9/29/09 Tech Tuesday on the Smartpen

There are some of us who still prefer to take notes with a pen and paper during meetings and lectures. In contrast, taking notes with a laptop is really quite advantageous. Digital notes are searchable, can easily be reformatted and of course shared with others. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a product that could bridge the gap? Now there is. It's called a Smartpen and if you're someone who feels most comfortable with a pen and paper in hand then this item may be for you.

The Smartpen is designed to look like a pen and it's about the size of a chunky ballpoint. What makes it unique is that it records your notes and drawings as your write, stores it in the pen to be downloaded later into your computer. In addition, not only does it store your writing but can record the audio of the lecture or meeting as your writing notes about it. By combining these two technologies, you can touch the pen to your paper and listen back to the recorded audio at the exact time the notes were written.

The Smartpen uses proprietary paper and ink to accomplish this and comes with a usb connection for easy charging and computer connection. The lithium ion battery and 2gb storage provides about 200 hours of audio recording time. It has many included features such as a piano keyboard and word translator but the core product is sound and doesn't need special features or gimmicks to prove itself as a useful everyday tool.

The Smartpen is a fine product that bridges the gap between paper and digital note taking and is certainly worth a look for anyone who uses a pen and paper.

-Attila Seress

Today's "Ask Attila" Question:
I save all of my class notes, family pictures and music on my laptop and now I'm worried that I'll lose them if my computer is lost or stolen. Is there an easy, automatic way that I can back up my files?
- Jon

Although you can back up your files on a flash drive or external hard disk, these methods are a bit cumbersome and you may forget to do it on a regular basis. If you're looking for an automatic backup that doesn't involve plugging stuff into your computer then have a look at Geek Squad's Online Backup service. It uses the Internet to back up your files, it's automatic and easy to retrieve your backups if you lose your laptop. $49 a year provides you with 25GB of online backup, plenty so save those important pictures, music

Category:

Science & Technology

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• Smartpen
• Attila
• Seress
• Tech
• Tuesday