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Livescribe Echo Smartpen - 8GB
Overall Rating:
• Weight: 36 g
• Battery technology: Lithium-Ion
• Minimum system requirements: USB 2.0
• Minimum processor: 600 MHz
• Minimum hard disk space: 0.3 GB
Livescribe ECHO Smartpen-8GB Review
Livescribe's Pulse smartpen caused quite a stir when it was first released in 2008. This was due to the fact that its application was quite revolutionary and it was the leading digital note taking or recording device at the time. Following the success of the Pulse smartpens, Livescribed released the ECHO series of smartpens in 2010 and this product line has been responsible for a large portion of the company’s income—thanks to its unique features. The Livescribe ECHO 8 GB smartpen definitely packs more juice that the earlier 2 GB model—and not just because of the larger memory size.
Synchronized Audio and Ink Recordings
At the moment, no other device is at par with the Livescribe ECHO Smartpen in terms of synchronization of recorded audio and written notes. Not the iPad and definitely not the Dictaphone. Unlike other similar devices that you have to search for the written and audio recordings for particular sections, the Livescribe ECHO smartpen makes this easier. Instead of going back and forth trying to locate specific segments, all you have to do is tap your pen on your notes and the matching audio recording is played back through the included headphones or the in-built speakers. This feature is highly desirable because it means that you can easily make references to useful information that you recorded earlier without the attendant difficulties associated with other devices. Advanced Sharing in Different Communities Unlike the ECHO 2 GB smartpen that comes with the Livescribe Connect Basic, the 8 GB version is equipped with the Livescribe Connect Premium which allows more functionality. For instance, the 2 GB smartpen typically supports sharing on Evernote and OneNote but with the 8 GB version, you can share on these formats in addition to Google Docs and even via your email. This means that you can take notes and share them with different categories of people and even on social media including Facebook. Hopefully, this will soon extend to other social media communities. Furthermore, the Livescribe ECHO 8 GB smartpen also supports sharing on mobile devices but in order to enjoy this feature, you must use a web browser enabled with the Pencast Player App or Flash.
Organize your Recordings with Livescribe Desktop
Of course, in order to get the best out of your smartpen, you'll need to transfer your notes and recordings to your computer. The best way to do this is with the Livescribe desktop which helps you organize all your notes and desktop in a way that grants you easy access to them whenever you want to. Unlike the Pulse smartpen which requires a special USB port, the ECHO 8 GB smartpen connects to your computer via a standard micro-USB connector cable. Once you are connected, transferring and saving your notes and recordings on your computer is a breeze, in addition to making it easy to search for specific information. Incidentally, the same micro-USB connector also doubles as a charger for the smartpen and you can recharge your devices while saving your recordings.
Other Features
You can also download a lot of other apps onto your Livescribe ECHO 8 GB smartpen in order to improve your experience. Furthermore, you can make your selection from a large repertoire including applications from the productivity, educational and entertainment niches.
Unlike the 2 GB ECHO smartpen that comes with just a starter paper, the 8 GB smartpen comes with a whole starter notebook that will last you for a while before you’ll need to buy another one. Furthermore, it is also designed with a rubberized grip, comes with 2 smartpen caps, and 2 ink cartridges. In addition to all of these, the 8 GB smartpen also comes with over 800 hours of recording time, OLED display, 500mb of online storage and a replaceable ink tip.
Conclusion
It would have been the perfect note taking device if it had come with a Bluetooth device so that you necessarily don’t have to physically connect the smartpen to your computer. However, this drawback still doesn’t detract from the fact that this smartpen is still the best thing to happen to the note-taking world and you will find this tool extremely useful.
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