✨ Welcome to SparkVault!
This guide will show you everything you need to capture and remember insights from your favorite podcasts.
What's New
✨ Meet SparkVault!
We've rebranded from PodTracker to SparkVault - a name that captures what we're all about: sparking and saving your best ideas from podcasts.
- New logo: Sparkle emoji representing captured insights
- Fresh colors: Orange to blue gradient theme
- Same great features: All your data and settings preserved
Your existing account and insights are safe - nothing changes except the look!
Tap-to-Stop Recording
Voice capture just got faster! You no longer have to wait for silence detection.
- First tap: Start recording (mic button pulses red)
- Second tap: Instantly stop and submit your insight
- Or wait: Auto-silence detection still works (4 seconds)
Tap, speak, tap again - done in 3 seconds. Perfect for running, driving, or multitasking.
Voice Capture Launch
Voice-first insight capture with real-time transcription, spoken confirmations, and adjustable pause tolerance.
User Profiles & Admin Dashboard
View your stats, manage voice settings, and full account control including deletion.
Per-User Spotify OAuth
Each user connects their own Spotify account with auto-refresh tokens.
SparkVault MVP Launch
Initial release with authentication, Spotify sync, episode tracking, and insights.
1 Getting Started
What You'll Need:
- A SparkVault account (you're already signed up!)
- Spotify account (optional but recommended)
- A device with microphone access (for voice capture)
First Steps:
- 1 Connect Spotify - Tap the "Connect Spotify" button in the top right
- 2 Start a podcast - Play any episode in Spotify
- 3 Capture your first insight - Tap the big mic button and speak!
Quick Capture (The Main Feature)
Quick Capture is the fastest way to save insights while you're listening.
Voice Capture (Primary)
- 1. Open SparkVault on your phone or computer
- 2. Tap the giant blue mic button
- 3. Speak your insight
- 4. Done! Auto-transcribed and timestamped
Text Capture (Secondary)
- 1. Click "or type your insight" below the mic
- 2. Type your insight in the text box
- 3. Optionally add a timestamp
- 4. Click "Capture"
Quick Capture Tips
Be Specific
Instead of "Good point" try "The 10,000 hour rule applies to deliberate practice"
Timestamps Are Automatic
If a podcast is playing, we auto-detect the current position
Edit Later
Voice transcription is accurate but you can always edit
Immediate Feedback
Red pulse = listening, Green check = success
Auto-Resume (Spotify Premium Only)
After capturing a voice insight, SparkVault will automatically resume your podcast playback.
Note: Auto-resume requires Spotify Premium. This is a Spotify policy - their API only allows playback control for Premium subscribers. Free Spotify users will need to manually resume playback after capturing an insight.
Connecting Spotify
How to Connect:
- 1. Click "Connect Spotify" in the top navigation
- 2. Log in to your Spotify account
- 3. Authorize SparkVault to access your listening data
- 4. You'll see "Connected" when successful
What Spotify Connection Enables:
Managing Your Podcasts
Your Dashboard Shows:
Episode Cards Show:
Adding Insights
Quick Capture
Best for: Real-time capture
Tap mic, speak, auto-links to current episode
Episode Detail
Best for: Multiple insights
Click episode, add insights with timestamps
Manual Selection
Best for: Past episodes
If nothing playing, select from your list
Good Insight Examples
- "The Pareto Principle: 80% of results come from 20% of effort"
- "At 23:15 - Use the Eisenhower Matrix for prioritization"
- "This contradicts what I learned about attention spans"
Voice Settings
Customize voice capture in your Profile:
Pause Tolerance
How long to wait after you stop speaking (2-6 seconds). Increase if you pause while thinking.
Auto-Submit
Automatically save insight after speaking, or review first.
Spoken Confirmation
Hear "Insight captured" confirmation after saving.
Tips & Best Practices
Capture in the Moment
Don't wait until the episode ends - capture insights as they happen.
Be Consistent
Try to capture 1-2 insights per episode. Quality over quantity.
Use Your Own Words
Paraphrase in your own language. This aids memory.
Review Weekly
Spend 5 minutes each week reviewing your insights.
Common Workflows
The Runner
Pull out phone, tap mic, speak, never break stride
The Commuter
At red lights, tap and speak. Review when you arrive.
The Deep Listener
Take detailed notes, capture 5-10 insights per episode
Keyboard Shortcuts
Troubleshooting
"Microphone not accessible"
Check browser permissions: Settings > Site Settings > Microphone. On iOS: Settings > Safari > Microphone > Allow
"No speech detected"
Speak louder or closer to microphone. Check microphone is not muted. Try a different microphone.
"Nothing currently playing"
Make sure podcast is actively playing (not paused). Try the manual "Sync Playing" button. Wait 5-10 seconds after starting playback.
Browser Compatibility
Works great: Chrome, Safari, Edge. Limited support: Firefox (voice capture not supported).
"Podcast doesn't auto-resume after capture"
Auto-resume requires Spotify Premium. This is a Spotify API policy - playback control is only available for Premium subscribers. Free Spotify users will need to manually resume playback.
FAQ
Is SparkVault free?
For now, there is no fee to use. In the future there will be a small monthly fee for continued usage.
Do I need Spotify?
No, but it makes things much easier. Without Spotify, you'll manually select episodes.
Do I need Spotify Premium?
Not required, but Premium enables auto-resume after voice capture. This is a Spotify policy - their API only allows playback control for Premium subscribers. All other features work with free Spotify.
Is my data private?
Yes. Your insights are private by default and only visible to you. We never sell or share user data.
Can I edit insights after capturing them?
Yes. Click the episode, find the insight, and you can edit or delete it.
How is this different from bookmarking?
Bookmarks remember where you were. SparkVault remembers what you learned - the actual insights that matter.