Smartpens are a new office trend with ever-expanding possibilities. The features of smartpens have grown a lot since the technology first came about, and they’re still expanding.
What many smartpens do is capture the notes that you are writing down and convert them into a digital format. Additional capabilities vary by brand and model. Here is some information about some of the models that are available today.
IOGEAR Mobile Digital Scribe
This smartpen was the first on the scene. For that reason, it doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles that you might find in a newer model.
It captures and stores everything you write and doesn’t call for a special notepad or piece of paper. This makes it especially easy to upload your notes to your computer. If you already have the Mobile Digital Scribe linked to your computer it will automatically transfer any text and drawings directly to the screen.
Logitech IO2 Digital Pen
The Logitech IO2 Digital Pen executes most of the basic functions that you can find on IOGEAR’s pen. Once you transcribe your notes, you are able to save them in a number of different formats and file types.
You can then search for words and phrases by date, file type, or file name. You can add items to your calendar merely by writing them down. The Logitech IO2 Digital Pen doesn’t work on any surface like the IOGEAR pen, but it works with Post-It notes and Franklin Covey’s iScribe software and digital planning pages.
Livescribe Echo
The Livescribe Echo has far more functions than its counterparts. It not only transcribes your written notes into a PDF, it also records any audio and lets you save that in a variety of different formats.
The coolest feature that you’ll find on the Echo is the Pencast functionality. A Pencast allows you to play back the audio and synchronize it with your notes, making it much simpler to keep a detailed record of your thoughts without writing down everything. Apple has also built a free app that allows for easy sharing and replaying.
All of these pens are excellent for their own reasons and they can really help you become more efficient in the office. You’ll never be forced to remember the tiny details of a meeting again.
If you’d like to take a look at a review of the Livescribe Echo, check out this Inc. article.
