Writing with a ballpoint pen and plain paper is so last century. With technology that can now track the words you put on the page, why not try a smart pen?
WIRED used the AxiDraw V3 machine to write lines of upper- and lower-case text. Perfect repeatability of cursive letter forms, programmed using Inkscape software, let us measure handwriting capture and transcription accuracy.
Most smart-writing systems require a compromise on either the pen, paper or both. By contrast, almost every element of this set feels premium, from its ivory-paged notebooks to the svelte aluminium pen. The app is equally slick, letting you change writing colour and use virtual notebooks. Handwriting is captured by an infrared camera. WIRED particularly liked the pen's LED. Not so attractive: the ugly lid and five-hour battery life. 9/10 £199.99
Transcription error rate 4.5 per cent Compatibility iOS and Android Battery life Five hours Voice sync? Yes
Livescribe is the original smart-pen company, but a lack of competition has done the company no favours. This most recent offering is four years old and has a chunky plastic barrel that's almost twice the width of the others on test. The ability to sync recorded audio to handwriting is useful, but its accompanying app is glitchy, with limited features and no ability to change ink colours or make edits. Files can, however, be exported for editing in other applications. Handwriting capture, however, is where the Livescribe shines. The pen requires minimal pressure, resulting in a more natural writing experience. The app renders text instantly and smoothly, and rounds off unevenness. 6/10 £129
Transcription error rate Four per cent Compatibility iOS and Android Battery life 15 hours Voice sync? Yes
The Augmented Paper makes a promising first impression with its velvet-wrapped leather folio and a nice design. Things quickly go downhill, sadly. The pen's pressure sensitivity is poor and failed to capture many strokes. There's no live capture, so you have to press a button to send each page to the device. And the accompanying app is unintuitive, with no ability to organise notes into collections. There is, however, capability for virtual page editing. 3/10 £530
Transcription error rate N/A - the folio failed to capture most of the AxiDraw's strokes. Compatibility iOS and Android Battery life Eight hours Voice sync? No
Wrapped in a smart iPad-style magnetic cover, this triangular case includes a receiver that clips on to the top of your paper. It also has a slim, white pen equipped with a handy integrated charging system. The use of ultrasound and infrared, rather than specialised paper, to track the pen's position allows you to use any notebook, napkin or envelope that you have to hand. A clever bonus is the ability to clip the receiver to the top of your tablet and insert a plastic tip into the pen for extra accuracy. Designed for drawing as well as handwriting capture, the Smartpen 2 offers 600 levels of pressure sensitivity and has a dedicated sketching app with a rich set of tools. 9/10 £199
Transcription error rate Four per cent Compatibility iOS and Android Battery life Eight hours Voice sync? No
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
