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Pen

Pen designed to measure, and even reduce, stress

A researcher about to receive his Ph.D. has developed a pen that he says not only measures stress, but helps lower the heart rate of the user, too.

The next question, then, is how large the market for such an item might be. Many of us have a pretty good idea when we are stressed, and might not want to be--however subtly--reminded of it.

Miguel Bruns Alonso, a researcher at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, says that because the sensors in the pen are entirely unobtrusive, it would give users "the right feedback" to help them "deal with their stress in a constructive way."

However, the pen's effect on heart rate is slight at best. In his experiment, Bruns found that those who received feedback on their stress levels had a heart rate roughly 5 percent slower than those who received no feedback. Still, those with lower heart rates said they did not feel any less stress.… Read more

Want to draw on your iPad? Here's your stylus

Lots of people buy iPads under the mistaken assumption that they can scribble notes on them, much like they would on a legal pad.

However, because the tablet employs a capacative touch screen, you can't just grab your old plastic PalmPilot stylus and start writing. You need a special pen, one with a conductive tip that mimics your fingertip.

Many moons ago I wrote about the Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus, both of which work well enough but feel thin and lightweight. If you're looking for something a little more substantial, a little more business-class, check out the … Read more

Echo smartpen melds ink, audio

I have horrible penmanship. I can't write in cursive to save my life. Even my own signature is an absurdly inconsistent mess. Yet, here I am, reviewing a pen.

To be perfectly honest, I was a little terrified to review the Echo smartpen for CNET. In the back of my mind, I was convinced that my unforgivably awful handwriting would cause the little computer inside the pen short-circuit?

As it turns out, good penmanship is not a prerequisite for using the Echo smartpen. In fact, you don't even need to be literate to make its price ($169-$199) … Read more

Touch pads compared: Apple Magic Trackpad vs. Wacom Bamboo

With the Apple Magic Trackpad creating ripples regarding the spread of touch across all Apple devices, it's important to regard a product that visited this territory last year, and perhaps even attempted it more ambitiously. The Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch, a combination multitouch trackpad and pen-based tablet that theoretically offers a killer alternative to the Apple's pad for one reason alone: its versatility.

After reviewing the Magic Trackpad this week, I realized that a Bamboo was still in a drawer in my cube, and I pulled it out to revisit. How did it compare with Apple's sleek square? And, more importantly, are there any areas where it's even better?

First off, the Bamboo is larger than the Magic Trackpad. The extra-wide Bamboo Fun Pen and Touch I have is a lot larger. It's similarly colored to Apple's tiny device, but made of a less sturdy-feeling plastic that's prone to scratching. The Bamboo Pen and Touch is a also a USB-wired device, unlike the wireless Magic Trackpad. It's also more expensive: while a $69 model offers only pen or touch input but not both, the combination pen and touch-pad combo that most users would want costs $99. The extra-large version we reviewed, the Fun, costs $199. The not exactly cheap $69 Magic Trackpad comes off as a relative bargain. … Read more

Livescribe writes digital pen's next chapter

Livescribe on Sunday is introducing the Echo--the next generation of its digital pen.

The Echo will come in two models--a 4GB and 8GB model, while the prior generation 2GB Pulse will remain as the company's most affordable option, dropping to $129. The 4GB Echo will sell for $169.95 and the 8GB Echo will sell for $199.95.

From a features standpoint, the Echo resembles its predecessor, with the main selling point being its "paper replay" feature--the ability to record handwritten notes in synch with recorded audio. However, Livescribe has made several hardware changes that make the … Read more

Want to take notes on an iPad? Here's your stylus

If you had visions of scribbling notes on your iPad, much like you can with virtually every other tablet that preceded it, Apple pretty much dashed them with Wednesday's focus on its onscreen keyboard.

Unsurprisingly, accessory makers have already stepped up to fill the gap. Ten One Design recently announced the Pogo Sketch and Pogo Stylus, which are fully compatible with the iPad.

As with the iPhone and iPod Touch, the iPad's screen requires capacitive input, which is why a traditional plastic stylus (or a gloved fingertip) won't work. The Pogo pens have special tips that mimic … Read more

Glitches mar launch of Livescribe app store

Digital pen maker Livescribe acknowledged on Friday that the launch of an app store for its digital pen has led to a host of problems for many users, including issues that interfere with its main note-taking feature.

The start-up launched a long-awaited app store last month, hoping to boost the appeal of its Pulse smart pen. The store included a range of applications from free games, to language translators, to specialized programs such as a Torah-chanting tutor.

However, since the store launched in beta form on November 19, customers have been experiencing issues ranging from difficulties downloading the applications to … Read more

Note to hospitals: The pen is mightier than the data entry worker

It all started when anesthesiologist Vernon Huang wanted to figure out a better way to streamline his billing. How could he bridge the gap between what's written on paper and what must be entered into an electronic database?

Huang, who's clocked in time as a senior manager for health care markets at Apple, designed the application for a digital pen whose tiny camera embedded right next to the ink cartridge captures every stroke of the written word on film and whose images are uploaded wirelessly and automatically to a remote database.

He knew such an invention has a range of applications well beyond billing, and founded Shareable Ink (headquartered in Newton, Mass., with a branch in San Mateo, Calif.). Medgadget caught up with Huang at TedMed and posted a shaky but informative demonstration:

There is, of course, competition.… Read more