The Philips VoiceTracer Recording Pen is the coolest gadget I’ve ever seen

Picture this: you’re in a lecture or an important meeting, and you’re trying to hurriedly jot down every detail that your lecturer or boss is saying. Inevitably, as not many of us can write faster than someone speaking, you’re going to miss a few details here and there. But I’ve just found the coolest gadget that will solve all these problems for you.

Enter the Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen. I know what you’re thinking: with all the smart technology advancements currently in the works, it’s kind of hard to get excited about a pen! But this pen from Philips is more than just a simple piece of stationary. Instead, it’s an audio recording device that reminds me of spy gadgets from Kingsman or James Bond.

Designed with a 360-degree microphone built in, the Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen can pick up voices, conversations and entire meetings or lectures with clarity. It can still be used to jot things down, but rather than hastily scribbling things down so as not to miss anything important, the Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen takes the stress out of this and discreetly records everything for you.

To start a recording session, all you have to do is press the button which is located at the end of the pen. Pressing the same button will also stop the recording once your meeting or lecture is finished, making it incredibly easy to use. The pen also has a simple sleek design, similar to standard pens or the best fountain pens, so it won’t look out of place.

The most impressive feature of the Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen is its ability to convert recordings into text. Once you’ve finished recording, you can upload the meeting or interview to Sembly, an AI Speech-to-Text Cloud software, which will create written documents directly from your audio file. Not only is this much faster than typing up meeting notes yourself, but it’s also incredibly handy for those who may be hard of hearing.

In addition to these many smart features, the Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen has a long-lasting battery life and 32GB memory. It can also be used as a USB storage device, and easily plugs into your laptop to transfer or play back files.

As part of T3’s Back To Class month, I’ve been looking for time-saving gadgets and appliances that can help you head back to school, university or work with ease. The Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen is definitely something that will appeal to workers who sit through regular meetings and students in lectures, as it makes sure you never miss important details that you may have overlooked if you were typing or writing notes.

It might seem a little strange to some to take a recording device into a meeting or study session. But as everyday items become more tech-focused, I’m surprised there aren’t more of these types of stationery on the market. And let’s face it, despite its understated look, it does feel pretty spy-like to be able to record things by simply clicking your pen!

The Philips VoiceTracer Audio Recorder Pen is available to buy for just £69.99.