![]() Key to this process is the notepad, which is comprised of 100 two-sided pages of ruled digital paper. In reality, though, recording lectures or meetings without notes misses the point of the Smartpen entirely. This is fine when using recordings in conjunction with notes, but is less convenient if just making a recording with no notes to reference. Instead, to navigate tracks or change the volume you have to use the bottom of one of the specially-dotted pages from the included notebook, or you can take a slightly more circuitous route and use the menu controls on the base station. ![]() However, the single biggest issue with the Pulse Smartpen’s audio capabilities is that the pen itself lacks any physical controls. If that sounds like more than you need, there’s a cheaper 1GB version available as well. Likewise, you won’t be using the 3D recording headset with anything but Livescribe’s pen due to its proprietary plug.Īlso integrated into the pen is 2GB of non-upgradeable memory that’s good for around 200 hours of recorded audio, though this goes down depending on the selected recording quality. A major disadvantage is that though the pen sports a 2.5mm jack, this won’t recognise any devices except the proprietary set supplied with it, so you can’t hook the pen directly up to some speakers to let a whole room listen in on your recording. There’s also a mono microphone in the pen, but although – like the inbuilt mono speaker – it’s impressive for its size, it obviously can’t match the dual ones in the headset. They work very well too, picking up a conversation clearly from the other side of a noisy office with the correct stereo positioning. ![]() A microphone in each bud allows for binaural recording, or ‘3D’ as Livescribe terms it. However, their main feature is not to produce audio, but to record it. Though the audio they produce is expectedly mediocre, they are light and comfortable. Last, though not quite least on the hardware side, we have what initially looks like a pair of cheap earphones. It’s solidly constructed and the pen slots into it effortlessly and securely thanks to a strong magnet, so you can carry the base around without the pen falling out. Moving on to the base station, it acts as a charging cradle, data connection and control centre, connecting to either a PC or charger through USB. Still, this is not the problem it could have been since it’s possible to remove the nibs by hand. Moreover, unlike the ePens which conveniently had its nib extractor incorporated into its cap, here it’s integrated into the base. However, as with that peripheral, there’s no space provided for extra nibs. It fits the pen snugly, making it a far more practical proposition than the large cardboard case provided with the ePens. Those with particularly small hands might find its bulky body less comfortable, but on the whole it looks the business and handles well, too.Ī sheathe made of strong black faux-suede is also included. Its nib-holding tip is constructed using rugged matt black plastic, with glossy touches, while an OLED display adds to its impressive look and feel. Its thick, imposing body is made from classy, gunmetal grey anodised aluminium that not only makes it incredibly durable, but also lends a nice weight (36g) in the hand. In the box you’ll find the pen itself, in addition to a 100-page ruled ‘digital paper’ pad, a charging cradle and case for the pen, a headset, stylus nib and three spare ink nibs.Ĭompared to the ePens Mobile Notes, the Smartpen itself is in a different league of quality. In effect it’s a digatal dictaphphone and notepad in one, but where the notes and audio are all synched together instead of jumbled up. Instead it’s primarily about archiving and linking your written notes and recordings of lectures or meetings so that when you return to them, it’s much easier to recall all the information you need. This is because the Pulse Smartpen isn’t really about converting notes into text Livescribe doesn’t even supply OCR software for this, though you can purchase software separately if you like. Today, however, we’re looking at the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen, which has reanimated this ‘feature’ as it works only with LiveScribe Dot paper. We recently looked at the ePens Mobile Notes, a digital pen that did away with ‘digital paper’, a significant advance over older devices like Logitech’s io.
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