Ever wonder what it would be like to update your Facebook with a pen and a piece of paper? If you’re thinking it’s impossible, you’re actually wrong.
The pen that won a game of Tic Tac Toe against its programmer owner literally is a smart pen. The gadget by Livescribe – a pen that writes in good old fashioned ink, but also is a tiny recording device – can now write and send your notes to Evernote, Google Docs and even Facebook.
Available on Monday as a firmware upgrade to existing Livescribe customers, the service called Livescribe Connect has two different levels of service; basic and premium. With Livescribe Connect Basic, users will be able to send notes to Facebook, Evernote, MyLivescribe, and mobile connectors. Included with Connect Premium is Connect Basic plus e-mail and Google Docs connectors. All 4GB Echo and 8GB Echo smartpen users can download Livescribe Desktop for even more capabilities.
To share notes using Livescribe Connect, all you have to do is draw a line and write the name of the destination on your notepad, for instance Facebook, and then tap the pages to send. When the smartpen is next docked to a computer, the notes and audio are automatically sent to their destinations.
Jim Marggraff, CEO and founder of Livescribe said, “Millions of pages of handwritten notes are taken daily in meetings, classes, and brainstorming sessions. These notes have incredible value, but are trapped in the pages of your notebook. With Livescribe Connect, it is easy to make your handwritten notes and spoken information digital, searchable, shareable and accessible anytime, anywhere with a simple tap of your smartpen.”
The 2GB Echo smartpen starter pack retails at $149 and stores more than 200 hours of audio. It comes with several sheets of Livescribe paper as well as Connect Basic software.
Users who want to upgrade to the Premium software can download it from Livescribe's online store for an added $14.99.
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Michelle Amodio is a TechZone360 contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor's degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.Edited by
Jennifer Russell