Livescribe Sky Wifi Smartpen: Handwriten Notes With Audio in the Cloud

Overview:

The Sky Wifi Smartpen from Livescribe is a WiFi enabled pen that has a built in audio recorder. This allows you to digitize handwritten notes which you can sync to Evernote wirelessly when in a compatible WiFi hotspot. (See below for Evernote description) The smartpen allows you to take handwritten notes which are linked to an audio recording of what was being said at the time you wrote your notes. The pen can record audio using a built in or external microphone. Using specially designed note paper, you simply touch "record" at the bottom of the dot paper page and begin writing notes. The camera at the bottom of the pen tracks where you write and the built in microphone records what is being said. The result is that your writing is linked with whatever was spoken at the time. In other words each pen-stroke is linked with the sound that you heard at that time. So if you are in class and your teacher is discussing President Washington and you write "President Washington" later you can playback everything the teacher said about Washington at that time by touching the pen to the words "President Washington."

Many of the pen's functions are accessed by touching buttons printed on the specially designed dot paper with the tip of the pen. When you are done taking notes you simply press the stop button at the bottom of the dot paper notebook and your handwriting and audio recording is automatically synced to Evernote. Click here to view a sample note. From Evernote you can view the note and listen to the audio or share the note.

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Voice Recording in Office 2010 & 2007

A feature in OneNote 2010 and 2007 allows users to take audio or video content while taking notes. The feature allows a student to make an audio recording of a lecture while still taking notes. The audio or video notes are then available for playback from within the notebook. The audio and video notes are time coded and allow you to hear what  the teacher was saying when you wrote a particular sentence. The functionality is similar to the function of Word for Mac 2011 and the Livescribe pen. OneNote is included in  Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 and 2010. Watch the videos above to learn more.

Office 2011 for Mac is a Livescribe Pen Alternative

The Livescribe Pen is a great gadget for people who have trouble taking notes. For those that are unfamiliar with the Livescribe Pen, it takes audio recording of everything being said while you are writing. The Livescribe Pen require a special note book. Then if your missed something you can press a word with the pen and then it plays back what was being said when you wrote that word. The pen is great for business meetings and lectures. If your not willing to drop 100 plus dollars and you have a Mac with Word 2011 you may have this same functionality already. Microsoft Word 2011 for Mac has a built in audio note recorder. In notebook view there is a record button. When you press the record button your computer will record everything being said. The main differnce between the two note taking methods if that with the Livescribe Pen you write and with Word you type. Also, the Livescribe Pen has the ability to select a word and hear what was said at that moment while Word for Mac doesn't. The audio notes allow someone who struggles to take notes review anything that they missed.