Boya Notra Neo officially launched at IFA: the AI assistant that is already accompanying me in Berlin

A few days ago, I introduced you to the Boya Notra Neo on the occasion of its pre-order period. This time, it’s official: the little AI-powered recorder has just been launched at IFA 2026 in Berlin. And this announcement comes at a perfect time since I am currently on the spot to cover the event. Of course, I visited Boya’s booth, but more importantly, I’ve had the Notra Neo in my pocket for several days.

Let’s just say it hasn’t had a peaceful adaptation period. Between press conferences, meetings with brands, technical discussions, and product presentations, my days are a bit busy. And in this context, the Notra Neo is already starting to change the way I work.

From pre-order to official launch at IFA

I had already talked to you about the Notra Neo in a previous article dedicated to its pre-order offer. At that time, the product had not yet been officially launched. This is now done in Berlin, where Boya takes advantage of IFA to present it to the public.

The principle hasn’t changed: to offer a small device dedicated to recording and AI-assisted note-taking, with a more accessible price than some competitors.

The device itself is tiny: 63 x 63 mm with only 8 mm thickness and 34.5 g. You slip it into a pocket and almost forget it immediately.

It is available in several colors, including black, white, light pink, and yellow.

But its small size is ultimately not what interests me most since I’ve been using it.

At IFA, I can finally listen to the conferences instead of writing everything down

That’s the kind of situation where its usefulness is evident. During a press conference, I usually have to listen to what is said, understand what is being said (conferences often in English), monitor the slides, take a few photos, note important figures, identify new products that deserve further exploration… all at the same time.

On paper, it seems manageable. In reality, it’s enough to lower your eyes for ten seconds to write down one piece of information and miss another. Since I have the Notra Neo with me, I start recording at the beginning of the conference and can finally concentrate more on what is happening in front of me.

Later on, I find the transcription, a summary, and the main points of the discussion. And honestly, after several days rushing from one hall to another, it’s super handy.

I still continue to take some personal notes. An opinion on a product, a remark made in passing, an article idea that comes to me during the presentation… that, no AI can really know what I want to do with it.

But I don’t need to try to transcribe every important sentence on the fly anymore.

This is exactly the kind of tool whose real value you understand after using it for a few hours in a real situation.

Three ways to record according to needs

The Notra Neo isn’t just limited to recording what happens around it. It has three modes: ambient recording, phone call, and Bluetooth. The device can recognize the scenario being used and automatically adjust its operation.

For my conferences and meetings in Berlin, I primarily use the ambient mode.

Boya claims to capture at 360° up to 5 meters, thanks to two MEMS microphones, with AI noise reduction. This is largely the scenario that interests me most here: I place or keep the device nearby and it records the conversation without me having to manipulate my smartphone throughout the presentation.

For phone calls, the Notra Neo can attach magnetically to the back of the phone. A conduction sensor then picks up both sides of the conversation.

The Bluetooth mode is mainly for online meetings, calls with wireless earbuds, or remote classes. I will use it upon my return for interviews that I need to conduct for the magazine SmartHome Electricien+.

And ultimately, it’s this versatility that sets it apart from the dictaphone app we all already have on our smartphones.

AI then transforms the recording into usable notes

Recording a conference is one thing. Ending up in the evening with six hours of audio to listen to is another. Fortunately, that’s not really the idea here.

Boya announces transcription in over 140 languages and dialects, with identification of different speakers. From there, the AI can generate a summary, extract actions to be taken, or create a mind map. More than 60 templates are proposed to adapt the result to the type of content recorded.

A business meeting and a university class obviously do not need the same summary.

It is also possible to query previous recordings via the Ask AI feature.

And that, after a few days at IFA, becomes quickly interesting.

When you have accumulated several conferences on robotic lawn mowers, solar power, home automation, and NAS, finding a small piece of information mentioned two days earlier can quickly turn into a treasure hunt.

Being able to ask the AI to find the relevant passage is much more comfortable than re-reading several transcripts in their entirety.

Boya also indicates relying on different AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok.

Professionals, journalists… but also students

My current usage is obviously very professional. For a journalist who attends multiple conferences and interviews, the Notra Neo is particularly well-suited. The same goes for a salesperson, a consultant, or anyone who spends a good part of their day in meetings.

But using it here, I also thought it could be really interesting for students. Taking a proper class while trying to understand the professor’s explanation is not always easy. Some students end up writing almost mechanically without truly following what is said.

With a device like this, the idea would be to stay attentive during the class, then later find a complete transcription and a summary. The ability to create mind maps or search for a specific concept within several hours of classes can also become very practical during revision time.

Of course, recording a class or a meeting requires respecting the institution’s rules and informing the people involved. Just because the device is discreet doesn’t mean you can record anyone at any time.

20 hours of recording in a 34 g device

Despite its tiny format, Boya announces up to 20 hours of continuous recording.

The 610 mAh battery charges via USB-C in about 1.5 hours.

The Notra Neo also features 8 GB of storage, with an announced capacity of around 1,000 hours of recording.

The files can then be transferred and accessed via Boya OS on smartphone, tablet, or computer.

In terms of export, it supports standard formats for audio, but also several text formats: DOCX, PDF, TXT, Markdown, or SRT. Mind maps can also be exported.

A detail not to forget: the AI part works with a quota system.

The free Starter offer typically includes 320 minutes of monthly transcription. For new users who link their device before December 31, 2026, Boya currently offers 600 minutes per month for a year.

Beyond that, paid offers are available to increase the number of available minutes.

I will go into more detail on this point in my review, as it’s definitely something to consider over time.

12% discount with the code MAISON12

The pre-order mentioned in my first article is now finished, but Boya has prepared a discount for the launch.

The code MAISON12 allows you to get 12% off the Boya Notra Neo.

Boya Notra Neo

78€ 89€

I want it!

You can find all the technical information on the official page of the Boya Notra Neo.

An impressive first hands-on experience

I will stop here for the moment, as I don’t want to turn this launch article into a complete review ahead of schedule.

I still have several things to check: the recording quality depending on environments, the recognition of speakers, performance in noisy places, the operation of Boya OS, the summaries generated by the AI… and probably a few other points I haven’t thought of yet.

But IFA has already been quite a baptism of fire. And after several days with the Notra Neo in my pocket, I can already say one thing: I have no desire to return to my previous method of taking notes during conferences.

I push a button, put the device away, and focus on what’s happening in front of me. Later, I can calmly retrieve the information I need.

Put that way, it seems very simple. In practice, it changes quite a bit.

So, I’ll see you by the end of the month for the complete review of the Boya Notra Neo, once IFA is over and I have had the time to test it in somewhat less… competitive conditions!