ChoiceQuill is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission. You pay the same price either way.
A $169 recorder that captures both sides of a phone call through the Bluetooth earphones you already wear sounds almost too convenient. That is exactly what the HiDock P1 promises.
We went through its specs, its official policies and an independent hands-on review to see whether it delivers.
How the P1 Records a Call
HiDock’s BlueCatch technology powers the P1, a recorder small enough for a pocket. To use it, connect your phone and your Bluetooth earphones to the device.
The recorder then sits between them. It captures the call audio and still sends sound to your ears as usual.
For face-to-face talks, it has a pair of studio-level microphones of its own.
Specs at a Glance
- Cost: $169.00
- Size: 126 x 38 x 15.8 mm (5.0″ x 1.5″ x 0.6″), weighing 0.16 lbs
- Memory: 64GB built in, enough for roughly 1,000 hours of recordings
- Power: a 600mAh battery that records for up to 8 hours straight
- Recording modes: Call Mode, Room Mode and Whisper Mode, plus bi-directional noise cancellation
- Works with: macOS, Windows, iPhone 15 and later, and Android with OTG
- Transcription: 75 languages, free for life on the standard tier
What an Independent Review Found
The review site TheReviewRewind put the P1 through real-world use and gave it 4.1 out of 5. Build quality earned the most praise.
The reviewer described the metal body as premium. The mechanical dial gives satisfying tactile feedback, a step up from the cheap plastic feel common in gadgets at this price.
BlueCatch held up as well. The reviewer called it a real point of difference, because no competing voice recorder has the feature.
Transcription took about a minute of processing per recording. The reviewer rated the output as good enough for daily use in any of the supported languages.
Where the P1 Falls Short
The same review raised two real problems. The first is audio in loud places. Amplified presentations and busy venues can make the built-in mics clip and introduce static.
The second is speaker identification, which may be the most useful feature for meeting notes. It sits behind a paid HiNotes membership, even though HiDock markets lifetime free transcription.
The free tier does cover transcription itself. It just leaves out the who-said-what labels.
There is a hardware limit too. On the Apple side, support starts at the iPhone 15. Anyone with an older iPhone will not get the pairing it was designed for.
Inside the Box
Open the package and you will find four things: a quick start guide, a touch control cable, a metal mounting plate and the recorder itself. That is the complete list.
With 64GB of onboard storage, you do not need to buy a memory card right away. HiDock says a full hour of recording moves over USB-C in about a minute.
How the P1 Stacks Up on Price
At $169, the P1 lands mid-range among AI recorders. The Plaud Note Pro has a similar hardware price.
Plaud leans harder on paid subscriptions for its full features. Over a year of heavy use, those fees can add up to more.
The P1’s free tier stays useful for the long term, as long as you can live without speaker labeling.
Our Verdict
Choose the P1 if you take calls over Bluetooth earphones and want a transcript while keeping your current routine. It does something truly uncommon there.
The build quality backs up the price. You also get 30 days to return it, followed by an 18-month warranty.
Pass on it if most of your recording happens in noisy rooms, if you want speaker ID without paying extra, or if your iPhone predates the 15. Everyone else gets one of the more useful $169 gadgets we have come across.