Livescribe 3 Pen Sends Your Handwriting To Your IPad

When I first saw an ad for Livescribe some years ago, I remember thinking just how good kids these days have it. Back in the day, we had to be creative to find out ways to jot down notes as fast as our professors in school spat out ideas. Today, students can use tablets, laptops, phones, and Livescribe pens to take care of that. And for those who actually like to write notes the old school way – pen and paper – but also appreciate the power of technology, there is the Livescribe 3 Smartpen.

The core idea is simple: you write on paper, and what you write will appear on your screen. Just like magic, huh?

Of course, the magical aspect is based on technology, and part of that requires you having Anoto-based Livescribe Dot paper. Unfortunately, you can’t just use any kind of notebook.

Right now, the Livescribe 3 pen is only compatible with the iPhone and iPad (running on iOS 7), so if you’re an Android user, you won’t be able to take advantage of this groundbreaking technology. For now. The company has said that the Android version will be available next year.

How does the Livescribe 3 send your handwritten notes to your iOS device?

It uses LE Bluetooth 4.0 (LE = low energy), giving the pen 14 hours of juice. When you run out, you’ll need two hours for a full charge.

For students who like sharing notes (or professionals who have to share – meeting minutes, perhaps), the Livescribe 3 also allows sending documents to others.

You can choose between the Livescribe 3 Smartpen and the Livescribe 3 Smartpen Pro Edition, with the former selling for $149.95 and the latter for $199.95.

[via: TechBeat]

This Smartpen Connects to Your iOS 7 Device via Bluetooth

Although it’s true that the simple function of writing things down on paper is rapidly falling out of fashion thanks to our digital devices, there are still some out there with a preference for jotting down notes with a pen or pencil. For those users, the new Livescribe 3 Smartpen could be perfect bridge between old school writing and smartphone technology.

The new device, a worthy follow-up to the company’s Sky Wi-Fi smartpen released last year, can record everything the user writes and hears. Once that information is captured, it has the ability to then transfer that data to your iOS device via Bluetooth.

Compatible with iOS 7, the device's app immediately displays the transferred data as soon it's opened on an iPad or iPhone.

By introducing a Bluetooth version of its smartpen, Livescribe has made the prospect of using one of these still somewhat bleeding-edge devices significantly more attractive. Most mobile users are already trained to pair their wireless keyboards and headsets via Bluetooth, so working the Livescribe 3 into one’s existing mobile toolkit should be absolutely painless.

Equipped with a micro-USB charging cable, the Livescribe 3 is available for $149.95. The company is also releasing a Pro Edition that includes a leather smartpen portfolio with a 100-sheet hardbound journal, as well as a one-year subscription to Evernote Premium.

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