See the first photos of the Livescribe smartpen - take a look and let us know what you think!
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See the first photos of the Livescribe smartpen - take a look and let us know what you think!
Tags: accessories, photo, smartpen
This product looks amazing! If it works as well as you say it does, I will definitely buy one. I am going to share this website with my friends. We’re in college, so this would most certainly come in handy. It’s too bad you aren’t beta testing, because I would push the Smartpen to it’s limits! Do you plan on shipping it before February?
I imagine this pen would also be great for art majors… do you plan on making a version that allows you to draw while connected to the computer? I would love to be able to use this in an english class and then go to my graphic design class and manipulate photo editing programs with it. Also, it would be a fun bonus feature to be able to doodle, then later on use the pen to color in or manipulate the doodle with the pen connected to the computer.
Do you have a press kit for those interested in writing an article on your company and product? I would love to post a review on facebook and maybe even start a facebook group.
I can’t wait to use the Smartpen! Good luck with your first quarter earnings!
-Ray
Looks very nice! Waiting for it.
When I recently researched the marketplace for a pen like this…there was nothing close. Sure there were a few..but they were at best nothing more then toys. So it it with some anticipation that I await the release of your pen. The pictures and literature indicate that you have hit the mark. Congrats on knowing the market and building a product that I am sure will be a hit with all consumers (including me)!!!
Will the live scribe work with Mac OS X? What are the system requirements?
As a journalist, where taking accurate notes is vitally important, I know that this pen is going to revolutionise my working life. I just can’t wait for it to be released! Hope the paper is going to be affordable and readily available too, otherwise the pen won’t be too useful.
I love the design of the pen! I’m glad it isn’t bulky or too big, which might be uncomfortable.
As for the paper, I am so happy it does not look silly but looks like a regular notebook!
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A side comment on Ray’s Comment posted on this blog - I think it would be an amazing idea to make a version for artist’s! I’m sure it’s pretty much the same technology of the paper, but without notebook lines.
Hi
I cannot wait. I believe that the - “what’s in it for me” - factor with Livescribe is big enough to create a “critical mass” of users out there - to be able to further move the bridge across the gap between the analogue and the digital world - creativity, limited human memory, use of communication and digital processing - all done on an ancient surface called paper with the next big leap for mankind - the Livescribe pen.
Kjell Glorvigen
This is the long awaited upgrade to my IO2 pen! But, PLEASE let your Canadian friends pre-order!
I am wanting to know if Livescribe needs any beta testers. I teach chemistry at a university, and I would like to see how it could be used to deliver lectures. How easily could this be put into something like Camtasia?
My only complaint of this product is that it will only come out begining of next year. It is really torture to me because I have been following its development for almost three months now. Originally, it come out this year but it will come out next year. Upon reflection, I think this is good because the Livescribe team wants to refine the product.
I am also in college and I have disscussed more than once with my professors. Some of them are in engineer or business department. It seems like whenever I talk about the potential of this product, they all are quite interested in it. I also talk to some of my classmates. Some of my friends are really into this product as well. Some carry a new laptop platform called tablet PC. It has its uses but it is still a laptop and still causes more than a few pounds to carry especially when you have to carry the charger and some of other accessories. May I say it is simply pain in the butt? I use tablet PC to take notes and record audio lectures and store it digitally. But when this pen come out, I can save myself many many pounds =) Plus, I want to look cool and not with my laptop around.
Sometime I have to attend my family business board meeting and all of them are tranditional business men who don’t use computer to take notes. I am the only guy who uses it and it is is quite uncomfortable as though I try to show off. I think this product will help me to solve this awkward moment as well =)
Just please push this product out as soon as possible. I don’t ask much.
Hi! Please, couldn’t someone at Livescribe take the time to answer all the questions that have been asked in the blog posts comments since you started your blog!
Thanks in advance!
Andreas
When Leap Frog released the FlyPen and the Fusion, I hoped they made a device like these ones available for the professional people, and now here is the gadget available. Thanks.
Ray - great ideas and thanks for your suggestions. If you’re interested in getting a press kit, please send an email to press@livescribe.com. Also, the product will be available in Q1 2008.
Willy - thanks for your comments. I understand how you feel about lugging around a laptop. It gets heavy! The Livescribe smartpen weighs at 1.3 ounces, so I hope it saves you some pounds and makes it a little more comfortable for you in your family board meetings.
Ken - Livescribe is committed to serving both the Windows and Macintosh platforms. The first release of the Livescribe Desktop software is for Windows XP and Vista operating systems only. A Macintosh version of the Livescribe Desktop is planned for 2H 2008.
Note to all - we will be creating a FAQ for recurring questions we find on the blog comments. Keep them coming!
I am on the waiting list. A few questions…
- Is the pen retractable? I’d like to keep it in my pocket.
- Are there choices of ink/tips? I like black pigmented ink, but I would accept a good rollerball style pen. Plain ball points just feel too cheap. Remember, it has to be a decent pen, too!
- I’m looking to ‘virtualize’ my Moleskine. Will the special paper be available in a Moleskine-like pocket notebook? No spiral wire!
- I’m an artist. *Please* provide unruled paper (in addition to ruled paper).
- This is probably a bit out of of domain, but I really like Microsoft’s Digital Ink as a storage format for handwriting - it behaves exactly as you would expect. Other OneNote users will know what I’m talking about. I’ve tried other digitizing pens, and their bitmapped file output has always been disappointing, but Digital Ink’s vector-like performance is just great. Is there any information you can share about the output format of your ‘ink’ files and its portability to other applications? Would you possibly consider using Microsoft’s Digital Ink as an output format option?
The D-conference demo was great. Waiting eagerly…
Hello,
Will Livescribe have an audio buffer so it is able to pick up voice a few seconds before actually writing? Quite often one makes a note based on hearing someone saying something interesting or important. Yet, your note starts after the words have been uttered.
I think Livescribe is going to be very usueful. I’m looking forward to mindmapping and brainstorming with it.
Thank you.
i often have to take notes in dark environments.
will it work in the dark?
a little led would be nice so i can see what i’m writing
Hey,
I am not to for sure if this would be of interest but could you release a SDK for the pen? It would be cool if we could trick out our pens. This will probably only happen in the Computer Science Dept.
:)
And forgot to say keep up the good work and please release the pen asap!
Would you do a fountain pen version? I use fountain pens almost exclusively. It shouldn’t be too difficult to base one on the same mold.
Thanks for your comments and suggestions, everyone! More product and feature details will be released closer to launch. We’ll be creating a FAQ for recurring questions we find on the blog comments.
looks great! I have a quick question, though…
can I transfer my handwritten speeches/notes/stories/etc to a word document or something similar?
Excited for the big roll out!!!!
There were some early hints that the special paper that makes the Smartpen, ’smart’ won’t be too cost prohibitive.
Please make it so to ensure your product a long healthy life.
There’s lots of ways to skin the Restless Mind Syndrome, now and in the future: cheap ultracompact eee’s, multitouch ipods, irex iliads, Internet n-tablets, Palms and plain old pen and paper.
Good luck on the launch, I eagerly look forward to future developments.
Will there be support for running the applications on Linux or if not at least an open API for working with the pen from non-Windows platforms?
What paper is envisioned at launch? I really hope that high quality letter pads will be available (top bound tear-off). I understand that we can print our own paper too, what sort of templates/files will be released?
We’ll have college ruled notebooks and a few different options of paper sizes available at launch.
I have two questions and comments:
- Mac marketshare is rising - and rising rapidly among college students - one of your target markets.
I hope you have a Mac OS X version of your product as soon as possible in 2H 2008…or maybe even earlier
- What about international availability of your product, namely Europe and distribution in Europe ?
Thanks and all the best for the launch. Your product looks very interesting.
Marc - at launch in Q1 2008, the Livescribe smartpen will be available in the U.S. market for purchase online. Details on our international distribution plans will be announced later.
I have a few questions. I know some of these have already been asked, but I figure reiteration will just show varied market demand.
1> How long will the battery last?
2> Will it come in any other colors?
3> Will it be retractable or have a cap?
4> What is the recording capacity?
5> What are the limits of the microphone ear buds?
6> Will it work with handwriting recognition software?
7> Is there a manual record option on the pen?
8> Do you have plans to design notebooks that can holster the pen inside of it?
9> Besides translation, can it preform any other functions? (calculation, currency conversion, word definition, thesauruses…)
10> How many pages of information can the pen store? And how many pages will come in a notebook?
These are the nagging questions I keep getting asked when I talk about the pen to my friends. I know you guys are still ironing out the details, and some of these questions can’t be answered until closer to your launch, but any response would greatly assist me in spreading your gospel to some extremely eager ears…
ps. the most eager of ears are tattoo artists and graphic designers…something to think about
To add to Adam’s list of Q’s,
>How is the pen refillable when the ink runs dry?
These are probably some of the biggest and most important questions that need answers as I have noticed when talking to other people, just as Adam has.
This may be an obvious question, but what does “2H” stand for, when they say a mac version will be available in 2H 2008??
Ashley - 2H means the second half of 2008.
Am I excited about this product!!!
I’m the assisitve tech person for all students, except d/Deaf & HOH, at our college. I’m researching new ‘AT’ and this product just went to the top on my list of new ’stuff’ to check out ASAP. It could have applications for students who are blind, low-vision, and may otherwise be print-disabled.
Since I also create training materials and train students, faculty, & staff…I’m always on the look-out for AT that has a braod application, is affordable, has good tech support, and is user-friendly. The SmartPen certainly seems to fit the bill.