The SpeakOn call tool is a great idea not to be confused by platform limitations

I always use reporting software like Wisper Flow, Willow, or Typeless answering messages and emails on my Mac and my phone. But in order to do that, I have to use my phone’s microphone or AirPods to tell me my messages, and most of the time they don’t hear what I’m saying.

That’s why Notta was the owner TalkOn prompted me to test the device independently, I was impressed with its capabilities. Unfortunately, I had mixed experiences with this product due to its features and platform limitations.

However, I think there is room for writing tools like this in the future.

SpeakOn is a small stone-like device that attaches to the back of your iPhone via MagSafe, like Author of Plaud’s AI conference. The device is very light at 25 grams, so you won’t feel its weight, even if you put it in your pocket separately.

The device comes with a companion app for iOS, which is like a keyboard, just like other navigation apps. You can also use the app without connecting the device, if needed.

To start, press the button on the device to start the order and release the button when finished. The device has a single microphone and claims to pick up sound within a 2-foot range. This text works in any program as long as the program’s keyboard is active. The speech is filtered as the program removes the filler words and can create text as a list if needed.

One advantage is that the device does not use the iPhone’s microphone and instead relies on its own microphone. Some reporting apps need to keep the iPhone’s microphone active for a period of time that users specify. The SpeakOn device can help you avoid this.

My complaint with the SpeakOn device is that, even though I have a dedicated microphone, it doesn’t listen well – unless I bring the phone within two meters. And even within that range, mics often don’t perform well due to ambient noise. I hope for better mics in the next version.

I also wish that double-clicking the record button would bring the SpeakOn keyboard to the front if I’m using the keyboard. Or I could start talking without switching keyboards, but these are limitations that are difficult to overcome.

The app adjusts the AI ​​and tone settings based on the app you’re in, but you can also adjust it manually. I felt that at times the changes were forced and unnecessary. For example, when I said, “Does this program work by itself?”, the program translated, “Does this program work by itself?” In one instance, the program turned the word “difficult” into “fraud,” and changed “Sure, no worries” to “no need to worry”. I don’t want or need these kinds of changes. I later turned off its “attune” tone adjustment feature to get better results.

I would have used this device more if it was Mac compatible and I could command any app.

In addition to translation, users can also click the translate button to automatically translate text into the available languages, including English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.

SpeakOn claims that the device can be used for 10 hours remotely and has a standby time of 20 days. But in my experience, the standby time was only a few days and not 20 days. By default, the device does not turn off. I would recommend changing the device to turn off after a few hours of inactivity to save battery.

The device can charge from 0 to 100 percent within an hour. But you can always connect it for a few minutes to get enough water for many minutes of command.

The device is priced at $129 with a plan that allows you to order 5,000 words per week. Some apps like Wispr Flow often allow 2,000 words per week on their free plans. There is also a $12 per month plan for unlimited voice.

SpeakOn has the ability to quickly change the output of the command tool. But it needs to expand the support of the platform and improve the software, because another company can easily produce products and put them in a different way to eat the market.