As everyday life moves further and further into the digital realm, dominated by smartphones and tablets, few of us need to tote notebooks and pens around anymore. Sometimes, though, it’s much easier to take notes by hand instead of trying to type out everything you want to record.
Smart pens help bridge the gap between digital and analog by letting you turn your device into a notebook. The pens on this list are compatible with most note-taking apps and will help you get your ideas down on (digital) paper.
Livescribe Aegir Smartpen
The Livescribe Aegir Smartpen lets you do more with your notes and sketches than merely putting pen to paper — though you can do that, too. The Aegir lets you record everything you write, draw, or hear and digitizes it automatically from the special Livescribe paper you use it with. In conjunction with the Livescribe+ app, it lets you record audio to add sound to your notes. This system lets you search for and access handwritten notes from your iOS or Android device or desktop Windows or Mac computers and share resulting documents as text, PDF, image, or Word docs. It automatically syncs with the cloud via Dropbox, Google Drive, OneNote, or Evernote. Tags help keep your notes organized.
The Slate 2+ Pencil & Paper Graphic Tablet
So here’s an intriguing concept: You can use your own implements and writing or sketchpad paper for note-taking or drawing on the Slate tablet while relying on a small removable ring that fits over your pen or pencil circumference to help digitize your work. The Slate 2+ Graphic Tablet connects to your tablet, smartphone, or computer, letting you immediately view your output. The related Imagink app, which gives you all sorts of pencils, felt-tips, and airbrushes, assists with your creations. Via the unit’s graphic tablet mode, you can use the Slate with popular desktop drawing software from Adobe and others and then share and export your creations in a variety of formats, including PNG, JPEG, MP4, PSD, and SVG.
Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook and Pen
This reusable notebook — which works seamlessly with the Pilot Frixion Pen — offers an environmentally friendly way to jot down notes and doodles and transmit them to Google Drive, Dropbox, Evernote, Box, OneNote, Slack, iCloud, and even email via the free Rocketbook app for iOS and Android. Just wipe the 32-page dotted grid notebook clean with a damp cloth. It takes about 15 seconds for ink from any Pilot Frixion pen, marker, or highlighter to dry for it to bond to the Rocketbook pages. Artificial intelligence facilitates Rocketbook’s smart titles, smart search, and email transcription for easier labeling and searching of notes. The Rocketbook Smart Reusable Notebook and Pen package includes one Rocketbook Core 8.5 x 11-inch notebook, one Pilot Frixion Pen, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. It comes in eight vibrant colors.
Livescribe Echo Smartpen
Livescribe is a famous name in the smart pen arena, and the Echo has all the elements you may need. It records what you write, replays meetings and lectures with a tap, and saves all notes and audio recordings to your computer in conjunction with free companion software for Mac and Windows. With 2GB of memory on the device, it can store over 200 hours of audio or thousands of pages of notes. The special Livescribe dot paper, which is required for the pen to work, is regular paper printed with a unique pattern of microdots that function as a GPS system, allowing the pen to capture what you write. The Livescribe Echo Smartpen comes in various sizes and styles to suit your needs: College-ruled notebooks, lined journals, blank journals, mini journals, and more. You can even print your own dot paper for free from within the Echo Desktop on your printer. The package includes a 50-page starter notebook, two ink cartridges, a micro USB cable, and a cap.
Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse
The Moleskine Pen+ Ellipse Smart Writing Set includes the pen and paper tablet with encoded paper in a dotted layout designed with code technology that works with the pen to facilitate the capture of your strokes. The companion app — for both iOS and Android — transfers your notebook scribbles to your device, digitizing your analog notes and allowing you to notate, share, search, edit, and organize your notes. You can record audio to sync with your notes and diagrams and save as a PDF or upload to Google or Evernote. It comes with a USB recharging cable, one pen tip ink refill, and a user manual.
Wacom Bamboo Folio Smartpad Digital Notebook
With the Wacom Bamboo Folio, you’re working with the pen and paper you’re used to — except this pen and paper converts what you write or draw into a digital, shareable file as you write. The maximum notepad thickness is about 80 pages. When you’re finished writing, just tap a button and Bamboo Folio saves everything. The free Wacom Inkspace app converts your handwritten notes to text and lets you export it into JPG, PNG, PDF, SVG, or WILL files. An optional upgrade gives you access to the free Inkspace cloud service that converts your notes to text, tags your ideas on paper, or exports them as documents. You can use it to sync your material in the cloud and forward it to Dropbox, Evernote, and OneNote. The Wacom Inkspace app works with Bluetooth-enabled iOS or Android devices.
Neo Smartpen N2
The Neo Smartpen N2 digitizes your notes with an internal camera that captures your handwriting and converts it to digital documents when the pen syncs via the Neo Notes app. The companion app is compatible with Evernote, Google Drive Manager, OneNote, and Creative Cloud. Its dual-core ARM9 processor records more than 120 frames per second and calculates up to 256 levels of pressure. You can save and transmit your written notes in this digital pen’s 90 MB internal storage space, although we do not recommend data transfer while you are still using the pen to take notes. You can export both text and drawings to social media. The Neo Smartpen uses a refillable Standard D1-Type pen tip.
NewYes Smartpen
The NewYes smartpen has a built-in camera with a lens that captures the exact location of everything you write and draw and recognizes 1,024 levels of pressure. This pen transfers data wirelessly by using Bluetooth 4.2, which ensures easy and direct transmission without the risk of losing data. Plus, this pen has an eight-hour writing capacity, giving you ample space for all your notes. A companion app provides handwriting recognition and generates editable text from your scribbles, letting you search for handwritten keywords. The app also includes a voice memo feature that links audio to your notes. You can easily navigate through your presentations and lectures using the convenient Playback button. Save materials in an album or as a PDF, or quickly share notes and ideas with friends and colleagues on Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Twitter, and email. The package includes its own special notebook, a refill, and a USB charger, and the app is compatible with both iOS and Android.
Livescribe 3 Smartpen Black Edition
Quickly share handwritten information from paper to tablet or smartphone with the Livescribe 3. It connects the free Livescribe+ app to your iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth smart tech to sync what you write or draw. The pen’s built-in memory captures and stores your notes. It also synchronizes audio while you write, using a high-speed infrared camera and the microphone on your smartphone or tablet. Once your notes are in the mobile app, you can organize, tag, playback audio, and send or share notes to up to four of your iOS or Android devices. The pattern of tiny dots that cover Livescribe dot paper works with the pen’s infrared camera, allowing it to record the location of everything you write or draw. Livescribe notebooks come in various paper types, bindings, and sizes, all of which include controls and tags, which help the pen communicate with the app. At full charge, these notebooks last up to 14 hours unplugged.
Editors’ Recommendations
