Voice reminder app: set reminders by saying them

Most reminders are thought of at the worst possible moment: in the car, at the door with your hands full, halfway through a conversation. Typing one out then is slow, so it does not get typed, and it is gone. A voice reminder app fixes that one problem: you say it while you still remember it.

Why ordinary reminders fail

The reminder itself is rarely the problem. The problem is the gap between thinking of it and writing it down. The longer that gap, the more likely it is to close on its own.

There is a second, quieter problem. When you do set a reminder in a hurry, it tends to be vague: "dentist" with no time, "call back" with no name. When it goes off, it no longer means much.

What to look for in a voice reminder app

Natural speech, not commands. You should be able to say "remind me to call my mum on Friday after work" without learning a special phrase.

Several reminders in one go. "Pay the electricity bill tomorrow, and remind me about Sara's birthday on the 12th" is two reminders. A good app hears two.

Real dates and times. "Tomorrow", "after work" and "the 12th" need to become an actual date and time you can check.

A look before it is saved. A quick review step catches the wrong day or the misheard name before it matters.

Repeating reminders. Weekly, monthly, every year for birthdays. Said once, kept for good.

Reminders where you will see them. A notification on your phone, and the same item in your calendar if you use one.

Setting reminders with UTTER IN

Tap the microphone and say what you need to remember. You can say one thing or five. UTTER IN turns each one into a card that shows the date, the time, the person and anything it is not sure about.

You approve the cards you want. That is the moment the reminder is set, and you will be notified when it is due. If a card has the wrong time, you fix it right there before approving.

A few examples that work as you would expect:

• "Remind me to take the car for its service next Sunday morning."
• "Every Thursday at 8, remind me to put the bins out."
• "Remind me about Khalid's wedding on the 20th, and to buy a gift the week before."

That last one becomes two reminders, a week apart.

Speaking in your own language

You can set reminders in English or Arabic, and switching between the two in one sentence is fine. Gulf, Egyptian and Levantine Arabic are all understood, and French, German, Italian and Spanish work too.

Try it with tomorrow's list

The easiest test is whatever you need to do tomorrow. Say it all at once and see what comes back. You can start on the free plan, on the web or on your phone, and connect your calendar later if you want your reminders there too.