Issue date: 3/30/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Jon Eilts [Click to enlarge]

This is a gadget for students who hate taking notes in class. With everything going digital, how can pens be left behind? Livescribe's digital pen, the Pulse Smartpen, is an intelligent pen that has memory, a processor and a recorder.

What sets it apart:

The pulse pen is like a computer integrated with a ball-point pen. The size of the pulse pen is larger than a regular pen, but it is still comfortable to write with. Its design is similar to that of a regular pen, but includes a small digital display strip.

The best feature of the pen is the ease with which it takes notes. The pen comes with special paper called "dot paper." This paper has recording and playing controls on every page. As you listen to the professor in class, the pen automatically records what is being taught. When you review your notes, all you have to do is connect the pen to a microphone and touch on the line when you want to hear what went on in class.

It is also possible to increase the speed of the lesson by pressing the fast forward button. This makes reviewing notes simple, even if you haven't been able to write everything down. You don't miss anything.

"The best feature is the ability to archive your notes in on your computer for as long as you like," Omar Venzor, Livescribe campus representative, said. "The ability exists to archive the audio and the notes or simply the notes without audio. Using the Livescribe Desktop, you can also search through your notes for key words.

If you prefer reading notes from a screen, notes can be downloaded onto the computer; the pen just needs to be synchronized with your computer. They can then stored as a backup.

The pen can translate English into Spanish, Mandarin, Swedish
or Arabic.

The pen also has a calculator. The pen senses written numbers, performs mathematical functions and displays the answer. This saves the hassle of taking out a calculator and punching in the numbers.

The price:

The pen comes in two models at $149 and $199. The $149 model can store 100 hours of recordings and the $199 model can store 200 hours of recordings. The pen also comes with a special spiral bound notebook, microphones, a charging dock - used to synchronize the pen with the computer - and three refills.

The price is on the higher side, but the maintenance costs of the pen are low. A pack of four notebooks costs $20 and five refills are $5.95.

Weaknesses:

The pen isn't much use if you are a skillful note taker. The pen is worth the price only if you make use of the recording function.

Conclusion:

It is difficult to spend an astronomical amount on a pen, but the functionality makes it worth it. For those who need it, this is a revolutionary way to record and retrieve class notes.

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