Livescribe 4GB Echo Smartpen
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The Livescribe 4GB Echo Smartpan allows you to dot the i¿s and cross the t¿s. The large brother to the Pulse has a stunning 4GB storage space, so there¿s plenty of space to capture everything that¿s being said. In addition, the Echo has an angular design, so the pen doesn¿t start rolling when you put it on a table. And you can directly connect it to your PC without needing a cradle thanks to the practical micro-USB port. This smartpen has both a microphone and an infrared camera. The Echo Smartpen links every spoken word to your handwritten notes or drawings. At the beginning of your lecture, conversation, or interview, you start the sound recording. You then write down just a few keywords in the Livescribe Dot Paper notebook at important moments. This notebook contains special paper with thousands of small dots for the infrared camera. If you want to listen to specific portions, you tap the relevant words with the pen. The Livescribe Echo Smartpen now plays a sound clip of what's being said in that moment via the built-in speaker. It's totally fine to be long-winded, because there's 4GB storage space for 400 hours of sound recordings.
It¿s super-easy to control the Livescribe Echo Smartpen. Thanks to the useful angular design, the pen doesn¿t start rolling when you put it down. And your fingers always have proper grip thanks to the softgrip. Via the menu icons on every page of the Livescribe Dot Paper notebooks, you have full control over all functions. You tap the menu icons with the pen to activate the function of your choice. After use, it¿s very easy to put the notes including audio on your computer. Via the micro-USB cable, you directly connect the pen to your PC or laptop. Even when the files are on your computer, you can effortlessly find every individual portion. You simply type a keyword in the search bar of the free downloadable desktop software. This program filters the search query from your handwriting, so you get the files in which that specific word shows up. In addition, you can use different notebooks. The desktop software recognizes individual LiveScribe Dot Paper notebooks, so it¿s easy to keep the notes of multiple lectures or various accounts separate. With the Livescribe Echo Smartpen, you can write and read.
It's super-easy to share every note you take with the Livescribe Echo Smartpen with your colleagues and fellow students. The pen stores your notes and associated sound recordings digitally. You can put these files on your computer right away via the micro-USB port. The result is a pencast, which displays your handwritten notes including audio. While you hear the sound recording, you also see the captured notes on your screen. It¿s very easy to share these files online via interactive flash animations, for which there¿s plenty of space thanks to 500MB online storage. You can simply send an email with a link to your online pencast. This way, everybody can use your notes without needing special software. Even when people don¿t have anything interesting to say, the Echo Smartpen offers a solution with pre-installed apps. Don't draw doodles all over the paper, but play piano or perform calculations with the calculator. With the Livescribe Echo Smartpen, you can dot the digital i's and cross the digital t's.
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I had already heard about this pen a year ago and when the 4GB model was on sale at CoolBlue, my choice was made quickly, especially since they did not charge postage. Incredibly fast delivery too: I ordered it at 9.30 pm and the next morning at 8.30 am the postman was already at the door with the package.
Immediately unpacked and started using it. Everything was immediately clear, only the menu did it only in English at first. If I have something new, I usually immediately start working with it and then I read the manual later. Likewise in this case. I thought I knew everything immediately, but I discovered some nice extras and after downloading the Livescribe desktop and a firmware upgrade, the menu and the built-in voice suddenly turned out to be in Dutch.
Although it was a bit strange at first to talk and write, just to try it out, I immediately found out that this is a super invention. You can print the special paper yourself (on a color laser printer, that is) and that works fine. Basically you create your own livescribe blocks.
Tried a few things with the kids in the evening. My 16 year old daughter was so excited she claimed this is better than an iPod.
One of the discoveries I made, which I find very essential, is that when playing, you can add notes, which are then directly linked to the audio. This can even be done on another block or any other place in your block. It must of course be on the special paper. This paper is an invention of Anoto and Livescribe is licensed to it. The pen has a built-in camera and knows exactly where it is on the paper, even on another page or in a different block. This means that when using multiple blocks you also have to take blocks with a different number, otherwise the notes will overlap. You can also record only audio. If you play that later, you can make notes that are directly linked to the audio.
Handy if you're working on music eg: You just record the music and then you play it back and put numbers, or symbols on your block, and then you have a super remote control for that piece of music. Useful for music students who want to make notes on their own recordings.
You could even print a piece of sheet music on a sheet of the special paper.
A small disadvantage is that you also record the sound of the pen on paper, but this is remedied if you connect the earphones and stereo microphone that can be ordered separately. They pick up the sound from where your ears are.
You also hear beeps when you start or stop recording, but in practice you record a long time in succession, you can always add notes later and refine your document.
I recorded a brainstorming session of one and a half hours in its entirety and it works perfectly. You can also listen back at an increased speed, without it becoming Donald Duck voices.
I am very satisfied with the product, in retrospect I would have preferred to opt for the 8GB version, which they now have on offer at CoolBlue, including the earphones and luxury writing folder.
My 13-year-old son is also very enthusiastic and I promised him (and my daughter too) such a livescribe pen at the next school report. I think it would be a great thing for those children at school to take notes during lessons.
The functionality of the (downloadable) software on the computer is also fine, you get to see your notes on your screen and can also click on them with the mouse pointer and you will then hear the corresponding audio.
These so-called "pencasts" can also be distributed by mail or placed on a website and everyone can then view and hear them. That way you can also download pencasts from others or view them online. In this way, a math teacher puts all her 45-minute lessons online. You can follow her explanation as if you were looking at a blackboard and jump back or forward to each piece if desired. This is really fantastic.
Actually, I can only mention 1 annoyance: Livescribe promotes the fact that you can program the pen yourself. This really appealed to me because there is a lot more possible with it than is standard. But my disappointment was that the company Livescribe no longer makes the entire programming environment (the software development kit or SDK) available, no longer provides support for it and has therefore made it impossible for you to improve / adjust the pen in any way. to your own needs.
Otherwise an excellent product and an absolute must for meetings, brainstorming sessions and lectures.
Bas Beima
2 February 2012
Automatically translated from Dutch
The smartpen was mainly purchased to simplify taking minutes. The results are really very good. Afterwards, the minutes are very easy to read and listen to in Adobe Reader. Learning to take minutes with the pen can be learned very quickly. It takes some getting used to to start writing on time, because you are used to formulating after speaking. Now you need to start with an attention sign to make the beginning of the sentence run along with the beginning of your notes.
The pen itself only has an on/off button. By default, the pen starts in display/command mode. The commands are at the bottom of the special paper, just tap it. The pen has enough memory so that you don't have to turn it on and off during the meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, put the pen in recorder position and you can start taking minutes. Every time the pen touches the paper, a link is made between the sound file and the position on the paper, so that the right moment can be found very quickly afterwards.
If the desktop program to be downloaded is installed on the computer, the contents of the pen will be placed on the computer as soon as the pen is connected to the computer. The pen will also be loaded again.
The data can then be saved as a PDF file and read and listened to with Adobe Reader 10. I use this pdf file to work out the minutes.
I have no experience with the 3D earplugs, but I think it would be a good addition if the spatial (stereo) sounds are also recorded.
Listening is best with headphones.
C. Verhagen
1 February 2012
Automatically translated from Dutch
The livescribe pen is a very good solution for creating e.g. minutes. The only downside is the cap of the pen. not very easy to get it off and very small so you lose it that way.
hester herben
13 August 2012
Automatically translated from Dutch
Product number | 141340 | |
|---|---|---|
Manufacturer code | LS-41-003 | |
Brand | Livescribe | |
Processing of your defect | Carry-in warranty | |
Old product returned for free |
Built-in speakers | |
|---|---|
FM radio |
Height | 15,8 cm |
|---|---|
Width | 0,16 cm |
Depth | 15,8 cm |
Weight | 0,036 kg |
Color | Black |
Voice control | ||
|---|---|---|
Dictation | ||
Dictation via | N/A |
Built-in microphone | ||
|---|---|---|
External microphone included | ||
Microphone noise suppression |
Supports voice recognition | |
|---|---|
Voice recognition software included |
3.5mm mini jack connector | ||
|---|---|---|
Headphone jack | ||
Type of headphone connection | [3.5mm mini jack] |
Total storage capacity | 4 GB |
|---|
Power source | |
|---|---|
Power supply type | Rechargeable battery |
Battery technology | Lithium-ion |