It's a Livescribe pen. In addition to recording your notes electronically so you can archive them (and even convert them to text using add-on tools), it will record audio at the same time. You can then go back to your notes at a later time, touch a word, and hear the audio from that portion of the session. This way, you don't have to write nearly as much - perhaps just a short note when something important was said, but would take too long to write down. It's got an API, and applications can be created in Java. It comes with a neat little "piano" application - you draw out a simple piano on the paper, and then you can "play" that piano using the pen!
You need to write on special paper with embedded dots, but for the first time, the licensing agreeement with Anoto allows Livescribe to offer the option to print your own paper at home, so you don't have to spend $$$ buying theirs (although theirs is nice). Previous "smartpens" (Logitech IO and others) licensed Anoto technology but didn't give the functionality to print the dot paper at home.
At 0, it's not cheap, but for anyone who must take lots of notes at work, school, or even at the doctor's office, this could really help! (assuming you have permission to record audio). I use it when attending municipal government meetings, which citizens are allowed to record under the Open Meetings statutes.
This looks like a great idea. My husband could do with one of these. A good birthday present for him. Thank youIt kinda reminds me of the Fusion Fly Pen by LeapFrog. I'm not familiar with that - is it for kids?
It is aimed for kids, but it is nice for all age groups. I at one time wanted one, until I found out it was !! Then I figured it would probably be too heavy for my hand to hold. Right size for holding, but it looks a bit heavy and I have a bad wrist on the hand I write with.
I need a pen made out of air! An air pen! LOL!Yikes- I'm technically challenged.......My girlfriend's daughter used one of these in nursing school and was thrilled with it. I am interested in getting one for genealogy. I would like to take it with me into courthouses or libraries, where I can use it to make quick notes that can be later converted to text. It would sure beat dragging a laptop around!