Using Livescribe Connect with my Echo Smartpen

Last June, at the ISTE 2010 Conference I had the opportunity to meet with Jim Marggraff where he showed me what was in store for the Livescribe line of smartpens. Well today, Livescribe released Livescribe Connect which provides users with a host of new features and connectivity. One of the most exciting features from my perspective is being able to create an Adobe Acrobat Pencast PDF which is able to be played with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. In fact today, I found out that the Acrobat Pencast PDF  works just fine with Adobe Acrobat Professional Version 9.4 which is on my Dell computer. In order to use the Livescroibe Connect features you will have to update the Livescribe Desktop software and your pen's firmware. The update went without a hitch and now the moment of truth was about to take place. I turned on my pen and did a short recording on a sticky note which I wanted to send to my Facebook page. After the recording was completed I used the convention of drawing a short line from left to right and back again and then was prompted to write the command- which I did by writing "Facebook" above the line. I was then prompted to select the page by tapping it and I finished the session by double tapping on the page. Now the LED screen on the pen prompted me to dock my pen which I did and within seconds my sticky note appeared in my Facebook page. Now anyone coming to my Facebook page can play and listen to the pencast right with the browser. Livescribe Desktop software supports a number of connectors which I'm sure you will find very handy. These include: Google Docs, Evernote, Email, Facebook, Mobile, Computer, and MyLivescribe. So if you have a Echo Smartpen then rush right over to the Livescribe website and update your software and pen so you too can take advantage of  Livescribe Connect- I'm sure you will enjoy the functionality just as much as I have!

Personal Touch High Tech- The Livescribe Pen in Action

If you are in business you know just how important written communication is in helping you to stay connected to your clients. While a lot has been written about business people writing personal notes, I know that it is time consuming and can add some costs to the bottom line. But what would happen if you could write that personal note in your handwriting and send it off as an email? Now you get the best of both world- the ability to write a personal note in your handwriting and send it off as an email. Using the Livescribe Echo Pen and the new Livescribe Connect services I was able to write my personal note on the Flip Notepad paper and then send it via the Livescribe Connect service to a special educator who registered for the Summer iPad Institute which will be held July 12 and 13th at the Warren Middle School, Warren, NJ. (If you are interested in registering for the iPad Institute click here). Think of what a nice touch it is when he receives via an email a personal note for me confirming his registration. Using the Livescribe Connect Service was extremely easy and all of the mechanics of the email are handled from within the Livescribe Desktop Software.

In order to accomplish this task, I simply wrote my note on the Flip Notepad paper and then synched it to the Livescribe Desktop Software. I then Right clicked on the handwritten note and choose the Email option. I had the option to send the handwritten note as a PDF or PNG file and selected the PDF format. Once I clicked OK a small dialog box popped up that let me enter the recipients email address with a subject. Clicking OK sent the email with the handwritten note. It is really that simple. So if you are looking for a high tech way to add that personal touch you may want to think about using the Livescribe Echo Pen to send up your next personal handwritten note.

Livescribe Releases Sound Stickers App

While I was at ISTE 2011 I had a chance to visit with Livescribe and find out all of the latest developments that are happening with the Livescribe technology. For the past couple of years many of us who have been using the Livescribe pens have come with some interesting ways to adapt the technology so that text can be read on ordinary paper. I have highlighted that in some of my older blog posts- but today using the Livescribe Sound Sticker app and the supplied Sound Stickers you can quickly place a sticker on any paper and tap the sticker to record whatever you like. Once you download the latest version of the Livescribe Desktop software and the Livescribe Sound Stickers Application you can peel off a Sound Sticker and place it any where you like on a page. Now simply click in the Record button-tap a sticker and start recording - tap one more time to confirm and you are good to go. To play the associated sound simply tap the pen on the sticker to hear your play back. If you would like to re-record-you can click in the Delete button and quickly delete the sound that is associated with the sticker. Using the Sound Stickers I'm sure you can think of all kinds of ways to make accommodations for students with reading disabilities. Place stickers on books, tests, or set up schedules complete with helpful reminders- the possibilities are endless. Let me know how you intend to use Sound Stickers with your Livescribe Smartpen by leaving a comment.