Microsoft’s latest Garage app is for recording group transcripts

Microsoft’s latest Garage app, the company’s brand for more experimental applications, is Group Transcribe, which allows groups of people to record real-time transcripts of group meetings on their cell phones. It is currently available for free on iOS.

“This app uses a multi-device approach to provide high-quality transcription and translation in real-time, allowing users to be more present and productive during personal meetings and conversations,” Microsoft’s Lainie Huston said in a blog post.

Here’s how it works. Anyone who wants to participate in the group’s transcript must download the Group Transcribe app. Then one person initiates a transcript, and they can invite others to participate by sharing a five-letter conversation code, a QR code, or by connecting the group transcript with nearby sharing via Bluetooth.

The app will then transcribe the group’s conversation and note who said what. Group Transcribe can even automatically translate things people say and show the translations in line as part of the transcript. Transcripts are stored in the app so you can review or share them after a meeting.

Here is a screenshot of what the transcripts and translations look like:

Image: Microsoft

Microsoft suggests that each person attending the meeting should use their own phone “within reach” to have “the highest quality experience”. And in a frequently asked question, Microsoft says that Group Transcribe does not have a limit on how many people can join a transcript, but he notes that the app works best for ‘personal meetings’. [with] up to four people. ”

Microsoft does not require you to sign in with any kind of account to use the app – you just need to enter your name and language preference. The app does send data to the cloud as part of the transcription and speaker identification process, but with Microsoft you can choose whether to share your recording with the company that will use it to improve Microsoft’s speech recognition technologies. And if you do a group transcript, everyone in the group must agree to share recordings before sharing one with Microsoft.

You can read more about the app and its privacy features in Microsoft’s FAQ.