LiveScribe's pen computer delayed to '08

The digital pen from start-up LiveScribe won't be available to put under the Christmas tree, CNET News.com has learned.

The pen, which can record both sound and handwritten notes, was supposed to make its debut in the fourth quarter, according to an announcement in May. However, the company now plans a formal launch for January, while the product won't be broadly available to consumers until later in the quarter--possibly late March--a company representative told News.com on Monday.

Credit: LiveScribe

An updated rendering of the
digital pen that LiveScribe plans
to bring to market early next year.

"They are just doing a lot of fine-tuning of the software and the applications and the development tools, and didn't want to come out in the market until things were perfect," the LiveScribe representative said.

LiveScribe is one of a host of companies putting a new twist on the idea of a computer inside a pen. The company, which includes former executives from LeapFrog and Palm, made a splashy debut at the D: All Things Digital conference earlier this year, but has been silent since. A representative said the company made the decision to delay the product's launch in recent days.

The company hasn't given too many specifics on the pen, but has said it will have a built-in display, be capable of syncing an audio recording of a meeting with handwritten notes, and will sell for less than $200.

[michaelo1966]

For $200

You can buy a box of BIC's that write on anything ($10), a scanner ($99), and have $80 left to buy lots of paper with. You can also buy 1/2 an entry level PC that's more than adequate for virtually any data-entry task. I can't imagine why anybody would want this thing.

[Digital Fan]

Disappointment for Delays

Livescribe is probably one of the most innovative study tool for students, especially a college or graduate student like me. However, I saw a comment posted before me; he believed this tool is redundant.

Indeed, he is right. Everything in today's tool is redundant in some sense. But this tool offers some much potential to connect a dead paper to truly digital storage, formats, editing without a hunky laptop that releases so much unnecessary heat, etc. I simply cannot work with a laptop for hours by working eye to eye (literally) with a tablet screen. Regardless what other people say, I feel a little bit sad that it will come out beginning 2nd quarter 08... sigh

Yet, I registered as a beta tester. Let's hope I will be a beta tester later this year....

[lyrics_ru]

The FLY

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[Digital Fan]

Fly Fusion A Distant Second to Livescribe

Two weeks agao, I bought the Fly Fusion for my college study. This excels both scanner and IO2 for several reasons:

1. It can read my handwriting so that I can search my handwritten key words just like IO2. Scanner can't do that.
2. IO2 lacks a good way to organize notes. For example, I can always go back to take my previous notes in Fly Fusion and the computer can still recognize it. Sometimes IO2 can't YET IO2 has more editing tools. However, Fly Fusion is always straightforward and very easy to use.

However, Livescribe is an evolved pen both in excel in its applications and the physical pen in terms of design and practical usage for adults. Go check out its website: www.livescribe.com. You will know what I mean :)