Ondra Horák Last week I had the opportunity to test a very interesting product. smart pen or smart pen. I honestly couldn't imagine what was hidden under this name. First of all, I must say that I was really pleasantly surprised by what the pen can actually do.
What is it actually for?
Thanks to the infrared camera next to the ink cartridge, the pen scans the background and thus orients itself on the paper thanks to the microdots printed on it. So the pen will not work for you on ordinary office paper. You need the microdot block that is included in the package. You can then transfer your written notes to a computer with both Mac OS X and Windows operating systems.
Practical use
After taking it out of the box, I found that the pen looks pretty normal. At first glance, it is distinguished from ordinary pens by its thickness and OLED display. For the pen in the box you will find a stylish leather cover, a notebook of 100 sheets, headphones and a synchronization stand. You turn on the pen with the button above the display, and the first thing to do is set the time and date. For this purpose, you can use the excellently designed cover of the notebook. Here we find a lot of useful "icons" and especially a great calculator. Printed on paper, the pen perfectly orients itself to what you are clicking on, everything works quickly and reliably. After setting the date and time, you can immediately start writing notes.
The pen has a regular ink cartridge that can be easily replaced by the user. In addition, it means that you are not just writing somewhere in the air, but you are really writing your notes on paper, which you can then comfortably transfer to your computer at home. Another great advantage is that you can add an audio recording to individual notes. You write the title of a topic and add an audio recording to it. During the subsequent synchronization with the computer, everything is downloaded and it is enough to double-click on a word in the text and the recording starts. Synchronization takes place via the program included in the package. The software didn't work very well for me. On the other hand, I have to admit that you can't do much about that either. You copy the notes and sort them into individual notebooks.
What makes it unique?
You might be thinking why don't I just scan what I write and not have to spend money on a pen. Yes, it's true. But I would definitely leave out the word simply. It is much easier with a pen. You write, write and write, your smart pen takes care of everything else. How many times have you lost THAT important notebook or THAT paper. Me at least a million times. With the SmartPen, you don't have to worry about it. Another uniqueness results from the speed of reactions, you write notes and you need to quickly calculate a simple but also a more complex mathematical example. You turn on the end cap and start counting, the pen immediately recognizes it and calculates it. If you need to know the current date, there is an icon for that on the cover. It's the same with time and, for example, battery status. On each page of the notebook you will find simple arrows for movement in the pen menu, which are used for various settings and switching of individual modes. Also important is the simple control of sound recording, which you can find in the same way as the navigation arrows at the bottom of each page.
WOW feature
One function in the pen is a little extra. It basically has no meaningful use, but it works great as a wow effect. It's a feature called Piano. If you go to the Piano option in the menu and confirm the pen prompts you to draw 9 vertical lines and 2 horizontal lines, in short a piano keyboard. If you manage to draw it, you can then play the piano carefree and impress your colleagues at the table.
Who is it for?
In my opinion, the pen is for anyone who needs to make a note from time to time and wants to have them neatly lined up right on the computer. It's definitely a useful little thing worth having. On the other hand, I would like to point out that if you want to share your notes with your classmates, for example, or if you are like me with handwriting, sometimes you have trouble reading what you actually wrote, it is not so famous with the use of the pen. However, if you often need to note something down and don't want to pull out your laptop, the SmartPen is an ideal helper. I would definitely recommend it, despite the possibly slightly higher price, which rises to almost four thousand for the 2 GB model we tested.
The SmartPen can be purchased online Livescribe.cz
I don't know about you, but I have no problem losing even a smart pen. :D
The moment I read the article I thought exactly the same thing :D You amused me. Thanks :D
Probably, and I would say that I will lose or forget that pen more than the pad with papers :)
I don't know, I'm a student and I still don't understand what the pen would be for. If I wanted to take notes and keep them electronically during class, I would use a netbook or tablet with a keyboard, because it's better to have notes as text and not doodles. And if I really wanted to keep the doodles, I'd get a Boogie Board for a grand. The only benefit I see is assigning voice notes, but somehow I don't know how I would use this fci. Then we only have a calculator and a date left from fci - I don't understand the advantage of that either. In my opinion, it works best if I have to have a pen and notebook or a smart calculator with me in a hurry. Besides, I use iPhone for date and counting.
I'd like to say that it's an unnecessary luxury, but it's basically just an unnecessary uselessness :D
The advantage is that when you take notes during the lecture, the pen also records what the lecturer says. When you "press" it into your head at home, all you have to do is tap on a specific word and the pen will automatically play back what the lecturer was talking about at the blackboard. A classic case - I have a note written and I think "what did the author want to say" and at that very moment a recording of what was heard at the time the note was written is played back - personal experience
:DDD maybe if I sit in an auditorium full of students it will record every "fart" from the neighbor... ,)
There were already a lot of such products in the past, I think Logitech also produced something like that in its time. The price was always around 5 kc, so quite good for a student, and there was always the small drawback - the need for some specially prepared paper - that is, the constant ordering of new and new blocks from the pen maker, which certainly won't be available to me for 000 kc like ordinary ones block. And in that case, the best use also falls - we have always decided how to present our solution to the test or assignment. Unfortunately, this is completely unrealistic, precisely because of the need for special paper - you will receive a stamped paper from the teacher and a beautiful pad with icons will take care of everything. How about a pen with a gyroscope, which would initially calibrate itself, for example by attaching it to the corner of any paper, and then it would sense its position and create a cartoon image based on that? Or some other similar solutions? Anyway, with the need for special paper, the possibilities of the pen are too limited.
I tested it and it's terribly stiff. There are things that appeal to you immediately, but this is not it.
I tried to find what exactly it would be suitable for based on my personal experience. Even though it was nice and the person said wow, that was unfortunately all, and to be honest, in today's age of an iPhone with a voice recorder or a camera, it's a corpse.
Dundee
I've been doing graphics for 15 years. After all kinds of combinations, communications, etc., an ordinary pad and pencil worked best for me. I then take a picture of the cmaranica with my mobile phone and can throw away/gift the paper to the client.
I think this pen is just a toy. It gets the job done, but it's easy like that.
Wacom Inkling – http://www.alza.cz/wacom-inkling-d267497.htm – this one appeals to me more... I already have it ordered.