A business school classmates of mine recently spotted my involvement with iPhone software development on LinkedIn. He asked me if I knew about the Livescribe pen and whether I knew how to synchronize it with the iPhone…
I don’t really like it when my answer to a question involving the iPhone or technology yields a double NO.
I’m always on the lookout for new gadgets, especially the ones that help me reconcile the physical and digital world, or simply help boost productivity… It took me just a few clicks to realize the Livescribe was one instance of the ANOTO technology, something that I had been tracking loosely since its inception, but without being totally convinced: a way to turn pen strokes into digital equivalent using special dotted paper.
My friend’s enthusiasm and immediate need gave me some doubts though, and perhaps correlated with the burdening weight of my 3 kg MacBook Pro that I lug around everyday with me, I decided to give the Livescribe a go, and ordered a set from a UK distributor (watch out for shipping costs with the notebooks!!!).
Unpacking the device, I found that some things were still not quite right nor ready for mass adoption: no wireless synchronization, pen slightly too large and perhaps “fragile”… however, the overall package and experience turned me into an instant convert even though I usually don’t use pen & paper:
- pretty good Mac OS X integration
- availability of an SDK (I’ll get to it later - useful for me to explore the challenge that my friend unknowingly bestowed upon me!)
- pretty solid pen after all
- great way to record written notes & contextual sounds at the same time (unexpected & quite dazzling)
- impressive penlet possibilities (playing the piano on paper!) though not immediately accessible/trivial
I started using the pen on a daily basis, taking notes instead of depending on memory or the laptop, a 17 inch version that is not welcome in all situations…
This is my roundabout way to say that I recommend this gadget, especially if you’re an hybrid like me: technologist at heart, but all too aware that the current state of technology is disruptive and not necessarily adequate.
Now, how did I respond to my friend re: the iPhone synchonization? Watch this space for part II…
Yann.
May 2009