Smartpen: discover the possibilities (but note the follow-up costs)!

The smartpen is a bit like with Mind Mapping. In theory, a fact quickly realized that there is something that can provide a real productivity benefits. But practically it is then not so easy, the New consistently implement and not to fall back again on the familiar.
The fact is that whoever wants to seriously take advantage of the innovative recording form with smartpen have to get fully involved with the experiment, to extend their own recording and rework practices or to change. And the decision for an experiment with open output falls not so easy at the high cost of the pen.
(Note: if the goods with the smartpen is largely clear, please read below may still be my comments on the follow-up costs This can help you get the "overall project" better to calculate.).

I myself had taken me some time ago ever thought about how I could make my work easier with specific media. The result was a ACECAD memo, by which I was able to secure permanent written notes as files. The practical application turned out to be little sense. Always carry around a thick clipboard and as a single significant advantage to have a digital copy of my notes - that was not a big step forward. Then I switched to the iPad and a Sytylus and Notizapp. That was better. However, this form of "office management" was ultimately not really make sense. Neither with finger or stylus can be really useful to submit notes in the usual handwritten form.

So now the smartpen that yes has the claim to be much more than just a digital notebook, but at the same time, provides the since primary school times usual form, to become familiar with a pen handwritten notes into the center. The big advantage of this is: here the block is the sensitive screen and the stylus to the computer and both together make notes provide significantly longer just simple notes, which can be saved as a digital image copy.

Does this work? Yes, it works. But (see above): you have to stay consistent and make really appropriated by permanent use the system. It is not just the creation of a saved session, but also their subsequent targeted use by means of PC and (provided) software, which produce a productivity advantage. And you have to accept that the whole is indeed a great concept, the technical implementation, however, still has some quirks.

What is the pin? I think everyone knows who has made it to this review. Therefore here a few words about it. In the end you have a conventional transcript on paper and a digital copy of it, and if one wishes, also a parallel audio recording. So you can not make it to clarify on a paper (lecture)), see what you wrote (and on request even even even know how to write it) and gets to a copy of the acoustic environment when writing. If the Bank neighbors have held the door as the Unit, whose contents you wrote down.
When does that make sense? If you only just made a way to acquire knowledge (and can not access any problems later on a video recording of the provider, which today is increasingly possible yes). Or if one attends a discussion and even involved, but at the same time requires also notes the event. And so on. All this to do with the smartpen is (a) educationally very useful, as well as reworking several learning channels are opened and (b) a good help for meaningful supplement, as you - as everyone knows - on with the fastest writing usually just not all can capture verbally given information.

Okay, you are probably thinking, yet the first is no more than a pen plus dictating that the event is in addition to the conventional block and everything mitschneidet. And the transcript on the block one can then scan and then you have both ... not!
The specific added value lies in the close and extremely useful tuned combination of sound and writing. Both are linked perfectly due to the paper texture and the art of the pen, bookmark and jump instructions can later eg always exactly simultaneously hear those points (at a selectable speed), where you have made the respective notes. And then supplement, etc. And you always have a complete, linked with all the accompanying notes audio copy of a session, even if you have made little notes. So you can always focus on what you just want without missing anything ever again from the whole package. And that's just the beginning, more than Pencasts can also create "development records" and share with others who are then able to understand the genesis of the idea note and / or drawing and can listen to explanations provided simultaneously. No more "in the attachment of the mail you'll find a sketch of times and then adjusting pressure you before ... and when we later ... best, we make a phone call, I can now explain in writing not because I do not need years ... ". No, now seen and heard to the thoughts that are hidden behind the chart and how The producer or creator to have thought that. Something is really awesome and that is called cope innovative!
That's all still happening on paper and writing pads in standard sizes, which is one of the many great advantages of the smartpen.

If you like all this under the usual aspects of school and study or from a management perspective, need or want, you should seriously think about purchasing a smartpen.

However, you should still give my opinion in advance of the acquisition over a few facts clear which must simply bear in mind. Namely the follow-up costs. These are:

Follow-up costs 1: Writing paper and mines.
The smartpen a notebook in A5 is included. If the fully or need parallel recording options, then you must purchase the original Livescibe blocks and notebooks, since the paper has a special Punktbedruckung without which the pin can not fulfill its function. Although the original blocks and journals look really chic, but also cost a lot of money. Please see beforehand the various offers once to get an idea.

Print paper itself - that you need to know:
One can, however, also print paper itself. What is this, however, can easily be overlooked: this is only on color laser printers with at least 600dpi resolution and simultaneously real Adobe Postcriptfähigkeit! I myself have an appropriate color laser printer, postscript but he does not understand, and very few home users this can be printer (because it just mostly only in the commercial sector is a necessary feature). If you do not have an appropriate printer at your fingertips, you will always need to buy more stock of paper! (Also keep in mind that you probably want to use A4 College blocks, A5 notebooks, smaller hinged blocks and possibly even one of the journals most email. And then again, not only one of each kind, but several. Because a block is for lectures, a for meetings, etc., and because the software can manage the books separately, it makes sense to use different notebooks for different content).
Should also be mentioned the original refills that you need sooner or later anyway, and are available in various colors. Again, costs are to be included.

Follow-up costs 2: Fit Case.
At all do not be throwing your smartpen in the Schlamperfedertasche and at the end of the week scratched want take out again. No, they will very quickly buy a matching pouch and keep it there safe and secure and visually appealing. Even that costs money.

Follow-up costs 3: the microphone headset.
If you want to get us under different spatial influences good audio recording in large rooms, you will not be spared the acquisition of special original accessories. The built-in microcomputer of the smartpen is okay, but rather designed for conferences in the office with 6 participants. I have the recording of the lecturer via the built-in mics at home simultaneously hear can not understand in a seminar room with a slight addition to noise and about 20 participants over long distances. It records the write noise with on (!), Which can disturb as scratching accompanying noise sensitive receiver entirely. After turning the pen when writing or sometimes places it in between and all that reduces the recording quality partly solid. The headset Livescribe is therefore almost a necessity purchase. Although it involves a high-quality tool, but it's just as well (you guessed it) not cheap. So then you draw the acoustics significantly better than the built-in MIC and then not even mono, but binaural. BUT: from now on, you write a cable to the pin and there are small headphones around your neck. This makes it difficult to deal with the letter not already noticeably slight pin! This must be able and willing. Also keep in mind this before.

If you take all the accumulative result purchases willing to accept and continue to imagine, often to write again with a cable on the pin and also gladly willing to familiarize themselves with the operation of the device and the pin associated software and finally and above have all still great interest in the "principle Smartpen" and minor technical defects (such as partially interactively scale transcript passages due to an error identifier), then you can put the pen now in your shopping cart. Because then you will also understand the productivity benefits and can be used accurately.

Finally, a specific note. The included Quick Start Guide does not work with the latest firmware. This, however, invites your pen automatically after the first time you connect to the Internet. What indeed fundamentally makes sense. So if you want to follow this guide, please update the firmware immediately!

And then there is Last but not least the matter of the handwriting recognition. No, it works well today and also with the smartpen (or the associated software) is not particularly good. Unless you have been thanks to your systems and patient and loving primary school teachers with an excellent handwriting or write basically in good block letters. Otherwise, the detection rate is, well, what felt like twenty to forty percent in the normal word shank region (in technical language, the detection rate is reduced dramatically). A recognition training you can not perform incomprehensibly. The handwriting recognition software you must acquire externally (unless they have the most expensive Livescribe package, as it is already included). Test the application free for 30 days, then you know what to expect.