By Srijith KN

I’ve been using the Plaud Note Pro for over three months now, and this is a device that has quietly earned a permanent place in my daily life now. Let me walk you through what it does—and why I say that so?

Well at first I thought this wasn’t going to do much with my life, and by the looks of it Plaud Note Pro looks like a tiny, card-sized gadget—minimal, unobtrusive to carry it around.

With a single press of the top button, it starts recording meetings, classes, interviews, or discussions. Once you end your session, the audio is seamlessly transferred to the Plaud app on your phone, where it’s transformed into structured outputs—summaries, action lists, mind maps, and more.

In essence, it’s a capture device that takes care of one part of your work so you can concentrate on the bigger game.

Design-wise, the device feels premium, it features a small display that shows battery level, recording status, and transfer progress—just enough information without distraction. The ripple-textured finish looks elegant and feels solid, paired with a clean, responsive button. It also comes with a magnetic case that snaps securely onto the back of your phone, sitting flush and tight, making it easy to carry around without thinking twice.

Battery life is another standout. On a full charge, the Plaud Note Pro can last up to 60 days, even with frequent, long recording sessions. Charging anxiety simply doesn’t exist here.

Well, my impressions about the device changed once I had an audio captured. I tested this in a busy press conference setting—eight to ten journalists around me, multiple voices, ambient noise—and the recording came out sharp and clear. Thanks to its four-microphone array, it captures voices clearly from up to four to five meters away, isolating speech with precision and keeping voices naturally forward. This directly translates into cleaner transcripts. It supports 120 languages, and yes, I even tested transcription into Malayalam—it worked remarkably well, condensed the entire convo-interview that I had during an automotive racing show that I was into.

Real meetings or interviews are rarely happens in a neat environment, and that’s where I found the Plaud Note Pro working for me. It captures nuances and details I often miss in the moment. As a journalist, that’s invaluable. The app also allows you to add photos during recordings, enriching your notes with context and visuals.

I tested transferring files over 20 minutes long, and the process was smooth and quick. Accessing the recordings on my PC via the browser was equally intuitive—everything is easy to navigate and well laid out.

Now to what is inside this tiny recorder. Well, the core of the experience is Plaud Intelligence, the AI engine powering all Plaud note-takers. It dynamically routes tasks across OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google’s latest LLMs to deliver professional-grade results. With over 3,000 templates, AI Suggestions, and features like Ask Plaud, the system turns raw conversations into organized, searchable, and actionable insights. These capabilities are available across the Plaud App (iOS and Android) and Plaud Web.

Privacy is what I happen to see them look at seriously. All data is protected under strict compliance standards, including SOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, and EN18031, ensuring enterprise-grade security.

What makes the AI experience truly effective is the quality of input. Unlike a phone recorder—where notifications, distractions, and inconsistent mic pickup interfere—the Plaud Note Pro does one job and does it exceptionally well. It records cleanly, consistently, and without interruption, delivering what is easily one of the smoothest recording and transcription experiences I’ve used so far.

I’m genuinely curious to see how Plaud evolves this product further. If this is where they are today, the next version should be very interesting indeed.

• Plaud Note Pro is now available for pre-order at https://uae.plaud.ai/pages/plaud-note-pro
• Plaud Note and NotePin are available at https://uae.plaud.ai

In conversation with Jason Ou, President, Hisense Middle East & Africa on regional R&D, AI-powered products, and next-generation home innovation.

Here in the interview, we take a look at the strategic role of its Dubai R&D Centre in localizing global innovation for Middle Eastern consumers, ensuring products are climate-ready, culturally relevant, and aligned with regional lifestyles.

We talk about how the company is embedding AI across TVs and home appliances to improve performance, energy efficiency, and ease of use, while reducing manual intervention.

Through Hisense we take a look at the advantages of Laser TV technology, and what Hisense is offering through its large-format, energy-efficient cinema experiences suited to our homes.

Can you start by telling us about the role of the Hisense R&D Centre in Dubai within the company’s broader innovation ecosystem?

Our Dubai R&D Centre is an essential part of how we localise global Hisense technology for the Middle East. It allows us to test products under real regional conditions, understand consumer behaviour more accurately, and adapt features or performance where needed.

The centre also helps us coordinate closely with local partners, retailers, and government entities. This ensures our innovations are not only technically strong, but also aligned with local lifestyle needs, climate demands, and regulatory standards. It strengthens the link between our international R&D network and what consumers expect from the brand here.

• Can you share examples of product tweaks or innovations that originated from local feedback? How does the R&D team ensure Hisense products meet the expectations of increasingly tech-savvy and connected households in the region?

We’ve made several practical product adjustments based on insights gathered in this market.  For example, we enhanced compressor durability and airflow design to handle prolonged periods of extreme heat, dust, and humidity. We also refined our filtration systems to better suit environments where air quality can vary throughout the year. Another important highlight is our anti-mould functionality, developed specifically for this region. During the summer months, higher levels of humidity can lead to mould formation within AC units, so we engineered a cycle that keeps internal components dry and prevents mould from growing, ensuring cleaner air and improved long-term performance. Additionally, we’ve optimised cooling performance to ensure faster temperature recovery, which is a key priority for consumers in this climate.

From a smart technology perspective, we have incorporated features such as AI-enabled energy optimisation, advanced Wi-Fi controls, and more intuitive mobile app interfaces. These include smart notifications and automated modes that help users maintain healthier indoor air quality, especially during periods of high humidity. These updates came from feedback that users want greater visibility and control over energy consumption, remote access, and seamless integration with smart home systems.

To stay connected with highly tech-savvy consumers, we run continuous testing cycles and user studies. We also gather retailer feedback and analyse usage data to understand how households interact with our products. This helps us shape updates and features that are relevant, intuitive, and reliable for the region.

• How is Hisense embedding AI into its consumer products? Beyond convenience, what real benefits does AI bring to users?

We apply AI where it consistently delivers value. In TVs, AI enhances picture and audio quality by analysing content and room conditions in real time. In appliances, AI improves energy efficiency, adjusts performance based on usage patterns, and supports predictive maintenance, reducing the likelihood of breakdowns and improving overall product life. In our laundry category, AI plays an increasingly important role in recommending the ideal wash cycle based on fabric type, colour, and load size. It can even set the appropriate water temperature and spin speed, helping users to protect delicate garments while improving wash performance.

For users, the benefit is straightforward: better performance with less manual intervention. AI helps the product adapt to the user, rather than requiring the user to adapt to complex settings.

• What differentiates Laser TV from traditional LED or OLED technology, both in performance and environmental impact?

Laser TVs offer a fundamentally different viewing experience and cannot be directly compared to traditional LED or OLED panels, as they each serve different purposes. The laser TV is designed to replicate a true cinema environment; it uses ultra-short throw laser technology which is better suited for large-format screens due to consistent colour accuracy, strong contrast, and reduced eye strain. It performs especially well at sizes above 100 inches, where conventional panels become less practical, heavier, and significantly more power-intensive.

From an environmental standpoint, the laser TV uses far less energy and production materials than similarly sized LED or OLED screens. This makes it a more sustainable choice for consumers who want a big-screen experience without the high power consumption of traditional panels.

At Hisense, we are pioneering this category globally, with a current positioning as the world’s number one laser TV brand. We endeavour to continue expanding the technology to bring the big-screen cinema experience into modern homes.

• How is Hisense adapting its Laser TV lineup for Middle Eastern consumers, who often value both cinematic experience and design aesthetics?

Middle Eastern households are generally more accommodating of large, high-quality displays and interior design. While we have not developed a laser TV range exclusively for the Middle East, we are continuously enhancing our overall TV ecosystem in ways that benefit local users, particularly through our updated VIDAA operating system, which now includes more Arabic interfaces, regional apps, and local streaming platforms such as Shahid.

The region presents a strong opportunity for laser TV adoption, especially in large homes and villas where dedicated cinema rooms are becoming increasingly popular. The Hisense laser TV is ideal for this environment, offering an ultra-short throw set-up, immersive large-format viewing, and a cinema-style experience without the need for complex installation or heavy wall-mounted panels.

We continue to focus on features such as ALR (ambient light rejection) screens, enhanced sound performance, and clean, modern industrial design, all of which make laser TV a natural fit for households looking to elevate both their viewing habits and their interior spaces.

• What are the next big innovation priorities for Hisense in the Middle East?

Across the world and in the MEA region, our goal is to innovate products that simplify everyday life. We are focused on advancing our AI chips, enhancing intelligent capabilities, and expanding ConnectLife to build a fully connected home ecosystem that is smarter, more intuitive, and increasingly predictive.

We are also strengthening our core product lineup with meaningful category breakthroughs. In our laundry segment, we recently launched PureView and X-Zone Master, two products that we believe represent a new standard in performance, design, and user-centric innovation. In the display category, we’ve introduced the 116-inch RGB Mini-LED, a landmark innovation that we expect will redefine what consumers can expect from large-screen entertainment.

From a regional standpoint, we continue to develop our air-conditioning solutions to withstand extreme heat, humidity, dust, and long operational hours , priorities that are especially important for the Middle East. For home appliances, we’re building features tailored to local lifestyles, such as the Abaya wash cycle in our washing machines, ensuring cultural relevance and ease of use for consumers in this market. These initiatives reflect the growing needs of our consumers in the region: reliability, connectivity, climate-ready performance, and elevated home entertainment experiences

By Jadd Elliot Dib, Founder and CEO, PangaeaX

The AI boom of the 2020s has dominated news headlines, and businesses in virtually every industry have sought to harness AI to strengthen productivity and profitability. In many cases, the transformation promised by AI often stalled at experiments and prototypes, resulting in AI being perceived as a buzzword.

This will begin to change in 2026. AI will become less of a buzzword and more of the backbone of business operations. Processes that previously took hours or days will be reduced to minutes or even seconds. Success will not be brought by flashy tools, but by embedding AI into the everyday fabric of work to drive real revenue, cut costs, and outpace competitors. Additionally, at the core of any successful AI implementation is high-quality data. The companies that thrive will be those that clean up their data and embrace AI as a true business partner, not just a side project or marketing slogan.

What industries will feel this change first?

While the impact will be far-reaching, several industries are expected to benefit from the transformative shift earlier. For example, AI will enable healthcare providers to diagnose disorders faster and more accurately. Predictive analytics uses historical and real-time data to forecast future health outcomes, identify at-risk patients, and optimize operations. Shifting care from reactive to proactive will improve public health and increase the effectiveness of treatments.

The logistics industry will receive a huge boost from data analytics and AI. Businesses can use AI to aid in smarter route planning, resulting in fewer delivery delays. AI transforms raw supply chain information into actionable insights, and this data-driven approach moves logistics from guesswork to precise, real-time management for better resource use and competitive advantage. 

Likewise, banks and financial companies are increasingly using AI-powered tools to improve fraud detection and risk management decisions. Retailers, especially in e-commerce, will be able to give customers better product suggestions and automatically adjust prices in response to fast-changing market conditions.

Predictive analytics will take back the spotlight from generative AI

Generative AI is the most discussed form of AI, accompanied by various discussions on its ethics and some degree of controversy. However, in the coming year, predictive analytics will become more widely known to the public, as its effects become more visible. AI-powered predictive analytics tools help businesses plan further ahead than previously possible, giving a more accurate picture of future demand, sales, and risks. Additionally, predictive analytics programs are more reliable, cheaper, and easier to explain to a layperson. Businesses want results and that puts predictive analytics back on top. Despite that, generative AI should not be totally discounted. Businesses that can successfully use both are more likely to succeed, with predictive analytics providing guidance and generative AI enabling automatic action.

Data security to become a higher priority

One of the most important topics in the new frontier of AI is data security. While AI offers powerful benefits, it also introduces new vulnerabilities and is increasingly weaponized by threat actors. As a result, in 2026, AI companies will lean more toward tighter control of data. In the past decade, there have been many high-profile data breaches, demonstrating the huge risk posed by poor data security. Moving forward, data and AI companies will adopt a need-to-know approach, ensuring that individuals will only get access to specific data based on their role.

AI companies will build safer systems that allow people to use data without exposing all sensitive information. This will be very important in highly regulated sectors, such as banking, healthcare, and government. While other sectors such as tech or retail may be more flexible, security is still crucial as violations can result in major penalties and reputation loss. In 2026, companies will have a goal of widening access to data but with more safeguards in place.

Automation will change how organizations work with data

In past years, the novelty of AI and misunderstanding of its capabilities have caused many organizations and individuals to misuse it, often outsourcing too much of the thinking to AI. In 2026, many businesses will correct their course, using AI to do repetitive tasks while having humans think using their superior capacity for creativity, emotional intelligence, and contextual understanding.

The development of agentic AI will introduce AI helpers that will take over routine and ‘boring’ tasks such as cleaning data or fixing errors. Data teams will spend less time on coding pipelines, with AI freeing up their time to solve business problems. AI will also make various digital tools easier to use, which means even people without advanced degrees and credentials can work with data analytics and AI. However, companies will still need specialists for complex AI, security, and architecture. These experts’ roles are not disappearing but shifting towards high-value strategic oversight.

Businesses will see through the hype and focus on results

With more businesses gaining a better understanding of data analytics and AI, 2026 won’t be about chasing the next shiny AI trend. Instead, it will be about delivering measurable business impact. Companies that integrate AI into their core operations, clean up their data, and strike the right balance between predictive and generative capabilities will lead the pack. On the other hand, those that cling to old models or treat AI as window dressing will fall behind. The future belongs to businesses that see AI not as a tool, but as a strategic partner that accelerates decisions, safeguards data, and frees humans to focus on what matters most: thinking big and solving complex problems.