Livescribe 3 Smartpen

usability, design, size

reliability, durability

66% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

Converts handwriting accurately ; Syncs quickly ; Clean, intuitive app ; Easy note sharing

Chunky Pen ; iOS only (for now)

The Livescribe 3 Smartpen is the latest electronic pen from California-based Livescribe. Designed to take the pain out of digitizing, archiving and sharing handwritten notes and sound recordings, its wide-ranging appeal spans anyone from note-taking...

Never miss a note, reliable, turns handwriting to text very accurately, app and pen work almost flawlessly, natural feel

No support for Android, some features like Pencast might take a bit of getting used to

The Livescribe 3 Smartpen is one of the best gadgets to come out of 2013, boasting some very unique and innovative features that mean you will never have to miss an important quote again.

Fast, effective handwriting recognition; Easy to share notes; Syncs in real-time

Exclusive to iOS

The ability to take notes from sales negotiations, job interviews or board meetings, sync and then share them from an iPad can be invaluable. Whilst Livescribe's app needs polish, this an excellent business companion for iOS users.

But the biggest problem with the Livescribe 3 is that it’s no longer just a pen. Now you can’t stand and take notes with the notebook and pen anymore, or just have the notebook on your desk; you must also have your phone or tablet out and listening....

Reliable, turns handwriting to text accurately, app and pen work almost flawlessly, natural feel

No support for Android, needs special paper for writing on, plastic construction can feel cheap

Good overall performance for capturing handwritten tasks ; Comfortable to hold despite being thick

Ongoing costs for paper ; The app didn't let us share an entire writing pad in one go

New design ; 14 hour battery life

iOS only at launch ; Requires smartphone or tablet to record

Livescribe’s fourth generation smart pen, the Livescribe 3, is a revolutionary step for the vendor. Unlike its predecessors, it does not have an built-in microphone, speaker, or storage, but employs an app-centric model that relies on an iOS-based...

Synchronizes written notes with audio recordings. Archives digital copies of your written notes. Much clearer pencasts (without pen-scratching sounds) than in prior iterations. Plenty of note-editing and sharing options.

Requires a companion iOS device to work. Lacks Android support. Buggy audio recording synchronization. Requires special notebook paper.

Finally, you can share your notes to Dropbox, Evernote, Kindle, or another note-taking app on your phone or tablet. The app comes with English built in, but you can download other languages as well.