In early tests with a review unit of Bee, we found the device itself was easy to use. It's just a press of a button to turn recording on or off. In the app, you can configure whether a double press bookmarks a section of the conversation, processes the current conversation, or both, and you can set whether a press and hold gesture lets you leave a voice note or chat with the AI assistant.
In recent years, though, my dictaphone collection has taken on a new, less physical form. Google's Pixel phones have been a revelation for journalists, offering real-time, on-device transcription through the Recorder app. I've often found myself bringing a Pixel along to a press event even if I wasn't actively using it as a phone at the time-the ability to get an automatic transcript once your recording is done has been an incredible timesaver.