can connect to other assistants using Vocci’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), but the option to do so didn’t appear in the app until a few weeks ago. While other meeting recorders are building platforms to allow users to automate insights and workflows through AI, Vocci’s platform is not fully built for that at this time.
There are some privacy concerns with this device due to its form factor. Vocci rings look like regular jewelry until someone notices the buttons. The ring has a recording indicator, but it faces towards the user. It’s best practice, and required by law in some countries and regions, to let someone know that you’re recording their conversation. However, with this type of device, some mobsters can easily choose not to make that information public and record conversations without anyone knowing. The company said it is encouraging people to disclose what they are recording, but it may not be enough.
The Ring costs $249, which is expensive compared to other notepads like Plaud and Pocket, but this is due to the device’s lightweight form factor. This ring is for people who don’t want to stick gadgets on the back of their phone, wear wristbands, or wear pendants. At the hardware layer, many of these devices are a combination of some microphone, battery, and connection to the phone. The hardware that accommodates note-takers will become even more diverse in the coming years, until users can choose the specific format that suits them.
If you make a purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This does not affect editorial independence.
