I have difficulties with suddenly remembering something important that I must do, or having an awesome idea, and then promptly forgetting it again before I can record it anywhere.
Over the years I’ve tried various ways of doing so but nothing has stuck. The problem is the process of recording becomes my new focus, that has the resultant effect of wiping everything else in my short-term memory instantly. I find this very frustrating, as do those around me.
The capture needs to be as easy and natural as possible, so no conscious thought must be required.
Rummaging through the bottom of a backpack for a notebook and pen is out.
Getting my phone out, unlocking it, finding the notes app and starting to type is also out.
I realised I needed to press a button and speak straight away. Tidying it up can come afterwards. I just need to empty my head before something else bursts in to kick out whatever was in there I wanted to keep.
I’m trying to move away from using Big Tech cloud services for everything, but I recognise this does not suit most people.
As such, I present my Instant Thought Capture for Android, using Google:
There are two parts:
- Initiation
- Recording
Initiation
This is how you start the capture. I wanted something accessible without going through lots of fuss on my phone.
Android enables you to access certain things directly, even when your phone screen is off, by double-tapping the side button (often used for power or wake).
On my Samsung S24 with latest updates, the path is:
Settings>Advanced features>Side button>Double press
Has a toggle to the right, and the name of what it opens underneath.
I’ve got quite a selection of options there, like camera, torch, notes, voice recorder, or down the bottom there’s Apps where you can choose anything you have installed by the look of it.
Recording
Google Keep is excellent for quick notes.
You can add a Google Keep QuickCapture widget to your phone home screen which gives you multiple direct options. It opens a new blank Keep note with options for:-
a checklist
audio recording (which is saved as audio and automatically transcribed😎)
Drawing
Photo
Text.
Keep Notes are also shareable with others (we have a shared shopping list).
If you combine the two, the magic happens.
Settings>Modes and Routines>Routines>Add (+ up the top)> If [Start manually]>Then [Apps]>Open an app or do an app action>Keep notes [New audio note]
Then set up the side button as above, but choose ‘Modes and Routines’ instead, and select whatever you called your manual routine from the previous step.
Ta da! Transcribed audio capture direct from double-tap, saved to the cloud.