A smartpen is a high-tech writing tool that records spoken words and synchronizes them with notes written on special paper. The Echo by Livescribe is one of the most popular smartpens.
CNET How To – Take Better Notes with the Livescribe Echo Smartpen
A student can record everything a teacher says and later replay any part of it by tapping the word on the paper with the tip of the pen. Although the Echo looks and writes like a regular pen, it is actually a multimodal computer. It has an ARM-9 processor, OLED display, micro USB port, headphone jack and microphone. It is a publishing platform that supports third-party Java-based applications.
Livescribe smartpens come in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB capacities, which can store approximately 200, 400, and 800 hours of audio, respectively. You can purchase pens, paper, apps, and accessories on the Livescribe website.
Smartpens take the stress out of taking notes by eliminating the fear of missing details said during a class, lecture, or meeting. They also eliminate the time-consuming task of transcribing an entire lecture by providing access to any part of a recording at the tap of a word. Digitized notes are also easier to store, organize, search, and share.
