Earbuds have come a long way, and especially since we all once believed Apple were the only innovators, so arriving at the exquisite Viaim RecDot release is something of a revelation, and you could even say a revolution, as these are astonishingly impressive.

Viaim are one of the latest companies to integrate AI into its products and they’ve teamed up with parent company, IFLYTEK, who are one of the leaders in translation and transcription products. Whatever your views on AI, it would be faintly misguided to think the technology is only used negatively and these earbuds are an example of how it can combined into every day life with intelligence and usefulness, and in many way, the best tech feels like the perfect place for it.

As well as sleek and sophisticated design, and one that even slightly looks like a trek-spaceship (in an absolutely positive way), the Viaim RecDot doesn’t just deliver first-class sound directly into your welcoming ears, it’s also aiming to streamline workplace productivity – wherever you’re based – by offering features like AI-helping meeting summaries, in real-time, via one touch transcription and translation, all alongside that satisfying 48dB deep noise cancellation for crystal-clear sound quality.

Whether you’re a professional in a hybrid work spot, or using them remotely, these just seem to fit any environment to help you get the job done even more efficiently.

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First impressions and ease of use

Firstly, the pair arrive in a hardy box, that you can open to reveal the buds and their case, all looking super silver shiny and specialised. Pop them out of the packaging and you’ll already have a decent amount of charge to evaluate them and see how they fit best in your ears – and they come with must-have different-sized ear tips, so can fit to your own, individual ear. The case itself is slick. It’s quite light but robust, so simple to slip into your bag or jacket pocket and just slide the lid across to take in, or put back in, your earbuds where an effective magnet holds them in place.

Then just place them into your ear/s, connect to your chosen device via Bluetooth – which only takes a second or two – and get testing with whatever you wish or, even better, download the Viaim App. The App itself sets up the best sound for you, and you can control the balance, what type of sound mode and adjust your noise cancellation options – i.e. switching it on/off, or utilising the ambient/transparency modes. And, in relation to sound, there’s a dual connection option, so if you needed to connect to 2 devices simultaneously, you can easily swap between your phone or computer.

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Recording and transcription benefits

For the Live Transcription option, you can record calls and audio on your phone whilst using it, the fancy RecDot idea means you can transcribe video speech to text, and it supports PiP subtitles. Also, if needed, you can also record on-site meetings either while you’re wearing the earphones, or by putting them in the case (for smaller meetings) and set it to record via the red dot on the on the earbud case, that records instantly. That specific audio is then stored directly on the earbuds flash memory, so no need to connect to a phone or launch the app if you can’t at that moment.

If anything, it went beyond my hopes, and the transcription in real-time was excellent accurate. I tried it out by borrowing people speaking in French and it brought that to life instantly, which is quite crazy – in a clever way. Currently, I believe, there’s a few things still being honed for overall use, but it currently supports English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Russian French, German, Italian, Arabic, Malay, Thai, Dutch, Polish and Cantonese – and I have to assume future updates would be able to help expand those options.

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Sound quality, battery life and other benefits

The super smart 48dB Deep Noise Reduction basically means that it can reduce outside noise, meaning a respectable quiet experience even in noisy environments – something that’s a must-have for me.

You also get particularly good battery life, it offers up to 36 hours plus fast charging if you need it. Just a charge of 20 minutes will take you up to 70% and 6 hours of playback. If you’re looking for a full charge, then the case will sort you out in about 40 minutes if plugged in directly, and wireless charging which takes a bit longer but is an option.

And it’s the sound quality that makes the Viaim RecDot stand out more than most, each bud is equipped with a new 11mm titanium-plated diaphragm for high rigidity and elasticity, and it supports LHDC codec with bitrates up to 1000 Kbps – if you need it. I was impressed by the clarity of audio, and if using the microphone, you’ll appreciate the additional bone conduction mic which enhances its 3-mic setup, whatever the background noise.

For music, I’m diving through everything from Bon Iver to Radiohead, from Editors to Charlie XCX, back across to Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen. Through the acoustic to the heavier, from the pop to the rock, I’m very particular with wanting to be immersed and these worked wonderfully.

In terms of being waterproof, they’re at IP55 which means you can use them in the gym or in the office, basically making them good with sweat or splashes of rain, but not resistant to being submerged or anything in that realm of the more extreme.

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Summary

Viaim are relatively new on the scene, having been introduced at CES 2025, yet the Viaim RecDot is an incredibly impressive way to make a first move. Great for recording and its built-it transcription, the sound quality is everything I’d ever desire, and that really handy dual pairing is excellent.

They’re not the cheapest on the market, but the Viaim RecDot earbuds offer a pure ear experience with that genuinely useful AI features. If you’re after a way to make your meetings, or similar, easier to record and transcribe – plus that jump back to your favourite tunes, which is what I’ve been doing – then it’s a perfect fit. Crisp, clean, and exactly what you need.

The Viaim RecDot are available now via their dedicated website – click here –