Bee, the personal AI device maker Amazon acquired last year, introduced two new products on Thursday. The $74.99 Bee Frontier can be worn on the wrist or pinned to clothing. The $99.99 Bee Eclipse is credit-card-sized and attaches magnetically to the back of a smartphone.
The Frontier comes in Onyx, Lavender and Sage. The Eclipse comes in Silver, Midnight, Honey and Blush. The phone attachment puts Bee in more direct competition with devices such as the $159 Plaud Note, the $189 Note Pro and the $129 Pocket AI device.
Bee turns conversations into notes and tasks
Like the original Bee, the new devices use AI to capture details from everyday conversations and turn them into summaries, insights and to-dos. Bee could, for example, remember a time agreed with friends and create a calendar invite. Other uses include taking lecture notes or recording a care plan discussed with a doctor.
All Bee devices provide free conversation summaries and recaps, along with 14 days of memory. Bee Pro costs $11.99 per month and adds unlimited conversation summaries, suggested to-dos, daily memories, a personal chat assistant and conversation templates. It also includes integrations with Amazon.com, Alexa+ and third-party apps.
Bee says its devices process audio in real time and delete it rather than store the raw recordings. Conversation transcripts are encrypted with keys created and controlled by the user’s device. According to Bee, even Amazon employees cannot access those files unless the user intentionally shares them.
Amazon and productivity connections expand
Users can optionally connect Bee to Alexa. An Echo device can then use Voice ID to recognize their voice and record conversations for Bee’s insights. Amazon says users can delete transcripts and summaries at any time. The Amazon.com and Alexa connections also let users make purchases or ask for Bee insights, summaries and to-dos hands-free.
Bee works with Gmail, Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook to draft emails, schedule meetings and surface action items. Users can also upload photos or connect Apple’s HealthKit to add wellness information to their insights.
Both new devices have one power button and a light that indicates when they are summarizing a conversation. The Frontier has IP67 water resistance, up to seven days of battery life, USB-C charging and two microphones with noise filtering. Bee has redesigned its companion mobile app and added a desktop app. The Frontier is available now on Amazon; the Eclipse will be available soon afterward.
