Livescribe Echo Smartpen

Ideal for students and journalists who want the best of both note-taking worlds. New 3.5mm headphone jack is now compatible with most headphones. Tons of dot paper options that are relatively cheap. Echo comes with a 50-page notebook. Learn foreign...

Pen is still bulky and awkward. Plan on sitting in the front class if you want clear audio records. Wireless uploading would be nice. Still no built-in handwriting-to-text conversion

Beyond capturing your notes, Livescribe’s Dot Paper also acts as the tool you use to control your pen. At the bottom of each notebook page there are a collection of buttons that, when touched with the Echo Smartpen, can be used to adjust volume, start,...

Never miss another note, good storage capacity, OLED is bright, capable, and well located, comfortable to write with, speaker sounds great, microphone captures clear audio ; Bad: Pen cap can be easily lost while using the pen, exporting your notes to...

Pen cap can be easily lost while using the pen, exporting your notes to text costs extra

Simultaneously records audio while writing, excellent recording quality and volume, easy to use, third-party app store, pencasts

Thicker and larger than a regular pen, cap is easily lost, software isn't the most intuitive

If you regularly take notes, the Livescribe Echo smartpen is almost a must-buy. Excellent recording capabilities, ease of use and an app store that will only grow make it a wise investment.

Simultaneously records audio while writing, excellent recording quality and volume, easy to use, third-party app store, pencasts

Thicker and larger than a regular pen, cap is easily lost, software isn't the most intuitive

Livescribe's Echo is the most useful smartpen we've seen, and a brilliant buy for anyone who attends meetings regularly or conducts interviews

Livescribe's latest is a good addition to its smartpen family: the Livescribe Echo is thinner and more comfortable than its predecessor, and it will certainly appeal to students who have a penchant for falling asleep in lecture. It's one of those rare...

The Livescribe Echo is a niche product if ever we've seen one. If you're just into making quick doodles in a pad while out and about or looking to keep a personal diary, this tech filled pen is almost certainly surplus to your requirements. However,...