From smart TV’s to Amazon Echo, new devices all around us are listening. A new tech item scheduled for shipping this month promises to bring personal eavesdropping and BYOD threats to a new level.
The Kapture device, funded by Kickstarter, is a wearable device that constantly records all audio in it’s vicinity. It is designed to be worn on the wrist, with a clip-on option, a little like a cross between a Fitbit and Apple Watch. It is constantly recording, but remembers only the last 60 seconds.
At any moment, if you feel that something you just heard is worth saving- just tap the unit and it will send that 60 second audio clip to your phone via bluetooth. You can use their smartphone app to record longer segments. Their web site also explains, “The Kapture wristband allows for about 25 audio klips to be saved locally. Once your phone is back in range, all of the klips will download to the app via the Bluetooth connection”.
Kapture audio recording device.
The creators, Matthew Dooley and Mike Sparrow, suggest lots of legitimate purposes for such a device – capturing children’s cute expressions, song writers and authors saving ideas, a comedian getting ideas for stand up routines are a few. I could also see security or police officers using it to save incident information such as personal threats or recording vehicle and license plate information, or just absent minded people who want to keep lots of notes.
Clip-on option
Of course, the potential for eavesdropping and passing on private, confidential conversations exists as well. Someone in a board meeting or in business deliberations could be passing key information out of the room. The Kapture device may need to be one more item to watch out for when screening conference participants.
They do offer warnings that recording may be illegal in certain areas (states requiring all-party consent), but that won’t stop it from showing up.
Cost is to be $149 with a pre-order price of $99.
More info at: www.kaptureaudio.com
Kickstart project
