Livescribe is taking a swing at improving the pen and how we capture information. The new Pulse smartpen from Livescribe is a computer within a pen that captures handwriting and simultaneously records audio and synchronizes it to the writing. We reported about Livescribe the first time about a year ago. Now their Pen is almost shipping.

You can tap on your notes to replay what was recorded from the exact moment you were writing, so you never miss a word you hear, write, or speak.
Further, the smartpen is a general purpose computer with I/O capabilities and a Java development environment that enables a wide range of applications.

"Pulse is a new type of mobile computer that supports the four basic modes of human communication – reading, writing, speaking and listening" said Jim Marggraff. "Using an embedded speaker and display for audio/visual input, and microphones and a pen for audio/visual output, Pulse advances the power and flexibility of mobile computing – it's the missing link that now connects the paper and digital worlds."

The Pulse smartpen needs special Dot Paper notebooks that have micro-dots printed on them.

The Pulse smartpen is available in two models. Priced at $149, the 1GB model provides storage for recorded audio (over 100 hours), digital notes (over 16,000 pages), or add-on applications. At $199, the 2GB model doubles the storage capacity and provides more flexibility for downloading future applications.
The new Pens are available for pre-order at the Livescribe site and ship in March.

Digitizer pens like the Pulse are not entirely new. They just get better and less bulky. In 2000 Anoto introduced their pen. Anoto has been bought by Logitech and they marketed the io2 digital pen. End of 2007 Destiny bought the digital pen assets and is now selling it in the the B2B area.