Plaud launches NotePin S and new desktop meeting app

Hardware developer Plaud has launched a new AI-powered notetaker called the Plaud NotePin S, alongside a desktop application designed to take notes for digital meetings. The announcement was made ahead of the CES 2026 technology conference in Las Vegas. Plaud first entered the wearable category in 2024 when it launched its pin-styled notetaker. While the company’s physical devices have historically focused on recording in-person interactions, the new desktop application represents an expansion into digital environments. The software works across various meeting applications, detecting when a digital meeting is active and prompting the user to capture the transcript.

The NotePin S hardware retails for $179 and is shipped with a clip, a lanyard, a magnetic pin, and a wristband to offer multiple wearing options. The device also integrates Apple Find My support to help users locate it. The core technical specifications of the NotePin S include:

• Storage: 64GB of onboard storage.
• Recording Capacity: A battery capacity that supports 20 hours of continuous recording.
• Audio Capture: Two Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) microphones—which are miniature electronic microphones integrated onto silicon chips—designed to capture clear audio within a range of 9.8 feet.
• Transcription Allowance: Users receive 300 minutes of transcription per month for free.

The desktop application also supports multimodal inputs, a feature Plaud previously introduced to its mobile ecosystem. This capability allows users to manually add images and typed notes alongside the audio transcription, which the application’s AI then structures into organized meeting notes. On macOS, the application captures system audio directly to generate these transcripts.

With this launch of hardware and software, Plaud is shifting its market positioning. The company has sold more than 1.5 million devices to date, establishing a footprint in physical meeting recording. By introducing a desktop client, Plaud is moving to compete directly with established software-first meeting transcription services such as Granola, Fathom, and Fireflies.

Why it matters

Plaud is evolving from a pure hardware player into a hybrid ecosystem, leveraging its installed base of 1.5 million devices to challenge established software-first meeting notetakers.