So we can’t be James Bond, drive his cars, live in his palatial lofts or kick some serious bad-guy ass, but there are some 007-esque gadgets within our mere mortal budgets. One such device is Livescribe’s Smartpen.
The smartpen is more than just a scribe’s aid – it actually records your notes as you jot them down. As a writer, this is one way to ensure my ideas are never lost. At business meetings, say adios to straining your wrist for getting every word on paper.
Available in 1 and 2 GBs, each pen weighs in at 1.3 oz. The latter stores 200 minutes of crystal clear audio in stereo to be played back through the earpiece. The USB cord (which also charges the pen) attaches to a PC (it’s not yet available in Mac), and it’s possible to load your files via Livescribe.com. Smartpen software must be downloaded from the site but it’s a snap to install.
Most impressive are the accompanying note pads, where on the bottom are small printed icons to record, pause, stop, fast-forward and rewind. Tap the record icon, say your name as you write it, and if it’s possible, press on your first or last name and the audio will play back the corresponding file. It’s a dinky example but think of the possibilities. The pen functions regardless of the notebook, although the icons allow for easy searches.
Best yet, whatever you write can be stored in the pen and uploaded to the site just as you put it down on paper to share and collaborate. Take that James.
Livescribe Smartpen 1 GB $194.95; 2 GB $259.95; Red and Black Smartpen Pro Pack with leather journals and leather pen case, both $319.95 at smartpencentral.com.
