Livescribe's Smartpen gets multiple connectivity options

Stuart Corner
Monday, 23 May 2011 15:46

Business IT - Technology

Livescribe has upgraded its Smartpen product - which uses digital paper and its inbuilt digital recorder to create a recording of pen movements with synchronised audio - to enable these recordings to be emailed or uploaded to Google Docs, Evernote and Facebook and viewed with as an animated PDF with a Flash-enabled Abode Reader.

Since its introduction of the Smartpen Livescribe has enabled the entire writing session to uploaded to Livescribe's web site from where it can be viewed as a 'pencast' - recreation of the original writing session accompanied by its associated recording - in a standard browser, either as a public pencast or in the user's password protected private area.

The latest upgrade to the Livescribe software enables the user to set up, on their desktop, Livescribe Connect application shortcuts to either upload the pencast as a pencast PDF to their Facebook, Google Docs or Evernote, in addition to their MyLivescribe web site.

Once the shortcuts have been programmed in they can all be initiated from the pen by putting it into command mode and writing the name of the shortcut on the paper. The pencast PDF is then sent the next time the pen is connected to the PC running the Livescribe Desktop via the USB cable.

Viewing of the animation with sound relies on Adobe flash. According to Livescribe "The Pencast PDF leverages Adobe's ubiquitous, business-standard PDF format - now anyone with the free Adobe Reader 10 or higher can easily hear, see and share an interactive Pencast PDF."

Android mobile devices using Android 2.2 or later should be able to view the Pencast PDF in a standard browser. For Apple mobile devices - whch do not support Flash - Livescribe offers a downloadable app.

The Livescribe Connect basic software - supporting connectivity with Facebook, Evernote, MyLivescribe (and via this, mobile devices), uploading to the computer and creation of the pencast PDF - will be bundled with all new Smartpens and is available as a free upgrade to existing users of both the newer Echo Smartpen and the original Pulse model. A premium Livescribe Connect software supporting upload to Google Docs and email is available as $US14.99 upgrade.

The existing 4GB and 4GB Echo Smartpens will now ship with Livescribe Connector Premium for $219 and $259, and the company has introduced a new 2GB model shipping with Livescribe Connect Basic for $149.

Livescribe CEO Jim Marggraff flagged the introduction of the new features to iTWire back in February 2010 at which time he also talked of adding wireless connectivity to the Smartpen. Such connectivity via Bluetooth or WiFi would enable the pencasts to be sent instantly without needing to dock the pen.

He also flagged a vision of having the pen support real-time two way communication, saying: We want you to be able to write 'buy' and '[book title]' and get a message back '[book title] available on Amazon.com $19.95. Sign to buy now.' And you would just sign your name to buy it."