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Pen-it Bluetooth Digital Pen

by Mat Lu Jan 14th 2007 at 1:30PM

Okay, this is just plain cool. Watching MacBreak 59 I came across the Pen-it from Hitachi Maxell. I suggest you watch the video (the segment starts about 6:35), but basically it's an ink pen with built-in Bluetooth. When you use it to write on special paper (which has been pre-printed with literally millions of little dots), it records your strokes for later wireless upload to your Mac. Apparently the pen has a tiny camera which makes this possible. The Pen-it NOTES application on the Mac then retrieves your scribbles as vector data(!) which can be saved or further edited on the Mac. Of course, as Merlin Mann notes, this locks you into their paper, and they don't say exactly how much it will cost. It is also not clear whether this is compatible with Apple's Inkwell technology.

Since this is a brand new product for the Mac (though a PC version has been available for a while), their website is rather incomplete. However, they are running a special promotion for Macworld with a $100-off coupon, bringing the price down to $199 for the pen (and USB charger), one notebook, and the software. It appears that this is the same technology (from Anoto) behind Logitech's io2 Digital Writing System, but it's not clear at all whether the Logitech pen (which is Windows only), would actually be compatible. (If it is, three 128 page notebooks of the Logitech pen's paper sells for about $12.)



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Okay, this is just plain cool. Watching MacBreak 59 I came across the Pen-it from Hitachi Maxell. I suggest you watch the video (the...
 

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Rick

Anyone find an replacement paper for this pen in the US?

March 30 2007 at 3:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
macfan

I just got confirmation that the Pen-It folks are getting ready to release a newer version of their software.

March 13 2007 at 8:07 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
macfan

I got the Pen-IT today!

1 - The packging was great!
2 - It took 4 weeks for the package to arrive (in Omaha, NE)
3 - The software is not good for me, I have had numerous crashes.

Some Details:

- I have been able to tranfer notes to my MacBook Pro. You have to "check" a little card which sends your notes.
- The iNotes / Pen IT Notes software crashes every few minutes, ie I have not been able to see my notes yet.
- While the software is running it uses a huge amount of CPU, usually over 60% on BOTH cores.
- The update preference says "no server found" when you turn it on.
- The software is PowerPC - this is clearly stated in their site and elsewhere.
- The company has been communicative even while I waited 4 weeks for the pen to arrive.
- The box says "Evaluation Demo" right on it.

Hope this helps others! BTW, you can download APIs in Java from Anoto. Maybe then I can read the .pgc files.

The PC experience is much better but I hope Maxell keeps on this and gets some of the issues fixed. The software is clearly BETA and while I am not disappointed I hope it gets better.

If not, maybe Anoto hopefuls should band together and create an OSS version to share!

March 08 2007 at 9:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
algal

If one of you gets this device, I'd be very curious to hear your impressions.

Their website doesn't look especially polished, so I am a little worried about the quality of the software.

February 28 2007 at 1:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Colin Thompson

Just got an email saying they are starting to ship next week. Being in Australia I imagine mine will take aweek or nore to arrive.

Does anyone know of any (Mac) software to print our own paper - I'd like t go A3 if possible?

February 09 2007 at 8:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Hans

Well, I ordered one anyway. SImply being able to effortlessly "scan" notes taken during face-to-face meetings is worth the price of admission.

February 06 2007 at 10:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
cxwing

I tried this pen at Macworld and asked them whether it could be used as a stylus for inkwell. They said that at the moment this isn't implemented. It would require continuously streaming the data from the pen to the host. The hardware is supposed to support that feature though. But the main idea behind this product is to use it when you don't have your computer around, and then "sync" your pen and computer to transfer the data. The software doesn't do handwriting recognition.

January 22 2007 at 2:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ron K

Better Details, but still no user guide, etc...
http://www.maxell.co.jp/e/products/industrial/digitalpen/index.html

January 19 2007 at 12:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nomad

Hans - the simple answer is I do not know. It is sometime since I was involved in Anoto and to be honest the pens I have that work with Apple over bluetooth and with Inkwell and prototypes given to me by the founder for evaulation purposes. Apple tends to take two to three years to develop a new product and from what I have seen the pen is nbot on the drawing board at this time - if and when I have any news about the iPen I will let you know.

January 16 2007 at 11:06 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Hans

>under the guidance of Phil Schiller integrating it with Apple's Inkwell technology

Alright, you have my attention. If I buy this new Mac-friendly Anoto bundle now does it look like I'll be able to use Inkwell for recognition soon?

January 15 2007 at 9:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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