Comparison of two SmartPens

Smartpens look and feel like standard pens.  The difference is that they can capture the handwriting or brush strokes of the user. Handwriting created using “pen and paper” can be converted into digital data, enabling it to be used in various applications. It can be displayed on the computer monitor or on a tablet screen as well as have it interpreted by handwriting software (OCR).
Two Smartpens which I have recently looked at are the Equill SmartPen and the LiveScribe Echo Smart Pen

Some of the main comparisons I have found between the two pens are summarised below

LiveScribe Smart Pen

  • Designed to record everything you write, hear or say. You can replay any part of a meeting or lecture by tapping on your note at that particular time.
  • There are 3 versions of this pen: Livescribe™ 3 smartpen, Sky wifi smartpen, and Echo™ smartpen.  see comparison chart
  • The Echo and the Sky wifi smartpen appears to be the most useful version for audio linked to handwriting
  • Requires special notepaper
  • It is possible to store, organize, replay and share notes via Echo Desktop. Its supports the Mac OS X and Windows.

Equill Smart Pen

  • Designed to record everything you write and sketch onto a tablet.
    Works with any paper of even directly as a stylus on a tablet screen.
  • Works with iOS, Android and Windows
  • Works well with Evernote to organise notes.
  • Notes can be written offline or they can appear live on the tablet screen.
  • Good handwriting recognition.
  • Audio cannot be linked to handwriting

To learn more about their features see the videos below 

LiveScribe Smart Pen

 

Equill Smart Pen

 

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