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Livescribe axes developer program to focus on the cloud

Terrence O'Brien — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:22:00 EST

For the past several years one of the strangest and most interesting platforms with an app store all its own was the Livescribe series of smart-pens. Now, it's just another ditch to be dug in the development graveyard. After three years it will be closing up its SDK shop on July 22nd, and no more submissions too its app market will be accepted. The store will remain open for the time being, but the company won't guarantee compatibility with future models or firmware updates. Instead it will shift focus to cloud services like Livescribe Connect. But, don't get too worried, we're sure the healthy hacker community will keep you knee deep in text adventure ports.

Livescribe axes developer program to focus on the cloud originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe Connect upgrade lets you share doodles in several ways, just not wirelessly (video)

Sharif Sakr — Mon, 23 May 2011 07:51:00 EST

Pen pushers who took a chance on Livescribe's note-recording smartpen have benefited from some nice apps, hacks and upgrades along the way. Now the company's latest productivity-booster is a software update called Connect, which lets you share your scribbles via Email, Google Docs, Facebook and Evernote, as well as through Livescribe's own Pencast platform. Some of these sharing options were already available but Connect tries to speed things in an interesting way: by letting you set sharing instructions even as you jot down a note. Simply draw a double line and write, say, 'Facebook' or 'Google Docs' somewhere on the page, and the sharing will take place automatically the next time you sync to your Mac or PC. Most of the sharing options are free, but if you own an older Pulse model or the new entry-level $99.95 2GB Echo you'll need to buy a $15 upgrade before you can share via Email or Google Docs. Heck, we'd pay way more than that if only Livescribe would come up with a way to sync and share wirelessly -- docking this thing feels about as cutting edge as a quill. Video and full PR after the break.

Continue reading Livescribe Connect upgrade lets you share doodles in several ways, just not wirelessly (video)

Livescribe Connect upgrade lets you share doodles in several ways, just not wirelessly (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe hack lets you play Zork with (smart) pen and paper

Donald Melanson — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:44:00 EST

Livescribe's pen certainly seems like a hackable enough device, but for some reason we haven't seen many hacks or mods that make the smart pen even smarter (or dumber, for that matter). One big one quietly popped up last month, however, and has apparently gone largely unnoticed until now. YouTube user "chipos81" has managed to port Infocom's Z-Machine virtual machine to the pen (the Echo, specifically), and you know what that means: Zork on paper. Look down. Examine link. Go past break. Watch video.

[Thanks, Charlie]

Continue reading Livescribe hack lets you play Zork with (smart) pen and paper

Livescribe hack lets you play Zork with (smart) pen and paper originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget's back to school guide: Fun stuff!

Richard Lai — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:21:00 EST

Welcome to Engadget's Back to School guide! We know that this time of year can be pretty annoying and stressful for everyone, so we're here to help out with the heartbreaking process of gadget buying for the school-aged crowd. On the menu today are a handful of fun yet practical gadgets, but feel free to check out our Back to School hub for more recommendations in other categories.

It's a tough road ahead for aspiring students like yourself (yes, you!), but that doesn't mean one should abstain from any form of entertainment throughout the course. If anything, you'll be needing a few fun gadgets from our Back to School guide to impress your schoolmates -- it's not like your Facebook page will be automagically adding friends any time soon. But as the old saying goes, "work hard, play hard," so we've also thrown in a few picks that'll aid your study. When you're ready, click along for our latest list of awesomeness.

Continue reading Engadget's back to school guide: Fun stuff!

Engadget's back to school guide: Fun stuff! originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe gets pensive, unleashes new Echo Smartpen

Joanna Stern — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:01:00 EST

Okay, so smartpens aren't as common as smartphones, but, hey, they're getting smarter too! That's right, Livescribe's taken the cap off its new Echo smartpen, and not only is it thinner and lighter than the original Pulse pen, but it also packs more power. Like its predecessor, the Echo can capture audio and handwriting, but it's now armed with more storage and features. The $169.95 4GB version promises up to 400 hours of audio recording, while the $199 8GB one up to 800 hours. However, the real updates come in the software arena -- the Echo can now be password protected to safeguard those love letters, err notes / recordings, and has a new function for launching applications. Additionally, new desktop software lets users export pencasts -- what the company has dubbed its visual note and audio recording -- to share with others via social networks and e-mail.

But that's not all, Livescribe's promising more updates this fall, and they actually happen to be the most compelling of the bunch. By then you'll be able to send notes via e-mail by just docking the pen to the computer and turn the pen and paper combo into a Wacom-like graphics tablet. Basically, you'll be able to attach the pen to a computer via it's micro-USB cable and just draw free hand on the screen. The latter option could be pretty awesome for designers and such, but we'll have to wait a few months to test it out. Oh, you're looking for some more Echo action now? We've got some brief impressions and a hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Livescribe Echo press images

Gallery: Livescribe Echo hands-on

Continue reading Livescribe gets pensive, unleashes new Echo Smartpen

Livescribe gets pensive, unleashes new Echo Smartpen originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe Pulse Smartpen records heated Delta / airport conversation, leads to chaos

Darren Murph — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:37:00 EST

Whoa, Nelly! Talk about a whale of a story. Ben DeCosta, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport's general manager, loves gadgets. So much, in fact, that he purchased a Livescribe Pulse Smartpen, which is capable of recording audio onto its 4GB of internal storage space. While details on the story remain murky (disputed by both sides, actually), it's fairly clear that Ben and Delta didn't exactly see eye-to-eye on everything. To that end, Mr. DeCosta figured he could flip the recorder on during a private conversation between airline executives and personnel from the city of Atlanta, and now the whole thing seems to have backfired. Ben maintains that he didn't intend to record Delta's negotiations, and he even went so far as to suggest that Delta stole his pen in order to discredit him. In the end, the city's investigation found that there was "insufficient evidence that DeCosta intentionally sought to record the private conversations of Delta's team," but that's not stopping Ben from retiring when his contract expires in June. Hit the source link below for the whole drama-filled thing, but unfortunately, the discussions held on the pen have yet to leak. TMZ -- you on that, or what?

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen records heated Delta / airport conversation, leads to chaos originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe's Pulse smartpen app store now ready for hot 96 x 18 pixel action (video)

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:09:00 EST

You know what Livescribe's $170/$200 Pulse smartpen with 2GB/4GB of storage is missing to keep it from going mainstream? More apps. At least that's what Livescribe's execs seem to be thinking with the launch of its new application store featuring more than 30 paid and free applications that augment the smartpen's ability to record and link audio to your handwritten notes. Paid apps range in price from $0.99 for the mature rated "Sexy Oracle" app on up to $100 if you're looking for a revolutionary way to learn Hebrew chanting... and really, who isn't? The company claims to have a community of more than 5,500 registered developers which likely equates to a 1:1 dev-to-owner ratio. Sweet. Check a video demonstration or both the pen and app store after the break.

Continue reading Livescribe's Pulse smartpen app store now ready for hot 96 x 18 pixel action (video)

Livescribe's Pulse smartpen app store now ready for hot 96 x 18 pixel action (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe Pulse smartpen hits 4GB, launching app store (video)

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:11:00 EST

Not much has changed in the year since we last checked in with the Livescribe Pulse, the smartpen that captures and syncs your handwriting and audio back to your PC or Mac using a built-in infrared camera and mic. Today we get a new titanium color on the outside and bump from 2GB ($170) to 4GB ($200) within. There's also a tease of an Application Store launch later this year. Oh boy, that's exactly what's been holding back the smartpen industry from replacing all those pesky laptops in collegiate lecture halls.

Continue reading Livescribe Pulse smartpen hits 4GB, launching app store (video)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Livescribe Pulse smartpen hits 4GB, launching app store (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Duo brings pen-based computing to almost any display

Joseph L. Flatley — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:11:00 EST

An intermediate step between Livescribe and a touchscreen, the Duo by KCI Communications lets you use a stylus on your standard desktop or laptop display. It works (on devices up to 17-inches) by using a base station to track the XY coordinates of the pen as it makes its way around the screen. If that weren't enough, the pen also features functionality similar to Livescribe -- you can keep notes on traditional paper and transfer them to your PC later. Currently, this bad boy is only available for WIndows machines, but Mac drivers are in the works. Now, we haven't had the opportunity to play with one of these things, but maybe you'll want to take the plunge? If so, hit the read link -- shipping now for $119.95. But not before you check out the commercial after the break -- it's a classic.

[Via CNET]

Continue reading Duo brings pen-based computing to almost any display

Filed under: Peripherals

Duo brings pen-based computing to almost any display originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe Pulse smartpen gets OS X support

Darren Murph — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:02:00 EST

For months now, dutiful Mac users who refuse to load any flavor of Windows on their precious machines have longed for the ability to use Livescribe's Pulse smartpen. Now, those holdouts can finally say the wait was worth it, as Livescribe has announced that a native Mac desktop application (Livescribe Desktop for Mac) will be made available in beta form on November 24th. Additionally, a few new features for the Pulse have been added over on the Wintel side, including handwriting to text transcription software ($29.95) and the ability for consumers to print dot paper notepads for free. Finally, something for OS X users to digitally write home about.

Filed under: Peripherals

Livescribe Pulse smartpen gets OS X support originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: Livescribe's hot recording artist seeks mass appeal (Part 2)

Ross Rubin — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:28:00 EST

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment

The last Switched On discussed the innovative approach that Livescribe has taken in its core note-taking function while touching on some of the company's grander plans to create a wide array of applications and content, taking it far beyond its failed predecessor, the Logitech io2.

Livescribe is building an ambitious house in a neighborhood that has seen a lot of foreclosures; Pulse will need to rewrite history to be successful in the traditionally challenged smartpen market. Indeed, between the time that the Pulse was announced and shipped, Logitech announced it was writing off the market for now. In addition to improving on note-taking, the company points to the reduced size of the Pulse as being less obtrusive than previous smartpens and thus more appealing to use. One of the keys to smartpen use is that it is less obtrusive than, say, a PC using Microsoft OneNote, which also has the ability to synchronize audio to written notes.

However, the Pulse's OLED display offsets at least some of the gains made toward discretion by shrinking the pen's girth. Worse, to get the full benefit of the Pulse's cool ability to resolve conversations in a room using 3D audio recording, you must wear earbuds that contain embedded microphones. It's hard to imagine something that could be more off-putting to a speaker than seeing an audience member wearing earbuds, and it would engender curiosity when that speaker notices that they are connected to a pen. Fortunately, the Pulse does a very good job of recording even without the earbud-based microphones.

Continue reading Switched On: Livescribe's hot recording artist seeks mass appeal (Part 2)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Switched On: Livescribe's hot recording artist seeks mass appeal (Part 2) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Switched On: Livescribe's hot recording artist seeks mass appeal (Part 1)

Ross Rubin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:39:00 EST

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment

If the pen truly is mightier than the sword, Livescribe's Pulse smartpen ($149 with 1GB of flash memory, $199 with 2GB) may be able to take out a tank at 50 meters. Arguably the most technologically advanced writing instrument not intended for killing a Bond villain, the Pulse includes an infrared camera (for recording text), dual microphones, a speaker, a headphone jack, and an OLED display that can even play back short "movies" (animations synced with sound). And it manages to pack it all in a pen size that, while still a bit thick, is relatively comfortable and thinner than its closest technological ancestor, the now-discontinued Logitech io2.

Using its noise-canceling microphones and ink recognition system, the Pulse can be used to either take written notes that are uploaded to the PC, or record audio. But its greatest advance for note-taking over previous smartpen systems such as the io2 is the ability to synchronize written notes with audio. Simply put the pen into "Paper Replay" mode and tap on some text to hear what was being said as you scribbled. The result is the next best thing to real-time transcription. It can be used to check what may be an unclear or hastily scribbled note, focus on commentary while the pen captures the content, or create or copy a diagram while it is explained via audio.

But first, whatever is being written will have to be done so on paper designed explicitly for the pen. Like previous products that use Anoto technology, the Pulse needs smart "dot paper" to make transcription work. Without a doubt, this requirement will be a deal-killer for many, and limit the Pulse's everyday utility for some time to come. In contrast, simpler products such as the IOGear Mobile Digital Scribe uses ultrasound to track a pen's position and can be used on any paper (and the pens in such systems are smaller as well). To make dot paper more readily accessible, though, Livescribe will offer a template that should allow many customers to print their own dot paper at home. And dot paper enables the Pulse to pull off some pretty slick feats. Read on.

Continue reading Switched On: Livescribe's hot recording artist seeks mass appeal (Part 1)

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Switched On: Livescribe's hot recording artist seeks mass appeal (Part 1) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wrapup of D day, plus bonus top nicknames for the Palm Foleo

Ryan Block — Thu, 31 May 2007 09:23:00 EST

It was a long day at WSJ's D down in San Diego, but there was plenty to see. Check out our coverage roundup below.

Live coverage
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates: Historic discussion live from D 2007
Steve Jobs live from D 2007
Steve Ballmer live from D 2007
Palm's Jeff Hawkins live from D 2007

Apple
iPhone to get third party apps
Apple TV gets 160GB disk... and YouTube too
iTunes Plus and EMI's DRM-free music hands-on
iTunes Plus DRM-free music now official(er)

Microsoft
Microsoft Surface - surface and gesture based computing lands
Microsoft Surface hands-on

Palm
Palm Foleo hands-on
Palm Foleo gallery
Palm Foleo announced

Etc.
Livescribe shows off Leapfrog Fly-esque pen computer for grown-ups
QiGO announces Internet Content Keys

Also, you reminded us that you're a hell of a clever lot that not seemed to think we were justified in totally panning Palm's new Foleo. So here are some of the top nicknames we've heard it given:

Foolio (totally our favorite, by Jeff)
Folly-o (by derF)
The Palm Shark Jumper (by Brian)

Feel free to leave some more in comments!

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Wrapup of D day, plus bonus top nicknames for the Palm Foleo originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2007 09:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Livescribe shows off Leapfrog Fly-esque pen computer for grown-ups

Donald Melanson — Wed, 30 May 2007 15:01:00 EST

It looks like those intrigued by Leapfrog's Fly pentop computer but turned off by its "toy" status will soon have an option that's a little more in line with their sensibilities, as The New York Times reports that a former executive at Leapfrog has now branched out on his own to produce a similar device aimed at adults. Set to make its debut at this week's D conference, the pen from Jim Marggraff's newly-founded Livescribe company is apparently a "more advanced" version of the Fly computer, relying on the same dot-laden paper to capture whatever you write or draw with it. The pen also packs two microphones to record what it hears while you writing, which can be played back simply by tapping on the paper. Marggraff thinks that'll make the pen particularly well-suited to students, although he not surprisingly sees virtually endless uses for the device, saying that it'll appeal to "anyone that is writing notes on paper." While the pen's only just making its first public appearance now, it doesn't look like you'll have to wait too much longer to actually get your hands on one, with it set to be released sometime this fall for under $200.

[Photo courtesy of Peter DaSilva/The New York Times]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Handhelds

Livescribe shows off Leapfrog Fly-esque pen computer for grown-ups originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2007 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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